Try these steps first
Make sure that iCloud Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders are available. If there's an issue, try again after it's fixed. If there isn't an issue, try these steps.
This app distinguishes itself with its reliability, ease of use, speed, and with a true '2-way sync' that merges changes made to both your Gmail & Mac contacts. This is the #1 app for syncing Gmail contacts with Mac both in terms of downloads & reviews.
Remember to back up your contacts, calendars, and reminders, so you don't lose anything.
Important: Upgraded reminders aren't compatible with earlier versions of iOS or macOS. Shared reminders are also not accessible to users with earlier versions of iOS and macOS, until they upgrade.
After each step, see if you still need help:
- Check for updates to your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC. To use iCloud, your devices need to meet the system requirements.
- See if the date and time settings on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or PC are correct.
- Make sure that you're signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all your devices and check your settings.
- On your iPhone, tap Settings > [your name] > iCloud. Check your Apple ID and make sure that you turn on what you want to update (Contacts, Calendars, or Reminders).
- On your Mac, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Apple ID, then click iCloud. If you’re using macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud. Check your Apple ID and make sure that you select what you want to update (Contacts, Calendars, or Reminders).
- On your PC, open iCloud for Windows. Check your Apple ID and make sure that you select what you want to update (Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks).
- If you sign in to third-party apps with your Apple ID, protect your account with two-factor authentication and use an app-specific password. If you don’t have devices that can be updated to iOS 9 or OS X El Capitan or later, you can set up two-step verification instead.
- Open Safari and go to www.apple.com to check your connection. If you can’t open the page, get help connecting to the Internet.
- Open a secure website, like your Apple ID account page, to see if you can access port 443. If the website won't open, contact your Internet service provider for help. Safari needs access to port 443 to update your information in iCloud.
- Keep your data within the limits. If you go over the limit, your data won't stay up to date.
If you still need help, try the steps for your device below.
Try the steps for your device
iOS 13 and iPadOS
After each step, check your contacts, calendars, or reminders.
Refresh your contacts and calendars
Sync App For Mac
To refresh your contacts, open Contacts and swipe down on the list.
To refresh your contact groups:
- Open the Contacts app.
- Tap Groups in the upper-left corner.
- Swipe down on the list to refresh your groups.
To refresh your calendars:
- Open the Calendar app.
- Tap the Calendars tab.
- Swipe down on the list to refresh your events.
Set iCloud Contacts, Calendars, or Reminders as your default
If your contacts, calendars, and reminders are in iCloud, then iCloud automatically updates your information. See if your information is in iCloud or a third-party account, like Google or Yahoo. Then change your default account to iCloud. Changing your default account to iCloud will not move your existing information from a third-party service to iCloud.
To see which account your contacts are in:
- Open the Contacts app and tap Groups in the upper-left corner.
- Deselect the All [account] option for any third-party account, like Gmail or Yahoo.
- Make sure All iCloud is selected.
- Tap Done to see your list of contacts. If you don't see the contact you're looking for, it's stored in another account.
- If you have a copy of your contacts from a third-party service in vCard format version 3.0 or later, you can import the contacts into iCloud.
Set iCloud as the default account for your contacts in iOS 8 or later:
- Tap Settings, then Contacts.
- Tap Default Account.
- Select iCloud.
To see which account your calendars are in, open the Calendar app, then tap the Calendars tab.
Set an iCloud calendar as the default calendar:
- Tap Settings, then Calendar.
- Tap Default Calendar.
- Tap a calendar under iCloud to make it your default.
Set an iCloud reminders list as the default list:
- Tap Settings, then Reminders.
- Tap Default List.
- Tap a list under iCloud to make it your default.
Check your app settings
Make sure your iCloud Contacts and Calendars are set to appear in the Contacts or Calendars app:
- Open the Contacts app and tap Groups in the upper-left corner. Make sure that All iCloud is selected.
- Open the Calendar app and tap the Calendars tab. Make sure that all iCloud calendars are selected.
Make sure your Reminders appear:
- Tap Settings, then [your name].
