Contacts will not sync in iTunes - not using iCloud

I have a case open, 100639269156, on this. I think I've identified a bug with local sync: there are new "related names" values that local sync is rejecting. In my case those values were "son" and "daughter". If you bring up the OSX Console you'll see errors from AddressBookSync like this:

default 10:02:43.270179 -0500 AddressBookSync [0x7fbeb54087b0] |ISyncSession|Error| ISyncSession record validation failure: Value daughter pushed for enumeration property type on com.apple.contacts.Related Name is not an allowed value.

In the past, the only similar value was "child". Apparently, when these values were added to both the iPhone and OSX Contacts apps, the folks doing local sync didn't get the memo. What's really entertaining is that the bug is asymmetrical: You can sync a contact with these values *from* the iPhone but that same contact will cause all successive syncs to fail.

Is your sync is failing but you don't use these specific values/fields, perhaps there are other values/fields that have a similar issue. These are just the two to which I'm aware.

Charles.

Thank you. That does not solve the problem. I have the same issue where synching in Tunes (12.8.0.150) using the Lighting cable rather than via iCloud. There are no error messages that the process has failed. I only notice because there are new entries made on my MacBook Air (macOS 10.13.6) that are not present on my iPhone (iOS 11.4.1). Edits to current contacts are not transferred to my iPhone. Choosing the option to "replace information on this iPhone" from iTunes does not fix the problem. Downloaded music and movies from iTunes will synch to my iPhone.

Thank you for raising this problem Sy Creed.

I have the same problem. I am now unable to sync the contacts on my computer (iMac late 2015 in this case) with either iPhone or iPad. It seems to have begun to happen when I upgraded to High Sierra. Currently running 10.13.6 on the Mac and 11.4.1 on the mobile devices.

This is most frustrating when newly added or updated contacts are not reflected on the mobiles. Fortunately, I keep the Mac as the source file, so have not lost any contacts (yet).

James

Local/USB contact sync does appear to be broken. If I turn off contact sync, the contacts do in fact get deleted but when I turn contact sync back on, an old version of the contacts reappears even if I tell iTunes to replace the phone contacts with the contacts from OS X.

I've been working on this all day and the old contact groups show up in iTunes and it will not bring over new contacts. Did Apple take away our direct sync ability again? I do not want to use iCloud. Several years ago I had to set up the server software to sync. Is this the final answer, "contacts cannot necessarily be synced as they were before,...". I agree, this is NOT acceptable.

<For whatever reason, I was unable to edit my previous post>

It occurred to me to clarify how to get sync working again. Once you see what field value is causing the problem, just change the value to something to which sync doesn't object. Once sync is working again, you'll most likely have to manually resolve conflicts depending on how many contacts you'd edited while sync was broken.

Charles.

Regarding the Apple support comment: you have been misinformed. Local sync *is* still supported. There has been no end of life announcement on this feature. The problem is a bug. New values have been added to some fields of both the iPhone and OSX Contacts apps that do not pass error/value checking in AddressBookSync in OSX. So the issue is not lack of support but rather a bug in OSX AddressBookSync. If the offending values are changed to values that *do* pass AddressBookSync value checking then contact sync works as expected. The problematic values to which I'm aware (there may be others) are the "Related Name" values of "daughter" and "son". If you use the older value of "child", sync will work. Here's an example of the error message one will see in the OSX Console when you use one of the affected values:

default 10:02:43.270179 -0500 AddressBookSync [0x7fbeb54087b0] |ISyncSession|Error| ISyncSession record validation failure: Value daughter pushed for enumeration property type on com.apple.contacts.Related Name is not an allowed value.

Charles.

Same issue here - no iTunes syncing of Contacts between iPhone 6 running latest iOS and MacBook Pro running latest OS. I've made changes/additions on desktop that do not show up on the phone and vise versa. Hello, Apple - PLEASE fix this "bug"!

Same issue here. This was a good feature, but it's becoming unreliable. Please fix this Apple. iCloud is great whilst you have internet access, but if you get into areas without access, that information is no longer available.

I agree. It seems that Apple is wanting to 'force' users to use the iCloud, but I personally don't trust putting my personal contacts and other personal info (e.g., cc info, sign-on passwords and IDs across all online accounts, apps, hotel/travel, financial info) to a cloud. I have no idea who can see or access this info.

Given the hacks from overseas into U.S. security, political databases, the electrical grids, nuclear plants, and corporate systems (eg., Facebook, Expedia, Marriott), do you think I'm going to trust that Apple will be able to keep the above info secure from hackers? No chance in **** I will trust it.

Apple needs to continue to provide the local syncing via USB between multiple devices. I've been on the phone with a senior advisor twice now in the past two months, with no solution yet.

Very unhappy about this. It is a real problem with my business, where I develop hundreds of new contacts, and none of them sync to my phone.

Yes. I too have been in contact with a senior advisor several times in the past 3 weeks. Haven’t heard anything for a week now. Apple seems to take the position that I am doing something wrong and then at times they seem surprised that I am having this issue. Was told by senior advisor that syncing only updates contacts from Mac to iPhone, and not from iPhone to Mac.

I said, “then that is not syncing, that is copying” and “it has done true syncing for many years, up until it stopped sometime last year”. Silence from her.

I had the same problem. I'm on iPhone 6 running ios 12.1.2 with iTunes 12.9.2.5. Contacts updated on my Mac would not upload to my iPhone when syncing. This is a recurring problem after ios updates on either on my Mac or iPhone. After logging into iCloud via a browser, I discovered that my Contacts, Calendar, and Notes were syncing to iCloud even though I have set iCloud to OFF for all apps on my iPhone. Somehow, some ios update turned these on in iCloud without my permission. I had to login to iCloud from my Mac (System Preferences > iCloud) and unclick Contacts, Calendar, and Notes in iCloud, then sync my iPhone again in iTunes. Finally got my Contacts to sync to my iPhone (instead of iCloud).

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT205754

I, too, am on an iPhone 6 with all latest software updates for iOS and Mac OS. Contacts will not sync using iTunes. I checked iCloud settings on the phone and on the Mac and there is NO iCloud syncing turned on for EITHER device. iTune sync of Contacts (and also Photos) just does NOT work as it is supposed to. Every once-in-a-while, the photos "decide" to sync but more often than not, they don't. Contacts - never sync (at least so far...) Oh, Apple - PLEASE fix this for those of us who do not use "clouds"!!