iCloud not backing up third party apps

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Level 1

40 points

iCloud not backing up third party apps

I have iCloud enabled and backing up on my ipad air 2 (recently upgraded to ios9) and my iphone 4s (ios8). I have documents and data enabled under icloud backup and I thought it was working fine since apple's apps are syncing.

I had one third party app that wasn't syncing between the devices so I thought it was just a bug in the app. Now I've downloaded another third party app and noticed it isn't syncing either and their support team is not aware of this being an issue.

If I go to iCloud - Storage - Manage Storage - ipad air 2, I see all my apps there with backup enabled, however all of them say No Data under them. I recently changed data in one of the third party apps so I know it needs to sync. Does this mean something's wrongwith syncing?

iPad Air, iOS 9

Posted on Nov 13, 2015 8:07 PM

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Answer 1

fromsouth

Level 5

4,945 points

Nov 17, 2015 3:15 PM in response to rgraves

Syncing and backing up are two very different things, while icloud backs up third party apps syncing is usually performed on the servers of those apps, so talk to app developers.

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Answer 2

rgraves Author

Level 1

40 points

Nov 17, 2015 3:17 PM in response to fromsouth

Thanks, I was wondering that. Their description of the app said it was sync'd via iCloud and their support person didn't say otherwise as I described it.

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Answer 3

fromsouth

Level 5

4,945 points

Nov 17, 2015 3:39 PM in response to rgraves

Curios, did support describe any kind of process to enable icloud sync when app opens up first after install? If he didn't usually there is FAQ's page on support website, that surely describes how it all works with step by step.

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Answer 4

rgraves Author

Level 1

40 points

Nov 17, 2015 8:42 PM in response to fromsouth

iCloud is a setting in the app and it was enabled by default. Checked their website and no other support docs. It just lists a feature that it syncs the data between idevices using it iCloud.

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Answer 5

fromsouth

Level 5

4,945 points

Nov 20, 2015 3:53 AM in response to rgraves

That would point to one of two.

1. You are using different icloud accounts on two devices.

2. Their syncing feature does not work as advertised.

if it is 1. you know what to do.

if it is 2. you can try to reinstall the app, but then you go back to developer.

There is another way, but you are not going to like it.

Backup your phone and ipad and wipe them. After wipe set them up as new and install the app. Verify if it does sync or it does not.

If it does - there may be something wrong with software that you have on ipad or iphone right now that stops the feature.

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