- Tap iCloud.
- Slide to turn on Reminders.
Change how often your calendars update:
- Tap Settings, then Calendar.
- Tap Sync.
- If All Events is selected, choose a specific timeframe instead, like Events 1 Month Back. If a specific timeframe is selected, choose All Events instead.
- Return to your Home screen.
- Wait a few minutes, then open the Calendar app. Tap the Calendars tab, and swipe down to refresh.
Since the iCloud Birthdays calendar updates daily, you might not see changes to birthdays in the Calendars app until the next day.
Restart the Contacts, Calendar, or Reminders app
- Close the app.
- Return to your Home screen.
- Wait a minute, then open the app again.
Turn off iCloud Contacts, Calendar, or Reminders and turn it back on
- Tap Settings, [your name], then iCloud.
- Slide to turn off Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders.*
- If you see your calendars or reminders on iCloud.com or any of your devices, you can choose Delete from My [device]. If not, choose Keep on My [device].
- Wait a few minutes, then turn on Contacts, Calendar, or Reminders again.
* Local reminders will be deleted from your device, but your information won't be deleted from iCloud. Once you turn Reminders back on, your reminders will be re-synced to your device.
Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
Restart your device. Here's how to restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
iOS 12
After each step, check your contacts, calendars, or reminders.
Refresh your contacts, calendars, and reminders
To refresh your calendars and reminders:
- Open the Calendar app.
- Tap the Calendars tab.
- Swipe down on the list to refresh your events and reminders.
To refresh your contacts, open Contacts and swipe down on the list.
To refresh your contact groups:
- Open the Contacts app.
- Tap Groups in the upper-left corner.
- Swipe down on the list to refresh your groups.
Set iCloud Contacts, Calendars, or Reminders as your default
If your contacts, calendars, and reminders are in iCloud, then iCloud automatically updates your information. See if your information is in iCloud or a third-party account, like Google or Yahoo. Then change your default account to iCloud.
See which account your contacts are in:
- Open the Contacts app and tap Groups in the upper-left corner.
- Deselect the All [account] option for any third-party account, like Gmail or Yahoo.
- Make sure All iCloud is selected.
- Tap Done to see your list of contacts. If you don't see the contact you're looking for, it's stored in another account.
- You can import the contact from a third-party service into iCloud.
Set iCloud as the default account for your contacts in iOS 8 or later:
- Tap Settings > Contacts.
- Tap Default Account.
- Select iCloud.
See which account your calendars are in:
- Open the Calendar app.
- Tap an event to open it.
- Tap the calendar name to see if the event is in an iCloud calendar.
Set an iCloud calendar as the default calendar:
- Tap Settings > Calendar.
- Tap Default Calendar.
- Tap a calendar under iCloud to make it your default.
See which account your reminders are in:
- Open the Reminders app.
- Tap the list name in the upper-left corner to view all your lists.
- See if the list is stored on your device or iCloud. Open a list and tap Edit. If you see Sharing, then your list is in iCloud.
When you create a reminder, you can choose to store it in iCloud or on your iOS device.
Check your app settings
Make sure that your iCloud Contacts and Calendars are set to appear in the Contacts or Calendars app:
- Open the Contacts app and tap Groups in the upper-left corner. Make sure that All iCloud is selected.
- Open the Calendar app and tap the Calendars tab. Make sure that All iCloud is selected.
Change how often your calendars and reminders update:
- Tap Settings > Calendar, or tap Settings > Reminders.
- Tap Sync.
- If All Events or All Reminders is selected, choose a specific timeframe instead, like Events or Reminders 1 Month Back. If a specific timeframe is selected, choose All Events or All Reminders instead.
- Press the Home button.
- Wait a few minutes. Open the Calendar app, tap the Calendars tab, and swipe down to refresh.
Since the iCloud Birthdays calendar updates daily, you might not see changes to birthdays in the Calendars app until the next day.
Restart the Contacts, Calendar, or Reminders app
- Double-click the Home button to see your open apps.
- Find the app, then swipe up to close it.
