How do I import my Gmail contacts

[Keith66]

I recently purchased an Ipad 2 and this is my first question.
I use Gmail for emails and have successfully set up my gmail and my gmail calendar on the Ipad but cannot figure out how to import my Gmail contacts into contacts on my Ipad.
The contents section on my Ipad is empty.
I ave no other no other Apple products to sync to - Just my PC and my Ipad.

 

[twerppoet]

Instead of setting up your GMail account with the standard GMail setup, set up your GMail as an Exchange account. This will let you keep your Google contacts synced with the iPad's Contacts app.

First, delete or turn off all the services in the Standard GMail account (if you have it set up) under Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars.

Setting up Google Sync with your iOS device - Google Mobile Help

You can have both account types set up at the same time. Just be careful not to turn on the same service in both accounts. Mail should only be turned on in one of them. The same for Calendars.

 

[Keith66]

Thanks
I will follow those steps and have printed off the pages from the Google link.

 

[twerppoet]

Good luck. Please let us know what happens.

 

[Keith66]

Hi,
I had already set up my Gmail account in Settings on the IPAD for Mail,Calendars,Notes and Archive - all are in the on position so I have left those as they are.
I have now set up my Exchange and put Contacts and Reminders into the on position.
Do I have to do something now in Itunes to get the Google contacts across to the Ipad as I am not very familiar with Itines apart from having set up the Ipad and put Photos and Music in.
Also do I have to do something in iCloud as well as that has various categories like including mail contacts and calendars and reminders.
It is all a bit bewildering to a newbie.
Cheers,
Keith

 

[twerppoet]

No, the Gmail settings are all you need to fiddle with. It has nothing to do with iTunes or iCloud.

Do your contacts work now?

Hold in mind that only contacts in the My Contacts group/label will sync. It's an Active Sync limitation. I've never tried to sync Reminders with Google, but they should show up as tasks in the Google Calendar.

 

[Keith66]

Hi,
Not successful yet.:thumbsdown:
I have checked again in Exchange and Contacts are on and Reminders on - I tend not to use Reminders much so there won't be any.
I have lots of contacts in my Gmail account which I have been using for a few years now.
In my contacts on the Ipad I just have two which I manually put in there and in the exchange Global list there are none.
I don't know what I am doing wrong but there must be something pretty obvious which I am not carrying out proerly.
The only other thing I don't understand is what I need to mselect in exchange under mail days to sync - it was set at 3 but I can see that there are other options.
In the fetch new data " Push " is on and set at hourly.

 

[twerppoet]

You should only have Mail turned on in one of the two accounts. If you left it on in the standard GMail account, leave it off in the Exchange account. Or vise versa.

If you have it on in the Exchange account, it does exactly what it says. It will only sync the last however many days of mail on the server. So, if you have mail more than three days old in your inbox or other folders, it will not automatically sync them; Though you can usually override this at the bottom of the mail list by choosing sync more.

If you have mail enabled in the default (IMAP) account, then the settings for mail in the Exchange account will affect nothing.

Make sure that all your contacts appear under the My Contacts label on Google's website. Only those contacts will sync with the iPad.

 

[Keith66]

Hi,
I only have only put Contacts and Reminders in Exchange on the Ipad because the mail, calendar calendar and notes had already been put in Google on the Ipad by me.
I have mail enabled on the settings in My Google account on my PC.
I have 365 contacts under the label contacts in my Google Account on my PC.
Is there somewhere on Google's own website that I have to set up a sync process - Is that the point which I am missing ?

 

[twerppoet]

At this point all I can suggest is that you go back to the link and read through the instructions again.

There are several alternate steps mentioned if your Google account is not a standard free account, or maybe an older account. There is also a tab for Known Issues that may help.

Sorry not to be of more help.

 

[Keith66]

Hi,
Thanks for all your input - it is most appreciated.
I will go through the print off carefully again in case I have missed something.
It is just a standard free Google Account which I have been using for about 3 years.