iCloud: Troubleshooting iCloud Contacts

• Make sure there are no current issues listed in the System Status affecting iCloud Contacts. The System Status is listed at the iCloud Support webpage. 
• Make sure the issue you are seeing is not specifically covered in iCloud Help already. To search iCloud Help, visit help.apple.com/icloud.
• Check your settings and preferences as something may not be set up correctly. For example, having incorrect date and time settings can cause issues which are easily resolved by entering the appropriate settings.
  

• If you're having trouble with the web-based iCloud Contacts at icloud.com/contacts, the first place to start troubleshooting is your browser. This article details how to troubleshoot browser issues for a variety of web browsers on multiple operating systems. Browser troubleshooting should never be skipped for web-based issues.
• If you encounter an issue while using iCloud Contacts on the web, a message may appear with a "Send to Apple" button. Clicking this helps iCloud to track issues and create fixes.
• If you aren't seeing updates from other devices, or the Contacts interface does not appear as expected, switch to another application by clicking the iCloud icon in the upper-left corner and selecting the application you wish to use. After visiting a different application, such as Calendar, switch back to Contacts. If issues persist, you may wish to sign out of iCloud by clicking Sign Out in the upper-right corner and then signing back in.

Note: For instructions on setting up iCloud Contacts with Contacts or Address Book, see iCloud Setup.

If you are having trouble using iCloud Contacts with either Contacts or Address Book on a Mac, try each of these steps, testing after each to see if the issue is resolved:

• Make sure you are running OS X Lion v10.7.2 or later. Click here for help verifying the version of OS X you are using.
• Make sure your computer is online. Attempt to view www.apple.com and iCloud.com. If you can't connect to the Internet, your iCloud Contacts will not update in Contacts or Address Book. Click here for more information about troubleshooting your Internet connection.
• Open a secure website to test if you are online as is necessary for iCloud Contacts. This also tests if the ports 80 and 443 are accessible. Both Contacts and Address Book require port 443 access to iCloud in order to push and pull updates to and from the iCloud Contacts servers.
• Verify that your iCloud membername is entered into the iCloud preference pane in System Preferences. See iCloud Setup for more information about setting up iCloud on a Mac.
• If recent changes simply don't appear, try to refresh Contacts or Address Book by quitting and reopening the application.
• Make sure your account was successfully created in Contacts or Address Book on your Mac. After setting up iCloud Contacts, you may need to quit and reopen Contacts or Address Book on your Mac. To confirm your account is configured correctly in Address Book:
  1. Open Address Book.
  2. Select Preferences from the Contacts menu (Address Book on OS X Lion).
  3. Click Accounts. You should see an iCloud account with your iCloud membername entered.
• Turn iCloud Contacts off and back on.
  1. Quit Contacts (or Address Book on OS X Lion).
  2. Open System Preferences, and choose iCloud.
  3. Remove the checkmark in the checkbox next to Contacts. Click Keep Contacts.
  4. Close System Preferences, and wait about a minute.
  5. Open System Preferences, and choose iCloud.
  6. Replace the checkmark next to Contacts.
  7. Close System Preferences.
  8. Open Contacts (or Address Book) and test to see if the issue has been resolved.
• Restart your computer. This may sound simple, but it does reinitialize your network and application settings and can frequently resolve issues.

If you are having trouble with Contacts on an iOS device (iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch) and iCloud Contacts, try each of these steps, testing after each to see if the issue is resolved:

• Make sure you've updated to iOS 5 or later and that your iCloud account is configured correctly in Settings. For instructions on setting up iOS for iCloud, see iCloud Setup.
• Make sure your iOS device is online. Attempt to view www.apple.com and iCloud.com in Safari. If you can't connect to the Internet, your iCloud Contacts will not update in the Contacts application. Click here for more information about troubleshooting your Internet connection.
• Open a secure website from your iOS device to test if you are online as is necessary for the iCloud Contacts. This also tests if the ports 80 and 443 are accessible. Contacts requires port 443 access to iCloud in order to push and pull updates to and from the iCloud Contacts servers.
• If recent changes simply don't appear in Mobile Contacts, try refreshing by tapping Groups in the top-left corner of Contacts, and then tapping the Refresh button in the top-left corner of the Groups window. 
• Quit and restart the Contacts app on your iOS device
  1. Press the Home button.
  2. Double-press the Home button to open the Multitasking menu.
  3. Touch and hold the Contacts icon until it jiggles.
  4. Tap the "X" to remove it from the list.
  5. Press the Home button to get back to your Home screen. Wait a minute before reopening the Contacts app.
     