- Press the Home button to return to your Home screen.
- Wait a minute, then open the app again.
Turn off iCloud Contacts, Calendar, or Reminders and turn it back on
- Tap Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
- Slide to turn off Contacts, Calendars, and Reminders.*
- If you see your calendars or reminders on iCloud.com or any of your devices, you can choose Delete from My [device]. If not, choose Keep on My [device].
- Wait a few minutes, then turn on Contacts, Calendar, or Reminders again.
* Local reminders will be deleted from your device, but your information won't be deleted from iCloud. Once you turn Reminders back on, your reminders will be re-synced to your device.
Restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
Restart your device. Here's how to restart your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.
Force sync Calendar data on Apple Watch
To force sync Calendar data on your Apple Watch:
- Open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the My Watch tab.
- Tap General, then tap Reset.
- Tap Reset Sync Data.
Mac
After each step, check your contacts, calendars, or reminders.
Refresh your calendars and reminders
You can refresh your calendars and reminders from the Calendars app:
- Open the Calendar app.
- Choose View.
- Refresh Calendars.
Since the iCloud Birthdays calendar updates hourly, you might not see changes to birthdays in the Contacts or Calendars app for an hour.
Check your default Calendar account
If you store and edit your events in iCloud instead of another account, like On My Mac, Exchange, or Google, then iCloud automatically updates your calendars. If you use multiple accounts on your Mac like iCloud, Gmail, and Yahoo, make sure that iCloud is your default Calendar account:
- Open the Calendar app.
- Choose Calendar > Preferences.
- On the General tab, make sure that one of your iCloud calendars is the default.
After you set up iCloud Reminders, you might need to quit and reopen Reminders on your Mac. Then make sure that you set up your account correctly in Reminders:
- Open the Reminders app.
- Choose Reminders > Accounts.
- Click the iCloud tab and make sure that you're signed in with your Apple ID.
Turn off iCloud Calendar and iCloud Reminders, then turn it back on
- Quit the Calendar and Reminders apps.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Apple ID, then click iCloud. If you’re using macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
- Deselect Calendars and Reminders.*
- Close System Preferences and wait about a minute.
- Choose Apple menu > System Preferences, click Apple ID, then click iCloud. If you’re using macOS Mojave or earlier, choose Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.
- Select Calendars and Reminders.
- Open Calendar and Reminders.
* Local reminders will be deleted from your device, but your information won't be deleted from iCloud. Once you turn Reminders back on, your reminders will be re-synced to your device.
Restart your computer
After you restart your computer, see if you fixed the issue.
iCloud.com
If you don't see all your updates or have another issue, try these steps on iCloud.com:
- Update your browser and clear the cache.
- If you don't see updates from other devices, open another app on iCloud.com, like Mail. Then go back to the Contacts, Calendar, or Reminders app.
- Sign out of iCloud.com, then sign back in.
- Clear your browsing history. Choose History > Clear History.
Since the iCloud Birthdays calendar updates daily, you might not see changes to birthdays in the Calendars app until the next day.
If you get a spam iCloud Calendar request
If you get a calendar request that you think might be spam or junk, let us know. Sign in to iCloud.com with your Apple ID and go to the Calendar app. Open the event that you wish to mark as Junk, click Report Junk, then click OK. We'll automatically delete the event from your Calendar on all your devices signed in with the same Apple ID.
You can also go to the invitation from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac and choose Report Junk > Delete and Report Junk.
Microsoft Windows
After each step, check your contacts, calendars, or reminders.
Reminders are called Tasks in iCloud for Windows.
Refresh Outlook
Turn off iCloud Contacts, Calendar, and Tasks, then turn it back on
- Open iCloud for Windows.
- Deselect Mail, Contacts, Calendars and Tasks, then click Apply.
- Wait a few seconds, select Mail, Contacts, Calendars & Tasks, then click Apply.
- Open Outlook.
Make sure the iCloud Outlook Add-in is active
In Outlook 2010 and later:
- Click the File menu.
- Click Options in the left panel.
