Mail isn't synced with "Contacts"

[lbeck]

Using the resident "Mail" app for my email. I also have a Gmail app installed. I have indicated "Mail " as my preferred usage in Settings.

When I type a name in the Mail To: line for a contact in my "Contacts" directory it isn't found. It never has been found for Gmail but I'm assuming that it wants iPad Mail to be the usage for my Contacts.

How do I sync my Mail with Contacts?

I'll be happy to check any settings that you suggest and reply back, or to visit any URL or Apple site that you suggest.

Thanks

 

[J. A.]

Using the resident "Mail" app for my email. I also have a Gmail app installed. I have indicated "Mail " as my preferred usage in Settings. When I type a name in the Mail To: line for a contact in my "Contacts" directory it isn't found. It never has been found for Gmail but I'm assuming that it wants iPad Mail to be the usage for my Contacts. How do I sync my Mail with Contacts? I'll be happy to check any settings that you suggest and reply back, or to visit any URL or Apple site that you suggest. Thanks

Which email account is the one you use in the Mail app?
In Contacts: are your contacts there saved with an email address? Usually Mail should be able to access the contacts in the app, as long as there's an email address.

Delete the mail account and reinstall it, make sure that "Contacts" is enabled.

As to your Gmail contacts: if you want to use them from Mail as well, you'll have to sync them to Contacts through Settings - Mails, Contacts, Calendars - Add Account. It depends on your software which way to add Gmail contacts to Contacts on your iPad then.

The usual fixes when something isn't working the way it should:
Restart your iPad: turn it off, wait for a few minutes, turn it on again.
Reset it: press and hold Home and Power button at the same time until the Apple logo appears.
Force close apps:
iOS 6: double press Home button to reveal multitask bar, then tap and hold an app icon until they start to wiggle. Delete apps.
iOS 7: same procedure to reveal multitask bar, then slide thumbnails above app icons towards the top of the screen.

 

[lbeck]

Which email [FONT=inherit !important][FONT=inherit !important]account[/FONT][/FONT] is the one you use in the Mail app?

In {Settings/Mail, Contacts,Calendars.../Accounts}I have iCloud for "mail, contacts, calendars. safari and 3 more". In Gmail, I have "Mail, calendars". In Google, I have "Contacts"

In Contacts: are your contacts there saved with an email address?

Yes. In the 300 or so contacts try to address an email to a few that are in my contacts and they are not recognized in MAIL.

As to your Gmail contacts: if you want to use them from Mail as well, you'll have to sync them to Contacts through Settings - Mails, Contacts, Calendars - Add Account. It depends on your software which way to add Gmail contacts to Contacts on your iPad then.

Yes, I would like to use my Gmail with the contacts also, but for now, I'm just trying to get the resident MAIL app to sync with my contacts list. I'll use that for email for now, and then try to use the gmail app.

 

[J. A.]

Here are a few things you can do: http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3998
(Troubleshooting with iOS devices)

 

[twerppoet]

Ok, first forget about Mail syncing with Contacts.

As long as contacts are showing in the Contacts app, it should be automatic. There is no setting to turn off/off Mail's ability to see addresses in the Contacts app. It does not matter what default you used for Contacts in Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars. This default is only for deciding what service a new contact will be created in.



When you try to use a contact in Mail, are you using the (+) and searching the database, or typing in a name or address in the TO: field and then selecting it from the autocomplete list. Please let us know what does and does not happen when you try both methods.

I'm having trouble picturing what is going on, so it's hard for me to guess what's going wrong.

If you have not tried the fixes Johanna suggested, please do. These often clear up strange behavior.

Another all-purpose remedy is to turn off the Contacts syncing, deleting the local database when prompted, visit the Contact app to make sure it's empty, then turn syncing back on. This forces a reload of the database. Before you do that, go to the relevant site and make sure all contacts are there. In the case of iCloud contacts you can check at icloud.com from a computer browser. As long as the contacts are on the server nothing you do on the iPad (short of deleting them one by one in the Contacts app) will permanently delete them.

Also, Contacts sill happily sync with more than one service. If you are syncing with both Google and iCloud (as it appears) then be sure to check both databases individually instead of only looking at the All Contacts group.

That's all I can think of.

 

[lbeck]

Here are a few things you can do: iCloud: Troubleshooting iCloud Contacts

Followed that URL, it says everything's working okay (green squares)

When you try to use a contact in Mail, are you using the (+) and searching the database, or typing in a name or address in the TO: field and then selecting it from the autocomplete list. Please let us know what does and does not happen when you try both methods

I think we're getting somewhere with this. I've only used the method of typing a name in the To: bok. It doesn't find the entry in "Contacts" I never used the "+" because I mistakenly assumed that was to add names. When I use the "+" method it does bring up my Contacts as seen in the "Contacts" on the ipad.

