iCloud Contacts failing to sync after High Sierra

***Problem Resolved***

I spoke with an Apple Senior Tech Advisor this morning and they were able to resolve the contact issue. Here are the steps the must be taken in the exact order for this to work.

1. Go to iCloud.com and export all your contacts to a safe file, just in case.

2. Turn off iCloud contacts in MacBook preferences so no longer connected to cloud

3. Make sure the MacBook Contacts are empty with zero contacts.

4. Restart computer and reopen contacts to make sure there are zero contacts.

5. open ~/Library/Containers and delete everything with addressbook in its name

6. open ~/Library/Application Support and delete everything with addressbook in its name

7. open ~/Library/Preferences and delete everything with addressbook in its name

8. open ~/Library/Caches and delete everything with addressbook in its name

9. Restart computer (this will restore OS operating files and folders for contacts, but not any contacts)

10. Go to preferences and check the iCloud contacts to update to contact folder.

A few other people have pointed this process out; however, Apple recommends removing contacts then restart and then empty the folders, containers, and preferences... then restarting again.

What is happening is there is an old copy of the contacts that the computer is populating instead of the new contact data feed.

This worked on my MacBook Pro and Desktop.

Rob.... Try this again as it worked for me and contacts are updating as it's been two weeks since I did this and no issue!

Fixing Address iCloud Sync Issue

***Problem Resolved***

I spoke with an Apple Senior Tech Advisor this morning and they were able to resolve the contact issue. Here are the steps the must be taken in the exact order for this to work.

1. Go to iCloud.com and export all your contacts to a safe file, just in case.

2. Turn off iCloud contacts in MacBook preferences so no longer connected to cloud

3. Make sure the MacBook Contacts are empty with zero contacts.

4. Restart computer and reopen contacts to make sure there are zero contacts.

5. open ~/Library/Containers and delete everything with addressbook in its name

6. open ~/Library/Application Support and delete everything with addressbook in its name

7. open ~/Library/Preferences and delete everything with addressbook in its name

8. open ~/Library/Caches and delete everything with addressbook in its name

9. Restart computer (this will restore OS operating files and folders for contacts, but not any contacts)

10. Go to preferences and check the iCloud contacts to update to contact folder.

A few other people have pointed this process out; however, Apple recommends removing contacts then restart and then empty the folders, containers, and preferences... then restarting again.

What is happening is there is an old copy of the contacts that the computer is populating instead of the new contact data feed.

This worked on my MacBook Pro and Desktop.

I was having this problem on my MacBook Pro -only- (not my other 7 devices) after a reinstall of HighSierra from the Mac App Store (trying to fix other bugs)... I have fixed this NOT by deleting ANYTHING in "containers" BUT by going to: ~ / Library / Application Support / and renaming the existing AddressBook to AddressBook-OLD... ReLaunch Contacts. The AddressBook folder will be recreated and after syncing everything has worked / and synced / across all 8 of my devices, including my wife's (we share a iCloud account). Once things are good you can delete the "renamed OLD folder"... My theory is that this folder DID NOT get moved to Containers when it should have back with Sierra... Just a guess...

Have you tried this?

Fixing Address iCloud Sync Issue

I spoke with an Apple Senior Tech Advisor this morning and they were able to resolve the contact issue. Here are the steps the must be taken in the exact order for this to work.

1. Go to iCloud.com and export all your contacts to a safe file, just in case.

2. Turn off iCloud contacts in MacBook preferences so no longer connected to cloud

3. Make sure the MacBook Contacts are empty with zero contacts.

4. Restart computer and reopen contacts to make sure there are zero contacts.

5. open ~/Library/Containers and delete everything with addressbook in its name

6. open ~/Library/Application Support and delete everything with addressbook in its name

7. open ~/Library/Preferences and delete everything with addressbook in its name

8. open ~/Library/Caches and delete everything with addressbook in its name

9. Restart computer (this will restore OS operating files and folders for contacts, but not any contacts)

10. Go to preferences and check the iCloud contacts to update to contact folder.

A few other people have pointed this process out; however, Apple recommends removing contacts then restart and then empty the folders, containers, and preferences... then restarting again.

What is happening is there is an old copy of the contacts that the computer is populating instead of the new contact data feed.

This worked on my MacBook Pro and Desktop.

Spoke with Apple support and seem to have solved problem so far.

1. Go to system preferences

2. go to iCloud and uncheck all boxes

3. sign out of icloud on the left bottom of screen

4. close system preferences

5. now open system preferences click on icloud and sign in.

6. now click on all the boxes of programs in the window on right side

7. open Contacts and now your iCloud contacts should sync.

The support person I spoke with was very helpful, but he nor his supervisor had dealt with this problem. Their quidance and the way they worked through the problem was successful so far. Spent 45 mins on phone trouble shooting with them trying multiple ways to work the problem.

