How do I restore a Calendar in iOS8?

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Jerry Dammers Author

Level 2

182 points

How do I restore a Calendar in iOS8?

A Calendar has disappeared within Calendar and I need to retrieve it.

I back up to iCloud - the last backup was yesterday.

It disappeared when I deleted a Reminder which is frustrating as I obviously would never have deleted the Calendar.

How do I restore it?

I use Calendar on my iPhone, iPad and Mac, using latest software.

Thank you

Posted on Dec 23, 2014 2:04 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 23, 2014 4:04 AM in response to Jerry Dammers

If you use Calendar on your Mac.....

Disconnect from the Internet
Restore from backup
Export each calendar to your desktop (click the 'calendars' button in the top left corner of iCal, ctrl-click on a calendar and select export)
Re-enable your Internet connection (events and reminders will disappear from iCal)
Create a new empty calendar from the iCal file menu, select the iCloud account to create it in.
Double click a calendar you previously exported to the desktop and choose the new empty calendar to import them into
Delete the original calendar (click the 'calendars' button in the top left corner of iCal, ctrl-click on a calendar and select delete)
Rename the newly created calendar to match the original that you have now deleted
Repeat steps 5-8 for each calendar.

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Answer 2

Jerry Dammers Author

Level 2

182 points

Dec 23, 2014 4:31 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Thanks for your response.

I have backups via iCloud and Time Machine - which does the above refer to?

I tried restoring via iCloud but it doesn't restore correctly - primarily because of an issue with syncing music via iTunes that means the sync doesn't successfully complete. Some elements sync but unfortunately not Calendar.

If I sync via Time Machine from the Mac I'm not sure where/how I follow step 3 onwards?

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Answer 3

Dec 23, 2014 5:45 AM in response to Jerry Dammers

Calendar back ups should be made at Calendar > File > Export > Calendar Archives.

To restore from a back up made through iCloud, try the following (no guarantees):

The difficulty in restoring iCloud data from a back up is that the back up is older than the current version on iCloud and anything that is restored gets removed again when an iCloud sync occurs.

Ensure the device is connected to your local network.
Start the restore from iCloud back up.
Allow the devices settings to restore (watch for the confirmation of completion).
As the apps begin to restore pull the connection to your router WAN port (the one that goes to the telephone point).
Wait for the time out confirmation.
Navigate to settings > iCloud and turn off calendar syncing (keep calendars when prompted).
Reconnect the router to the internet and let the restore process complete.
Delete any iCloud calendars from iCloud.comon a computer.
Navigate to settings > iCloud and turn on calendar syncing (merge calendars when prompted).

May I suggest that you carry out a back up to iTunes before you try anything, that way should things become even worse, you can at least restore back to where you are now.

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Answer 4

Jerry Dammers Author

Level 2

182 points

Dec 24, 2014 1:26 AM in response to Winston Churchill

Winston Churchill wrote:

Calendar back ups should be made at Calendar > File > Export > Calendar Archives.

When I go here, I can see how it lets me save the current view of Calendar but I can't see how I access previous versions - am I missing something?

I've tried the various approaches above (and others!) and still can't recover the lost calendar. It's just one individual Calendar that's been lost within 10 that I use within Calendar (the other nine are fine).

I have a back-up to iTunes from two weeks ago and a back up from iCloud last night. Might the following approach work?:

1. Recover to iTunes from 2 weeks ago

2. Save the Calendar I need to my Computer as per Calendar Archives approach above

3. Restore to the more recent iCloud back up

4. Add the lost Calendar only via the Archive approach

Also, shouldn't Time Machine be able to help me here? When I access Time Machine and search for Calendar, I can see "plist" files that look daily - are these the Calendar back-up files?

Many thanks for your help

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Answer 5

Dec 24, 2014 2:40 AM in response to Jerry Dammers

Unfortunately, the path I gave you is for creating back ups, you access them via visiting the place you have saved them to, reading between the lines it sounds as though you may not have saved any.

To restore from a back up made through iTunes, follow these instructions.

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