- Click Add-Ins in the left panel of the Outlook Options window.
- Look at the list of add-ins in the Active Application Add-Ins section.
- Select the iCloud Outlook Add-in.
In Outlook 2007:
- From the Tools menu, select Trust Center.
- Select Add-ins from the left column.
- In the list of add-ins in the Active Application Add-Ins section, select the iCloud Outlook Add-in.
Learn how to manage Add-ins with Microsoft Outlook.
Check your default account in Outlook
- In Outlook 2010 and later, select File > Info > Account Settings > Data Files. If iCloud is the default account in the Comments column, select a different account, and click Set as Default.
- In Outlook 2007, select File > Data File Management > Data Files. If iCloud is the default account in the Comments column, select a different account, and click Set as Default.
Restart your computer
After you restart your computer, see if you fixed the issue.
If you still need help
If you still need help, contact Apple Support. You can also use these steps to remove duplicate contacts or calendars.
Google Drive is an online storage solution by Google. It allows you to store and sync data across your devices with its 15 GB of free storage space, while its integration with Google Docs for Mac gives your friends or coworkers access to the files or folders you designate for sharing.
There’s an official Google Drive app for Mac too — an upgraded 2017 version of which is called Backup & Sync and is sometimes referred to as the new Google Drive. Google Drive Backup and Sync download is free and you can expect to install it and have it running in no time and little effort.
Upgrade Google Drive with Setapp
Give Setapp a free test drive to unveil the Google Drive secret sauce. Pro-level hacks, tips, and extended Google Drive functionality in one pack.
How To Set Up And Use Google Drive For Mac?
With Google Drive, you can create and edit documents online. But if you rely on Drive for files backup and sync, it’s much more convenient to use the app. To start using Google Drive on Mac, the first thing you need is a Google Drive account.
How to create a Google Drive account?
If you have an account on any of Google services, like Gmail, YouTube, or Google Play, then you actually already have a Google Drive account.
Simply log in to a Google Drive website or app with your existing credentials. Or create a Google account for free by following these steps:
Drive Sync App For Mac
Go to google.com/drive and click on the blue Go to Google Drive button
Click Create Account
Follow the onscreen instructions to create a new Google account (this will also serve as your new Gmail email address)
How to install Google Drive for Mac?
Once you have a Google account, you can download Google Drive for Mac and use it. Here’s how you can do the Google Backup and Sync download:
Go to google.com/drive and click Download near the top of the page
Click on the Download button under Backup and Sync
Read and agree to the terms of service to start the download of Google Drive for Mac
The Google Drive Installer will be downloaded to your Mac’s Downloads folder
When the download is complete, double-click the installer (the file is called InstallBackupAndSync.dmg). Then click and drag the Backup and Sync From Google icon to the Applications folder. Boom, done!
How to sync Google Drive on Mac for the first time?
The first time you open Google Drive on Mac, you have to go through a few steps to get it set up properly. After that accessing Google Drive will be effortless. But to get things up and running:
Launch Google Drive from the Applications folder by clicking on Backup and Sync From Google
A warning sign will appear cautioning that Google Drive is an application you downloaded from the internet ➙ click Open
On the welcome to Google Drive window that appears click Get Started
Sign in to your Google account with your Gmail email address and password
The Google Drive Installer will display a number of tips about using the app and then add a special Google Drive folder to your Home directory on Mac ➙ click Next
You can designate items in your Google Drive folder to be shared with anyone ➙ click Next ➙ Done
The installer will finish by adding a Google Drive menu bar icon and a Google Drive sidebar icon to the Finder. This sets up the two key elements for you to work with Google Drive for Mac: Google Drive folder and Google Drive menu bar icon.
Most of the time you’ll use the Google Drive folder — to store items you want to save to the Google cloud as well as share with others. Google Drive menu bar icon is handy for quick access and configuring Google Drive settings.
How to use Google Drive menu bar icon?
