Differences in same Apple app across hardware (M1 Mac Mini vs. M1 MBA)

[Tozovac]

While trying to troubleshoot inconsistencies in contacts in the Apple Contacts app across my devices, I am finding different Preferences options and App content across hardware (M1 Mac mini vs. M1 MBA). Has anyone else ever seen differences in Apple Apps across different Macs updated to the same OS/revision, and with the same preferences in System Settings?

The MBA offers more default List options, and the "Default Account" option is offered only on the MBA.

Both systems are updated to Ventura 13.2, both have the same iCloud Preferences in system settings (where I notice other small differences too across hardware in how some info/options are offered in System Settings for iCloud)...

Mac mini:


MBA:





As a side note as to why/how I saw this: discovered this when I found that my Contacts/Address Book was not auto-updating across devices (Mac mini, MBA, iPhone, iPad all updated to current OS's and set to sync Contacts using iCloud). I'm trying to sort that out in a different thread.

All my devices are set to use iCloud for contacts, under the same iCloud ID, and no contacts for other email accounts are selected...
Mac mini shows 820 contacts under iCloud --> All Contacts

MBA shows 841 contacts under All Contacts
MBA shows 840 contacts under iCloud --> All iCLoud
MBA shows 1 contact (me) under On My Mac --> All on My Mac
(here, I expected to see a delta between 840/841 and the
441 seen in iCloud and on my iPhone/iPad)

iCloud.com shows 441 contacts
iPhone & Ipad show 441 contacts

If anyone has any input on that, any updates to this thread would be so welcome! thread:

https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/why-wont-contacts-app-synchronize-across-my-devices.2334414/

 

[hg.wells]

Let's get this sorted, so firstly, the two different menus are expected behavior. If you only have contacts syncing from one place, that is the default so that you wouldn't see that menu.

Your MacBook Air, however, has contacts syncing from iCloud and a list of contacts that are stored locally on your MacBook Air.

What you need to do is click on the contact list that says "All On my Mac" and either delete or drag those contact cards to "All iCloud".

Once you are happy that the "All on My Mac" contacts are in iCloud, delete the contact sitting in the "All on My Mac" list. What should then happen is that "On My Mac" menu should disappear.

Once done, we can then look at the problem with the number differences between your iPhone and iPad.

 

[Tozovac]

Let's get this sorted, so firstly, the two different menus are expected behavior. If you only have contacts syncing from one place, that is the default so that you wouldn't see that menu.

Your MacBook Air, however, has contacts syncing from iCloud and a list of contacts that are stored locally on your MacBook Air.

What you need to do is click on the contact list that says "All On my Mac" and either delete or drag those contact cards to "All iCloud".

Once you are happy that the "All on My Mac" contacts are in iCloud, delete the contact sitting in the "All on My Mac" list. What should then happen is that "On My Mac" menu should disappear.

Once done, we can then look at the problem with the number differences between your iPhone and iPad.

Thanks, and just to make sure - there's only 1 contact in All On My Mac. Me. Dragged it over to All iCloud.

There is no "list" of contacts local to the MBA as far as I can tell. I expected to see a large amount there that could explain the delta between it and iCloud's list of fewer contacts, but nope!

 

[hg.wells]

and to be 100% on your iPad and iPhone are using the same iCloud account?

When you click on lists on your iPhone and iPad what does it show?

 

[Tozovac]

and to be 100% on your iPad and iPhone are using the same iCloud account?

When you click on lists on your iPhone and iPad what does it show?

100% sure.

iPad/iPhone/iCloud.com show the same 451 contacts.

 

[hg.wells]

And when you click on accounts on your Mac and the same on your iPad it’s the same account?

 

[Tozovac]

And when you click on accounts on your Mac and the same on your iPad it’s the same account?

Same account (iCloud) and, for all other email accounts shown, none have "contacts" selected.

 

[hg.wells]

Can you share a screenshot of the contacts app list view on your iPhone showing the contact counts.

 

[Tozovac]

Can you share a screenshot of the contacts app list view on your iPhone showing the contact counts.

Here it is. I see 444 shown now instead of 441 that I saw yesterday. This might be the result of me sliding over the one contact card (me) that was listed under "All On My Mac" over to the iCloud List, and then I when I went to get the screenshot you asked for, the app pointed out 3 pairs of fuplicates, 2 of which I merged and 1 of which I kept since they were indeed separate/different, even though the math doesn't add up...

Here's the math I would have expected to see:

- 441 start
- dragged my contact card from All On My Mac to iCloud 441 --> 442
- Merged two pairs of duplicates (deleted 2 of 4 identified contacts): 442 -- > 440
- Kept two so-called duplicates as separate contacts (just added a last name to each): 440 --> 440

 

[hg.wells]

So let's look at why this doesn't match up. Something is seriously wrong if your Macbook Air and Mac Mini are showing 400+ additional contacts vs. your iPhone and iPad.

On your Macs - Open Contacts > Settings > Accounts (note down that account)

On your iPad or iPhone - Settings > Contacts > Accounts > Click on iCloud (Check that the account email matches your Macs)

 

[Tozovac]

So let's look at why this doesn't match up. Something is seriously wrong if your Macbook Air and Mac Mini are showing 400+ additional contacts vs. your iPhone and iPad.

On your Macs - Open Contacts > Settings > Accounts (note down that account)

On your iPad or iPhone - Settings > Contacts > Accounts > Click on iCloud (Check that the account email matches your Macs)

Yeah, I agree something is really wrong (or really simple and being overlooked).

I verified that yesterday; each/all use my iCloud account ending in iCloud.com, and only that account (on all devices) has Contacts checked. No other email account (which I access in the Apple mail app) has Contacts checked.

 

[hg.wells]

Ok let’s do a test - can you add a contact on your iPad and see if it appears on your Mac.

Then do the same from your Mac to see if a contact appears on your iPad.

 

[Tozovac]

Ok let’s do a test - can you add a contact on your iPad and see if it appears on your Mac.

Then do the same from your Mac to see if a contact appears on your iPad.

I tried something like that earlier on 2 devices and found they were all added and appeared on each device. So I tried again this time and add one to each device: added on the iPad, 1 on the iPhone, 1 on the MBA and 1 on the Mac mini. All are viewable on each other device. So very strange that other contacts are segregated by device, and no contacts/address book apps let me see which are iCloud and which are local to the device.

I tried unselecting contacts too, on the Mac mini and then one of the mobile devices, and reloading, but they only went back to as they were before.

 

[Tozovac]

Guess this one’s a lost cause!

 

[hg.wells]

I think at this point it’s best to contact Apple support as there seems to be some sort of sync issue, with those contacts on your Mac’s. We’ve run through all the basis troubleshooting methods.