Have you tried this solution? It worked for me and hope this helps!

Fixing Address iCloud Sync Issue

***Problem Resolved***

I spoke with an Apple Senior Tech Advisor this morning and they were able to resolve the contact issue. Here are the steps the must be taken in the exact order for this to work.

1. Go to iCloud.com and export all your contacts to a safe file, just in case.

2. Turn off iCloud contacts in MacBook preferences so no longer connected to cloud

3. Make sure the MacBook Contacts are empty with zero contacts.

4. Restart computer and reopen contacts to make sure there are zero contacts.

5. open ~/Library/Containers and delete everything with addressbook in its name

6. open ~/Library/Application Support and delete everything with addressbook in its name

7. open ~/Library/Preferences and delete everything with addressbook in its name

8. open ~/Library/Caches and delete everything with addressbook in its name

9. Empty Trash

10. Restart computer (this will restore OS operating files and folders for contacts, but not any contacts)

11. Go to preferences and check the iCloud contacts to update to contact folder.

A few other people have pointed this process out; however, Apple recommends removing contacts then restart and then empty the folders, containers, and preferences... then restarting again.

What is happening is there is an old copy of the contacts that the computer is populating instead of the new contact data feed.

This process syncs iCloud contacts that are on your iPhone and iCloud with the Mac Book or Mac Desktop

FBdelaB wrote:

February 2018 and Contacts still won't synch to iCloud from macOS 10.13.3. Trued everything legit and user friendly. The Contact file in icloud.com is stuck in a november update. iPhone and iPad synch with this old file of course since they don't have access to the updated one on my iMac. What's up Apple ?

Apple doesn't watch these forums. Did you contact Apple for support or at least submit a bug request to Apple online (search Google: "apple feature request")? The suggestion below worked for me:

chrisadamswilson1087 wrote:

Fixing Address iCloud Sync Issue

***Problem Resolved***

I spoke with an Apple Senior Tech Advisor this morning and they were able to resolve the contact issue. Here are the steps the must be taken in the exact order for this to work.

1. Go to iCloud.com and export all your contacts to a safe file, just in case.

2. Turn off iCloud contacts in MacBook preferences so no longer connected to cloud

3. Make sure the MacBook Contacts are empty with zero contacts.

4. Restart computer and reopen contacts to make sure there are zero contacts.

5. open ~/Library/Containers and delete everything with addressbook in its name

6. open ~/Library/Application Support and delete everything with addressbook in its name

7. open ~/Library/Preferences and delete everything with addressbook in its name

8. open ~/Library/Caches and delete everything with addressbook in its name

9. Empty Trash

10. Restart computer (this will restore OS operating files and folders for contacts, but not any contacts)

11. Go to preferences and check the iCloud contacts to update to contact folder.

A few other people have pointed this process out; however, Apple recommends removing contacts then restart and then empty the folders, containers, and preferences... then restarting again.

What is happening is there is an old copy of the contacts that the computer is populating instead of the new contact data feed.

This process syncs iCloud contacts that are on your iPhone and iCloud with the Mac Book or Mac Desktop

I just found a solution that doesn't involve getting a DMG file from support. The problem (at least the one I'm having) has to do with adding photos to contacts -- the photos break the Mac Contacts app. Here's the fix:

1. Log into your iCloud.com account through a Mac browser.

2. Go to Contacts.

3. Click on the gear icon on the bottom left of the screen and "Select All."

4. In the same menu, Export vCard. It should include all your contacts. Save to somewhere on your drive (like the desktop).

5. Delete all iCloud contacts AND Mac contacts.

6. Go back to iCloud.com contacts again and import the vCard you saved to your Mac.

7. All your contacts will be back again but WITHOUT photos. It should sync to your Mac fine now as long as you don't add any photos back in.

This is a definite bug that hopefully Apple will fix in Mojave!

P.S. I'm still experimenting and it looks like it's working OK to add photos all right through the iPhone and still have them sync to the Mac. But adding any photos to contacts through the Mac app will immediately break the connection to iCloud.

This fixed it for me. I had curiosity on your comment about different accounts with contacts turned on.

I looked at my System Preferences>>Internet Accounts.

I found an old account that I hadn't used in years with contacts turned on.

I disabled the account.

Then:

Edits on my Mac showed up on my iPhone.

Edits on my iPhone showed up on my Mac.

New contacts on my Mac showed up on my iPhone.

New contacts on my iPhone showed up on my Mac.

Deleting a contact on my Mac causes it to disappear on my iPhone

Deleting a contact on my iPhone causes it to disappear on my Mac

I just hope it stick.

This leads me to believe the problem may partly be related multiple accounts with contacts turned on.