So this has me excited that I can probably sync with that contacts list. It is terribly out of date (actually 380 contacts, many old and/or changed). Is there some way to go into that list and make changes without working on the ipad? I'm much faster on my desktop computer. I'm fairly proficient with spreadsheets and MS Access. Can the contacts possibly be exported/imported to a CSV file or similar?

I'm having trouble picturing what is going on, so it's hard for me to guess what's going wrong.

I apologize. No need to guess. Just let me know what needs clarification and I'll try until we communicate clearly.

Another all-purpose remedy is to turn off the Contacts syncing, deleting the local database when prompted, visit the Contact app to make sure it's empty, then turn syncing back on. This forces a reload of the database. Before you do that, go to the relevant site and make sure all contacts are there. In the case of iCloud contacts you can check at icloud.com from a computer browser. As long as the contacts are on the server nothing you do on the iPad (short of deleting them one by one in the Contacts app) will permanently delete them.

I'm not nearly as proficient with working with the cloud and iPad functions. I'll look into what you suggest. by "local" database I assume that you mean what's on the tablet, and that my contacts will still remain somewhere in my computer or on the cloud. I don't want to start deleting stuff until I know I have a backup.

Mostly, I'm happy to find the "+" and see that it apparently syncs with my contacts. If I can keep my contacts synced that way I don't need to use the "type in" method.

Let me know where I should go from here. I don't want to overwhelm you and appreciate the help already provided. This problem has been frustrating me for some time. The iPad is more conveninet at times but I've been using Gmail on my desktop for most email. My Gmail contacts are the ones that I maintain up-to-date. I'm also encouraged that someday I may be able to have one set of contacts that is synced with Gmail and (iPad) Mail.

 

[twerppoet]

Followed that URL, it says everything's working okay (green squares)I think we're getting somewhere with this. I've only used the method of typing a name in the To: bok. It doesn't find the entry in "Contacts" I never used the "+" because I mistakenly assumed that was to add names. When I use the "+" method it does bring up my Contacts as seen in the "Contacts" on the ipad.

I've had problems with individual contacts showing up when I type in the TO: field before. Usually this comes down to a problem with the address entry itself. I'll be certain there is an email address associated with that name, but there is not, or I'll be certain I know the name I'm typing, but find out it's not correct. Occasionally I never do figure out what's wrong, and I simply add the contact again, then delete the original.

So this has me excited that I can probably sync with that contacts list. It is terribly out of date (actually 380 contacts, many old and/or changed). Is there some way to go into that list and make changes without working on the ipad? I'm much faster on my desktop computer. I'm fairly proficient with spreadsheets and MS Access. Can the contacts possibly be exported/imported to a CSV file or similar?I apologize. No need to guess. Just let me know what needs clarification and I'll try until we communicate clearly.I'm not nearly as proficient with working with the cloud and iPad functions. I'll look into what you suggest. by "local" database I assume that you mean what's on the tablet, and that my contacts will still remain somewhere in my computer or on the cloud. I don't want to start deleting stuff until I know I have a backup.

If you go to icloud.com in a computer's browser (reasonably modern) you can edit your iCloud contacts. You sign in with the same Apple ID as your iCloud account on the iPad. This is also the only way to create contact groups, unless you have a Mac with the OS X version of Contacts.

This assumes you have Contacts turned on in Settings > iCloud.

As long as the contacts are at the icloud.com site, then you don't need to worry about turning off the Contacts on the iPad. This will not delete the cloud contacts.

The reason I keep saying to choose delete when turning contacts off in an account has to do with possible duplication or the accidental creation of a local only contact account later when you try to turn it back on again. I shouldn't, but it's been known to happen.

Mostly, I'm happy to find the "+" and see that it apparently syncs with my contacts. If I can keep my contacts synced that way I don't need to use the "type in" method.

Let me know where I should go from here. I don't want to overwhelm you and appreciate the help already provided. This problem has been frustrating me for some time. The iPad is more conveninet at times but I've been using Gmail on my desktop for most email. My Gmail contacts are the ones that I maintain up-to-date. I'm also encouraged that someday I may be able to have one set of contacts that is synced with Gmail and (iPad) Mail.

In my experience typing into the TO: field works best if you use the actual name of your contact, rather than trying to type in the email and having it autocomplete; though both are supposed to work.

Go ahead and turn on contacts in your Gmail account (Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars > your Gmail account). Like the iCloud account it won't delete or ruin your Google contacts in the cloud. If it does not work right, you can just turn it back off (delete the local database) and try again later. The two databases remain separate on the iPad. While you can browse them together by viewing All Contacts, they won't cross over and make changes to each other.

I prefer iCloud's service for several reasons, but if you're already using Google and comfortable with their service there is no reason to force iCloud's contacts to work for you.