Universal Google Contacts Synchronization with iOS Contacts App Issues

[MikeMcCollister]

I have been using Google Workspace for years on my iOS/iPadOS devices for years and I have been using Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync (Google Sync) so that my email would be pushed immediately to my devices. Google no longer supports ActiveSync, so I am now syncing my email, calendar and contacts using the Google protocol with the built-in apps. Email is now fetch with the build-in Mail app, which is not optimal, but I'll have to live with it.

Now, I have been having a problem with my contacts not reliably synching in the built-in iOS/iPadOS apps. For example, if I create a contact in on the web in Gmail it will show up immediate in the Contacts app on my devices. However, after I delete in the contact on the web in Gmail, the contact never goes away. I've tried the swipe down refresh in contacts but that does not update. The only way to force a full re-sync, is to turn off the contacts from the accounts section on iOS and turn them back on. This is tedious as I have to then select the default provider, and specify who I am.

Does anyone know how to get the contacts sync to be more reliable without having to delete them and turn back on?

I am currently running iOS/iPadOS 18.0.1 and I'm using the built-in contacts app. I have no desire to use any of the Google apps.

Thanks,

Mike

 

[BrianBaughn]

Must be a new bug…it's doing the same thing for me (iOS 18.0.1) with 15 minute fetch over multiple hours.

Another thing is that if you edit the contact on your iPhone it will re-add it to Google Contacts at the web interface.

 

[MikeMcCollister]

For the contacts, this has been this way for me for at least a year.

I'm working with Google on this. They say that a contact change may take up to 24 hours to show up on my iOS devices. I created a contact on Gmail web and deleted it and it is still on my iPhone. I was told to contact Google about this again in 24 hours.

 

[BrianBaughn]

I was wondering if that was the case. Before testing, my number of contacts was the same on both devices and I'm sure I did some cleaning up via the web interface recently.

 

[BrianBaughn]

Twelve days later and a contact I deleted at the Google Contacts website still remains in the account in Contacts on my iPhone running iOS 18.0.1.

 

[WarmWinterHat]

I've been using Contacts Sync on iOS for years, as it sync Lists/Groups as well, and lets you exempt certain fields or contacts if need be. The macOS version is great, too. One time purchase:

‎Contacts Sync - Pro

‎••• SYNC GOOGLE & MAC, or 2 GOOGLE ACCOUNTS! ••• SYNCS GROUPS! ••• SYNCS AUTOMATICALLY! With Contacts Sync Pro, you can quickly & easily sync your Google & Mac contacts, giving you access to your contacts wherever you go. This app distinguishes itself with its reliability, ease of use, speed...

apps.apple.com