• Turn iCloud Contacts off and back on:
  1. Tap Settings > iCloud.
  2. Turn Contacts off. Choose to delete data only if your data exists at icloud.com/contacts and on one or more of your computers. Otherwise, choose Keep Data. 
  3. Wait a few minutes before turning the Contacts slider back on.
     
• Restart your iOS device by holding down the Sleep/Wake button and then swiping the screen when prompted to Turn Off. This may sound simple, but it does reinitialize your network and application settings and can frequently resolve issues.

If you are having trouble with a PC (with Outlook 2007 or 2010) and iCloud Contacts, try each of these steps, testing after each to see if the issue is resolved:

• Verify that you are using a Windows configuration that is supported by iCloud. Click here for more information about the iCloud system requirements.
• When enabling Contacts in the iCloud Control Panel, part of the setup is to copy your Contacts data from the default Outlook ".pst" file to iCloud, and then remove the Contacts from the .pst file by placing them in the Deleted Items folder in Outlook. The Contacts data is then stored in the iCloud data set within Outlook so that changes can be pushed to and from Outlook by iCloud. Be sure you are looking for your data within the iCloud dataset within Outlook after enabling Contacts in the iCloud Control Panel. The deleted file can be seen by viewing the Deleted Items within your Outlook Folder List. This is not iCloud removing your data; iCloud simply copies your data into the iCloud data set and then removes the local Contacts data by placing it in the Deleted Items folder.
• Make sure your computer is online. Attempt to view www.apple.com and iCloud.com. If you can't connect to the Internet, your iCloud Contacts and events will not update in Outlook. Click here for more information about troubleshooting your Internet connection.
• Open a secure website to test if you are online as is necessary for the iCloud Contacts. This also tests if the main ports 80 and 443 are accessible.
• Verify that your iCloud membername is entered into the iCloud Control Panel pane. See iCloud Setup for more information about setting up iCloud in Windows.
• Completely close and reopen the iCloud Control Panel.
• If you recently made changes in Outlook, and they are not moving to your other devices or vice-versa, click the Refresh button in Outlook.
• Restart your computer. This may sound simple, but it does reinitialize your network and application settings and can frequently resolve issues.
• Turn iCloud Contacts off and back on:
  
  1. Close Outlook.
  2. Open the Windows Control Panel:
     • In Windows 8, move the pointer to the upper-right corner of the screen to show the Charms bar, click the Search charm, and then click the iCloud Control Panel on the left.
     • In Windows 7 and Vista, choose Start menu > All Programs > iCloud > iCloud. 
  3. Remove the checkmark next to Mail, Contacts, Calendars & Tasks, and click Apply. Wait a few seconds, then replace the checkmark, and click Apply.
  4. Open Outlook, and test to see if the issue has been resolved.
• Ensure the iCloud Outlook Add-in is active within Outlook.
  • For Outlook 2010, follow these steps to verify the iCloud Outlook Add-in is active:
    1. Open Outlook 2010.
    2. Click the File menu.
    3. Click Options in the left panel of the Outlook window.
    4. Click Add-Ins in the left panel of the Outlook Options window.
    5. Look at the list of add-ins beneath "Active Application Add-Ins," and verify that the "iCloud Outlook Add-in" is listed
  • For Outlook 2007, follow these steps to verify the iCloud Outlook Add-in is active
    1. Open Outlook 2007
    2. From the Tools menu, choose Trust Center.
    3. Select Add-ins from the left column.
    4. Look at the list of add-ins beneath "Active Application Add-Ins," and verify that the "iCloud Outlook Add-in" is listed.
  • For additional information about managing Add-ins with Microsoft Outlook, see this Microsoft support document.

If you recently set up iCloud on any of your devices, and you are experiencing an issue where your Contacts data is duplicated, see iCloud: Resolving duplicate Contacts after setting up iCloud Contacts. 

If you are seeing duplicates, and you have not recently set up any new devices for iCloud, check to see if your Contacts are duplicated at iCloud.com. If your Contacts are not duplicated at iCloud.com, you should review this article, as the duplication issue might not be affecting iCloud. Checking iCloud.com is a good way to see if the Contacts are actually duplicated on the iCloud servers, in which case the duplicates would also appear online. Otherwise, your Contacts may only be duplicated on one of your devices.

You can clean up and resolve the duplicate iCloud Contacts in Contacts on OS X Mountain Lion (or Address Book on OS X Lion),  or in Windows Outlook 2007 or 2010, by following the steps below.

Resolving duplicate Contacts using Contacts (or Address Book)

Resolving duplicate Contacts using Outlook 2007 or 2010