mac calendar not syncing with iphone & ipad via itunes

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ae58 Author

Level 1

5 points

mac calendar not syncing with iphone & ipad via itunes

i am unable to sync my mac calendar with my iphone and ipad using iTunes.

i am using one calendar, renamed to "Agu's Calendar".

the calendar events are on the iphone and ipad, but do not appear on the macbook.

i created a new event on the iphone and sync'd, but the event did not appear on the macbook.

i created a new event on the macbook and sync'd, but the event did not appear on the iphone/ipad.

previous posts recommended deleting the calendar cache on the syncservices, but the Support page describing that method has been removed.

macbook air running MacOS Sierra 10.12

iphone 6 Plus running iOS 10.0.2

ipad air running iOS 10.0.2

iTunes 12.5.1.21

MacBook Air, macOS Sierra (10.12)

Posted on Sep 28, 2016 9:22 PM

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Answer 1

Sep 29, 2016 1:31 AM in response to ae58

If you use iCloud, I don't think calendar (plus contact and reminder) data goes through an iTunes sync to iOS devices, such as iPhone and iPad. It goes through iCloud. You need to be signed in using the same Apple ID on your Mac and iOS devices. Updates are seem in iCloud by all associated devices and computers (for an Apple ID). iTunes is not involved. This document has details

Get help using iCloud Contacts, Calendars, or Reminders - Apple Support

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Answer 2

ae58 Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 29, 2016 6:03 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

kenichi-san,

i tried to be very specific that i was sync'ing thru iTunes. i do not want to sync via iCloud because previous attempts created 3 sets of duplicates.

i want to sync with my Macbook using iTunes while my iPhone is connected via USB.

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Answer 3

Sep 29, 2016 6:25 AM in response to ae58

I realize what you said and desire, but you just recently updated your Mac's OS and your iPhone's OS with major releases. So you should confirm settings are as you expect. On the Mac, open System Preferences iCloud pane. If you do not want to use iCloud, you should not be signed in there with your Apple ID. Or Calendars (and maybe also Contacts, Reminders, and Notes) should not be checked (if you are signed in with your Apple ID for iCloud in general).

On your iPhone, you are signed in with your Apple ID. As a test, make a change to your calendar on your iPhone. Then, on the Mac, open Safari and go to iCloud.com. Sign in there, with your Apple ID. Click Calendar. Is that change you made on the iPhone reflected in your iCloud calendar? If so, your iPhone is using your iCloud calendar, even if your Mac is not.

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Answer 4

ae58 Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 29, 2016 6:42 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

on my Mac, i am signed in to iCloud. (iCloud Drive, Contacts, Reminders, Notes, Keychain and Find My Mac)

on my iPhone, i am signed in to iCloud. (iCloud Drive, Contacts, Reminders, Notes, Keychain, Find My iPhone)

i tried the test you suggested (create calendar event on iPhone, check if the event was sync'd on the iCloud Calendar). the new event did not sync.

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Answer 5

Sep 29, 2016 7:04 AM in response to ae58

If you are using iCloud for your calendar (and those other items), you do not sync that data using iTunes anymore. Your Mac updates your iCloud calendar, and your iPhone updates your iCloud calendar. Your Mac and iPhone should both access the same iCloud calendar directly. iTunes is not in the picture. So the actual question is, why didn't the iPhone calendar update your iCloud calendar?

Are you using the same Apple ID on the Mac and iPhone, and you used that same Apple ID to sign in at iCloud.com? Your iPhone has an active Internet connection?

Second test... If you update your calendar on the Mac (using Calendar app), then look at your iCloud calendar on iCloud.com (using Safari), is THAT change reflected?

I just added two test events on my calendar, one each on my Mac and on my iOS device. Both test events now appear on my iCloud calendar (as viewed at iCloud.com), AND I can see both events on my Mac and iOS device, using their calendar apps.

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Answer 6

ae58 Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 29, 2016 7:36 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

i do not sync my Calendars using iCloud. only iCloud Drive, Contacts, Reminders, Notes, Keychain and Find My Mac (or iPhone).

if i create a new calendar event on my Macbook calendar, it does not appear in my iCloud calendar.

additional info: ever since the update to MacOS Sierra and iOS 10, i noticed that sync'ing takes longer than usual.

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Answer 7

Sep 29, 2016 8:30 AM in response to ae58

Sorry, I misread what you wrote...

So, what happens if you turn ON iCloud for calendar on your Mac, but not your iPhone? Do you still get the "3 sets of duplicates" issue?

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Answer 8

ae58 Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 29, 2016 8:36 AM in response to ae58

it seems that the calendar on my iPhone is not the same as the calendar on my mac, even if both of them have the same name "Agu's Calendar". this is the reason why the 2 calendars do not sync.

is there any way i can force the iPhone Calendar to sync the Mac Calendar? right now, all my Calendar entries are on my iPhone.

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Answer 9

ae58 Author

Level 1

5 points

Sep 29, 2016 8:38 AM in response to Kenichi Watanabe

"So, what happens if you turn ON iCloud for calendar on your Mac, but not your iPhone? Do you still get the "3 sets of duplicates" issue?"

Yes. unless there is a way to Remove Duplicates on my iCloud calendar, i want to avoid sync'ing my Mac and iPhone with my iCloud calendar.

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Answer 10

Sep 29, 2016 8:46 AM in response to ae58

In that case, what happens if you turn ON iCloud for calendar on your iPhone, but not on your Mac?

Maybe the duplicate issue happened, because it "merged" your calendars on your Mac and iPhone, which had the same entries. If you only enable one device, the one with the up-to-date entries, does that duplicate issue still occur.

Does your iCloud calendar already have entries? Or is it currently "blank"?

Ultimately, you may need to enable iCloud calendar, so that you Mac and iPhone can use the current method of immediately seeing the same calendar data on all associated computers and devices.

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