How to Fix iPad Contacts Not Syncing with iCloud/iPhone/Mac

Sofia Albert updated on Sep 05, 2023 to iOS & Mac Topics

How to fix iPad contacts not syncing with iCloud? How to fix iPad contacts not syncing with iPhone and Mac? Or how to transfer contacts among iPad, iPhone and Mac when iCloud won't work correctly? No worries, this article provides all the solutions you need to troubleshoot iPad contacts not syncing issue.

Through iCloud, you can sync and update your contacts on iPad to iPhone, Mac, or Windows PC. However, things don't always go well during the iCloud usage. You may face iPad contacts not syncing with iCloud due to iCloud storage issues, iCloud settings matters, or any other problem. Or, you may encounter iPad contacts not syncing with iPhone or Mac because of iCloud account matters, network connection, etc. On this page, we will discuss how to fix iPad contacts, not syncing issues from the following aspects:

Apply to Methods Difficulty
1️⃣Not Syncing with iCloud

Check the iCloud service for Contacts

Connect to a WLAN and cellular

Check the iCloud storage

Check the Date & Time

Sign out and sign in iCloud

Easy

●○○

2️⃣Not Syncing with iPhone/Mac

Use the same Apple ID

Turn on iCloud for contacts

Check the iCloud storage/Sign out and sign in iCloud

Restart your iPad and iPhone/Mac

Update your iPad

Moderate

●●○

🏷️Part 1 How to Fix iPad Contacts Not Syncing with iCloud

You can sync your iPad contacts, notes, photos, mail, calendars, and more with iCloud as long as you have set up iCloud on your device. After iCloud syncing, you can restore your iPhone/iPad from iCloud backup when your device is back to factory settings.

1. Check the iCloud service for Contacts

The precondition to syncing contacts with iCloud on an iPad is to turn on the iCloud service for contacts.

Go to Settings > tap [your name] > iCloud. Find APPS using iCloud and make sure the Contacts option is on.

2. Make sure your iPad connects to a WLAN and cellular

iCloud syncing needs a stable network connection. If the cellular not working on the iOS 11 iPad or Wi-Fi won't work well, the iPad contacts may won’t sync with iCloud. So, make sure a stable network connection on your iPad.

3. Check the iCloud storage

Each iDevice user gets free 5GB iCloud storage space. If the iCloud storage is exhausted, you will meet iPad contacts not syncing with the iCloud problem. You can consider buying more iCloud storage or free up space by deleting photos/contacts/other documents.

Go to Settings > tap [your name] > iCloud to check your iCloud storage. And you can tap Manage Storage to choose data to be backed up with iCloud.

Related Tip you may need: How to delete all photo from iCloud.

4. Check the Date & Time on your iPad

If there is a wrong Date & Time setup on your iPad, your iPad contacts may not sync to iCloud.

Go to Settings on your iPad > General > Date & Time > turn on Set Automatically.

5. Sign out and sign in iCloud again

This method is effective when iPad contacts not syncing with iCloud is caused by iCloud’s temporary error. Try it anyway.

🏷️Part 2. How to Fix iPad Contacts Not Syncing with iPhone/Mac

Tips on how to fix iPad contacts not syncing with iPhone or Mac are listed below. Check them one by one until you fix the matter finally.

1. Make sure the same Apple ID on iPad and iPhone/Mac

To sync iPad contacts to iPhone and Mac, you need to sign in the same Apple ID on these devices.

How to check iCloud account on Mac: Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > iCloud.

2. Turn on iCloud for contacts on iPad and iPhone/Mac

The way to turn on iCloud contacts on iPhone is the same as that on iPad.

How to turn on iCloud contacts on Mac: Go to Apple Menu > System Preferences > iCloud > Turn on iCloud.

3. Check the iCloud storage

4. Sign out and sign in iCloud

5. Restart your iPad and iPhone/Mac

Device restart can effectively fix small application errors. If iCloud photo sharing is not available for this device or iCloud contacts not syncing with Mac, you can restart your device to settle the trouble.

6. Updating your iPad

Finally, there might be some issues with your iPad's operating system. You're better off updating your iPad to bypass these system glitches. If you encounter some problems in the process of updating the iPadOS system that cause the update to fail, such as a bad network connection, no system response, etc., it is recommended that you use a more effective iOS system tool -- EaseUS MobiXpert to help you solve various problems in the update. Now, download EaseUS MobiXpert on your computer and try to update your iPad.

Step 1. Open EaseUS MobiXpert on your computer. Select "System Repair."

Step 2. Then select "iOS Upgrade/Downgrade."

Step 3. Select "iOS/iPadOS Upgrade" option.

Step 4. Then you will be prompted to connect your iPhone to the computer via a USB cable.

Step 5. Confirm your device model and then click "Next" to download the firmware for an upgrade.

Step 6. Once the firmware is verified, click "Upgrade Now" to start.

Step 7. Wait for the process to complete. Then click "Done" to close it.

🏷️Part 3. How to Sync Contacts Among iPad, iPhone, and Mac with an iCloud Alternative

Although iCloud provides you with a wireless solution to transfer data among iPhone, iPad, and Mac, it has a limitation on music file syncing, which are indispensable for users. Here, we highly recommend EaseUS MobiMover Free to you to move almost all the data among iDevices in a single click. The supported data types are contacts, messages, notes, calendars, voice mails, books, Safari bookmarks & history, photos, photo videos, music videos, movies, TV shows, music, ringtones, playlists, and audiobooks.

And if you need to copy contacts from iPhone to iPad without iCloud or vice versa, link to the online tutorial.

🏷️Conclusion

You may encounter issues with iCloud storage or iCloud settings preventing iPad contacts from syncing with iCloud. The contacts on your iPad can also not sync with those on your iPhone or Mac. This post proposes different solutions for these two situations. You can choose the one that suits you to have a try!