Level 1

43 points

iCloud Contacts NOT Syncing with MAC - FIX

This is not a question but a fix...

After spending HOURS on-line with Tech support and then eventually being disconnected with no help, I managed to find a fix.

The Issue:

On initial setup MacBook Pro with High Sierra downloads contacts from icloud.com

However subsequent entries and/or edits made on iPhone are not replicated to MacBook Pro address book. These changes are instantly visible on iCloud.com

Changes made to contacts on MacBook Pro are NOT visible in iCloud.com

Proposed Fixes (didn't work):

Spent about 2 hours with 4 different Apple advisors, who were no help. Last chap who was a supervisor (Jeremy) just d/c me.

I was even advised to re-install macOS which I did, but made no difference.

I also deleted the com.apple.addressbook in ~/Library/Containers. restarted etc...

This took me back to stage one, where contacts are pulled down fine but no subsequent changes are reflected in address book.

The Fix that DID work:

1. Log into iCloud.com > Contacts.

2. Make sure ALL your contacts are up to date on ICLOUD.com then Export ALL contacts to vCard which will then be downloaded to Mac nice and safe!

3. DELETE all contacts from iCloud.com

4. wait a few minutes for contacts to disappear from your iPhone etc...

5. IMPORT the contacts which were downloaded to your Mac, BACK into iCloud.com

6. MacBook Pro address book will now populate, along with your iPhone, iPad etc.

😁 ALL FIXED! 🙂

REMINDER: MAKE SURE ALL YOUR CONTACTS ARE UPTO DATE ON ICLOUD.COM before DELETING them!

MacBook Pro with Retina display, macOS High Sierra (10.13.1), null

Posted on Nov 27, 2017 9:47 AM

Top-ranking reply

Brian Yip

Level 1

21 points

Posted on Mar 17, 2018 9:33 AM

I have this problem on my iMac but not on my MacBook and iPhone.

I found this solution which does not require deleting all the iCloud contacts and this solution can keep all the contact photos.

This is copy from:

Re: iCloud Contacts failing to sync after High Sierra

I have found a solution that works for me.

quit Contacts
open ~/Library/Containers and delete anything with addressbook in its name
open ~/Library/Application Support and delete anything with addressbook in its name
open ~/Library/Preferences and delete anything with addressbook in its name
open ~/Library/Caches and delete anything with addressbook in its name
opened System Preferences : iCloud and uncheck contacts
restart your mac
when it boots back up open System Preferences :iCloud and check contacts

a little spinner spins saying "setting up"

Once that's done then open Contacts and wait. I have around 5000 contacts so it took about 10 minutes to fully sync.

View in context

95 replies

OmairB

Level 1

10 points

Mar 22, 2018 6:48 AM in response to ashr1uk

Thank you. This worked.

I didn't read comments before but it is true that all contact photos will be gone.

Also I noticed that in my MacBook contacts the column on the most left hand side that shows smart groups etc, previously I had smart groups, iCloud and another group for local contacts. After doing this local one is not there anymore.

So I think on MacBook I probably had local contacts before I linked my MacBook to iCloud and maybe that messed up the link between the two - but I am just speculating here.

MANY THANKS TO THE ORIGINAL POSTER. YOU ARE A LIFE SAVER!!

Apr 6, 2018 2:25 PM in response to ashr1uk

Dang i just do not get it, I did the export and followed the instructions above and re-imported to iCloud, up imported fine, and everything updated and shows in my iPhone but now my "All on my Mac" folder is empty". what am I doing wrong? Glad I did the export so I did not lose my data

Apr 23, 2018 10:54 PM in response to ashr1uk

Hi there,

any news about your issue from the last update?

I'm having same problem, so far spent an hours with Apple Support like you with no success, up to the point of reinstalling macOS which apparently didn't help either.

I didn't sign out / in from my iCloud (basically because it's quite a lot of hassle and breaks up also many other things), also I didn't try to delete any files from my ~/Library folder regarding AddressBook, Preferences, plists, etc. like some guys advice here on Apple Support Communities. I don't wanna make a mess in my system's integrity also I believe if you delete something outside the Contacts app it's database might get corrupted maybe more than it is.

Today I expect phone call from Apple Support, they wanna escalate my problem, and let's see if they can help today. Anyway it's quite odd that I see so many people having this exactly same issue with Contacts on Mac and it still doesn't get proper fix from Apple. For me I have this issue on brand-new MacBook Pro with clean installation of macOS which is of course updated to the latest version. I simply didn't have time to mess something up everything on my system is pretty much on defaults so far.

Your solution seem pretty clean and straightforward, if I'm not successful with Apple Support today, I'll give it a try.

Mikie T

Level 1

8 points

May 4, 2018 12:42 PM in response to PoetandWriter

how is the antivirus modified??? I believe this is my solution, as i have many updates on my mac address book, which have not been updated to cloud -- and doing the swap ONLY updates mac from teh cloud -- no way to push the mac to cloud...if that makes sense?

May 16, 2018 7:56 AM in response to ashr1uk

So glad I read the comments first. While this solution apparently works, it was too much trouble, not to mention losing the pictures, so I did not try it. However, when I ran across Brian Yip's solution in the comments, I tried that and it worked perfectly. Thank you!

ODuinn

Level 1

15 points

Jun 2, 2018 7:20 AM in response to ashr1uk

It would be helpful to be as specific as possible when providing answers. For instance, your step 2 is compound. Is the first half of the sentence just a general comment or is there a means to make sure all contacts are up to date, and if there is, what is that means. Then, how to you "Export ALL" contacts to a vCard? I've looked through all of the menus and combed the window, but there is nothing that I can find that says anything about exporting contacts to a vCard.

Pansel

Level 1

4 points

Aug 5, 2018 11:54 PM in response to ashr1uk

Hello!

This is really, yes really a GOOD trick, answer, ... to restore CONTACTS on your devices! I had this problem too and went trough the same 'CALL-SUPPORT'-CAN'T-HELP from Apple. At least I will be able to reset and sync my contacts once for ever!

Glad to have read your clear explanation!

Thank you!

Pansel

Level 1

4 points

Aug 7, 2018 11:02 PM in response to brianfromhobro

Hello!

Glad to have read your clear explanation!

Thank you

Dr.Hook

Level 1

4 points

Aug 8, 2018 2:52 PM in response to Hoppla

Actually, after some testing I see that the contact photos are good. The exercise did not remove them.

They get synced with your iPhone in the first place and re-synched to iCloud.com after turning the iCloud setting back on.

RLevitz

Level 1

16 points

Jan 2, 2018 12:46 PM in response to Doeh

Thank you!!! Apple was literally no help.

NIWOR852

Level 1

4 points

Jan 4, 2018 5:10 AM in response to ashr1uk

great fix @ashr1uk, perfect.

Tom Gilb

Level 1

4 points

Jan 26, 2018 10:16 AM in response to ashr1uk

IF ALL CONTACT PHOTOS DISAPPEAR, THIS IS USELESS FOR ME, AND WORSE THAN NOT SYNC!!! IS THIS TRUE?

Doeh

Level 1

13 points

Jan 26, 2018 10:29 AM in response to Tom Gilb

For me it was

Doeh

Level 1

13 points

Jan 26, 2018 10:31 AM in response to Tom Gilb

For me it was.

Feb 5, 2018 6:57 AM in response to livinginaboxers

This is a great question....anyone have any follow up?

Was ashr1uk's suggestion a permanent solution...or just up-to-date, with the issue persisting? This is key.

Thanks for your feedback.

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iCloud Contacts NOT Syncing with MAC - FIX