I had this same issue. I followed all of the work arounds with intermittent success.

One thing I noticed - there was one contact where I was using an image from my Photos library (probably high resolution). When I removed the image and chose a lower res copy, my sync started to work again. Been successfully syncing from Mac OS to iPhone/iCloud for the past few days now.

Jackbox1, Yes, "~" equals the "users" Library -NOT- the HD Library. It may be very true that AddressBook resides in the "containers" -ONLY- folder on a newer system... I think the problem that the OP is having is on a older system that has migrated from previous OS installs BEFORE Apple re-organised (basically) Everything... As you can see (in my screen grab), AddressBook is in the User/Library/Application Support folder on my MBP as well as many other Macs in my home and business... *NOTE - The other mentioned "AddressBook" folders in the containers folder ARE ON MY MAC'S TOO... Again, here-in lies the problem... Apple's migration, over time, has left things behind... IMHO...

Again, Quitting Contacts, Renaming the AddressBook folder (in the Application Support folder) then. Launching Contacts and letting AddressBook re-create itself and sync-up WORKED for me as a permanent fix... If there are issues you still have the "Re-named" folder as a backup... This is the fix until Apple does it right... Macsterguy :-)

Regarding contacts and (iCloud) sync issues this worked for me (and was advised via Apple Support Senior Tech);

Export address book contacts as vCard for back-up (guess you can also just use a backup from iCloud; but just in case).

Delete all contacts (on all devices) in address books and make sure all contacts are deleted on all devices including in iCloud.

Disable contact sync on all devices.

(Eventual reboot all (or affected) systems).

Enable contact sync on all devices.

Import the exported vCard file to address book on the system you exported the file to.

Done.

Expect a little working time.

To me it still works 1-2 weeks and my new MBPro now syncs again along other devices and iCloud.

If this had not worked the senior tech advised that she would push forward to Apple Engineers to check if the issue was deeper related to their server side / my account.

However there was also a Messages (iMessage) issue; on my new MBPro contacts names would show as phonenumbers; not names. The only solution that worked was to manually apply country code to each contacts phone number in contacts. Tech Advisor suggested this is how iMessage recognises correctly.

At least it worked and Messages now shows/recognises contacts names correctly again.

Hi,

I faced the same issue that modified contacts sync perfectly between my iPhone (iOS 11.2.2) and iCloud but not between iCloud and Contacts on my iMac (macOS 10.13.2). Somewhat frustrating when you are outdoors and discover that the modifications you had made on your desktop are not synced to any other device.

So when trying some of the suggested solutions (like removing all those AddressBook related files everywhere) the sync from iCloud to my Mac seemed to work again. But again, after updating some contact records on my iMac those records did not sync to iCloud (and further to my iPhone for that matter).

For some reason this non-syncing issue only seemed to appear when I tried to update a contact on my iMac by adding a picture to the record. Oddly enough from that moment on the sync to iCloud seemed to break. After some digging I found other -earlier- reports of people having this experience.

So when for sake of argument I removed the just added pictures (by selecting the image in Edit mode and hitting the Backspace button on my keyboard), syncing of changes to that record seemed to resume instantly.

Worth mentioning that adding a picture to a contact either via iCloud or via iPhone does sync that image fine between those instances but for some reason it does not sync the image to the record on my iMac. All other modified data is synced just fine.

Simple solution that helped me for now: remove the contact picture(s) on your Mac.

Though I can't say this will work for all the other reported experiences here, I am somewhat convinced that in my case the breaking of the sync between my iMac to iCloud (and onwards to my other iCloud connected devices) is related to adding a picture to a contact record om my iMac.

I hope Apple will come up with a fix for this. Though it's not a disaster that pictures on a record do not sync via a Mac, but it would be nice if this feature works as it did before.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, Reinier

Jan 18, 2018 12:13 PM <https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8086745?answerId=32891096022#32891096022>in <https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8086745>

Spoke with Apple support and seem to have solved problem so far.

1. Go to system preferences

2. go to iCloud and uncheck all boxes

3. sign out of icloud on the left bottom of screen

4. close system preferences

5. now open system preferences click on icloud and sign in.

6. now click on all the boxes of programs in the window on right side

7. open Contacts and now your iCloud contacts should sync.

The support person I spoke with was very helpful, but he nor his supervisor had dealt with this problem. Their quidance and the way they worked through the problem was successful so far. Spent 45 mins on phone trouble shooting with them trying multiple ways to work the problem

Do you have ANY contacts with images assigned to them? If so, try removing the image and see if that allows the sync to continue? Works 100% of the time for me. As soon as I assign a picture to one of my contacts on my Mac, it works once then all syncing fails. If I delete the image, all syncing returns normally.