The menu bar Google Drive icon gives you quick access to the Google Drive folder on your Mac, opens Google Drive in your browser, displays recent documents that you have added or updated, and tells you if the Google Drive sync has completed. But more importantly, the menu bar icon contains additional Google Drive settings. To set up Google Drive to your liking:
Click on the Google Drive icon in the menu bar and a dropdown menu will appear
Click on the vertical ellipsis in the top right corner ➙ choose Preferences from the menu
The Google Drive Preferences menu lets you configure your Google Drive settings with a three-tab interface.
My Mac tab allows you to decide whether you want to keep the default setting and have all the folders in your Google Drive folder synced automatically to the cloud or designate only specific folders for Google Drive sync.
Google Drive tab manages the connection between your Google Drive folder and the cloud. This is where you go in case of Google Drive not syncing. To sync Google Drive folder with the cloud, make sure you’re signed in to your Google account.
Settings tab gives you options to have Google Drive automatically launch when you log in to your Mac, show confirmation messages when shared items are removed from Google Drive, and upgrade your storage to another plan.
How to use Google Drive on Mac?
Now that your Google Drive setup is complete, you have access to this additional storage for you to do as you wish. However, one of the best uses would be to link your Google Drive to multiple devices — for easy access from all of them.
Also remember that Google Drive lets you create and work with others on documents in Google’s own versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in real-time (called Docs, Sheets, and Slides respectively). To enable collaboration on a Google Docs file, simply tap on Share in the top right corner and enter the names or email addresses of the people you wish to engage.
More tips for making Google Drive better
As convenient as Google Drive is, people often use more than one service for their personal and professional data storage. Some popular alternatives include Apple’s iCloud, Microsoft’s OneDrive, and Dropbox. Using a combination of cloud-based storages increases your Mac’s disk space to being virtually unlimited, as long as you have an active internet connection. But in truth, managing different cloud accounts can turn into quite a hustle.
Luckily, there are apps like CloudMounter that allow you to use all your storage solutions in one place, connecting them to your Mac as if they were your regular external drives.
Expand your storage with CloudMounter
Stop worrying about choosing the best storage solution. You can use all of them from one spot with CloudMounter. Give it a try!
This trick lets you deal with cloud data in the same manner as you’d with local one, and even move files between the clouds. Another great benefit of using CloudMounter is the latest encryption algorithm that guarantees the security of your cloud files. Plus, it allows encrypting sensitive data on the cloud and doesn’t share your login info with any third parties.
CloudMounter works perfectly with all major cloud services and could very well become your ultimate cloud manager if you’re constantly dealing with storage issues or feel there’s not enough free space on your Mac’s SSD.
Not even a bit less vital when dealing with loads of data is making sure you have a good backup of the most important files. Get Backup Pro is an elegant backup app just for that.
Get Backup Pro is fast, reliable, and offers a mix of four different backup methods: simple copy, clone, incremental, and versioned. With this app, you can back up folders or files that you think are important, cut the size of archives up to 60% by conducting compressed backups, effortlessly migrate data to a new disk with bootable backups via cloning, and schedule Stealth mode backups — with Get Backup Pro automatically closing once all scheduled processes are finished.
It goes without saying that cloud storage encourages collaboration and file sharing. If you work with different files online and often need to share links, Dropshare should be your app of choice for fast and secure file exchange.
Dropshare is a platform that works brilliantly with your favorite cloud services and lets you upload files in bulk with its easy drag & drop functionality, as well as securely share files, documents, and photos with password-protected expiring download links, and even set your own keyboard shortcuts to complete routine tasks faster.
Mac Sync Software
If you’re still asking yourself how to use Google Backup and Sync — 15 GB of free storage space, excellent collaboration features, and ability to access your files from any of your devices will surely give you lots of ideas on how to make the most of it. With clouds come possibilities, but you‘re the one who really decides what is Google Drive going to be on your Mac.
Onedrive Sync App For Mac
Best of all, you can find CloudMounter, Get Backup Pro, and Dropshare mentioned above on a free 7-day trial through Setapp, a platform of more than 150 useful Mac utilities that could change the way you work day to day. Ready for action on cloud Google?