How to fix iCloud sync in seconds

Here'south what to do when your contacts or calendar events don't sync betwixt devices.

Apple iCloud storage cost - Apple logo against an abstract cloud computing illustration
Thinkstock / Apple
Table of Contents
  • Is everything up-to-date?
  • Check that iCloud is working
  • Make sure you are properly logged in
  • Check dates and time
  • Force Sync
  • Log out of iCloud and log in once more
  • Restart your device(southward)
  • Reset your device(s)

Evidence More

iCloud sync is usually reliable, only sometimes you'll find contacts, calendar events or other content fails to sync between all your devices in the few seconds it should take. If this seems to be happening to you, these simple tricks can help become things running smoothly once more.

Is everything upwardly-to-date?

Commencement, check to make sure yous are running the latest version of macOS on your Mac, iOS on your iPad or iPhone, or Windows on a PC.

Check that iCloud is working

It likewise makes sense to double-check that iCloud services are working correctly before running through any other changes. You tin visit Apple's System Status folio to make sure things are indeed upwards and running.

apple system status Jonny Evans

One of the get-go things to do is check Apple tree's system condition page for any outages.

Brand certain you are properly logged in

Step two is to ensure you are logged into iCloud using the same Apple ID on all your devices. Become to icloud.com, login with your Apple ID and and then tap iCloud Settings (either the gear-shaped box icon or by selecting it in the drop-down menu underneath your name at the pinnacle right of the iCloud browser window).

In the next window, you should see your storage space status and a row called My Devices. Are all the devices you want to sync included on the list? If not, it is possible they are not using the same Apple tree ID. (Yous tin do quite a lot of useful things through iCloud'south online service).

Check dates and time

Adjacent, bank check all the devices that should be syncing. You must ensure these are configured to set time and engagement automatically and accept iCloud Drive/Documents & Data enabled. Follow these steps:

iOS: Settings>Apple ID>iCloud>iCloud Drive. Toggle to On

Mac: Organization Preferences>iCloud>ensure all the iCloud services y'all want to sync are checked.

Force Sync

Once yous know your system(southward) are set up upwards correctly, you can use this uncomplicated trick to force iCloud Contacts and Calendars to sync:

To refresh your iCloud Calendars, launch the app on your iOS device and tap the "Calendars" push at the bottom of the page. When you become to the side by side folio but tap and hold your finger on the screen and drag the list down until the action icon appears and release the page. The activity icon will spin briefly, and you should find iCloud has synced your calendars for yous.

This also works with Contacts. Launch the app and select "Groups" on the All Contacts page. Once you are in Groups, just tap and concord your finger and drag the folio downwardly as you did for Calendars. The activity icon will appear, and your Contacts volition be synced.

Log out of iCloud and log in again

If y'all regularly experience sync issues with your iOS device(southward) and y'all know your network is stable, and so yous should try logging out of your iCloud business relationship on your iOS device or Mac, then log back in.

Important: Before doing this, be certain to follow Apple's extensive instructions to dorsum up your iCloud information.

mac sign out Jonny Evans

Sometimes, logging out of iCloud and and so logging back in will clear up syncing problems.

My devices detail Jonny Evans

At icloud.com y'all tin can encounter all of your devices in one place.

To log out, go to iCloud Settings/System Preferences and click Sign Out. Yous'll have to respond to a series of prompts earlier this completes.

Restart your device, return to iCloud's controls and sign dorsum in. (Delight brand certain to use the aforementioned electronic mail address for your Apple ID across all your systems.)

At present you should re-enable all the iCloud features you want to employ.

This process usually solves any sync bug you may have, though you may observe it necessary to repeat this sequence on all your devices.

Restart your device(south)

If problems persist then close and restart the relevant iCloud-enabled app: Contacts or Calendar, for example. Double-click the Habitation push (or swipe up to nearly halfway up the screen and hold for a second or and so on iPhone X), swipe through your active apps and swipe upwardly to close the app. (Yous can long printing the app icon and then tap the X that appears on iPhone Ten.) Return to the Home screen and wait a few moments before launching the app once more.

Another arroyo that sometimes works is to plough off iCloud Contacts and turn information technology on again. Go to Settings>Apple ID>iCloud, so turn off Contacts.  Unless you accept a re-create of your contacts stored elsewhere, you should and then choose Keep on My iPhone/iPad.

Wait a few moments and turn Contacts on once again in Settings.

Reset your device(s)

Never underestimate the power of a hard reset to resolve many iOS bug. To attain a difficult reset on iOS devices simply hold down the Ability and Dwelling house buttons until the device turns off and the Apple logo appears. The device will restart and system processes will be refreshed, which sometimes fixes iCloud sync problems.

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Jonny is a freelance writer who has been writing (mainly nearly Apple and technology) since 1999.

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