Help Google Contacts Sync?

Roger Cordrey · Dec 3, 2015

I have a new S3 neo and a Tab4 but cannot get my Google contacts to sync. According to the pundits, this should happen automatically - but somehow it is not working for me.

I have 180 contacts recorded on my gmail.com web page, and have registered both the above new Android devices with my Google account details. All the Sync settings System/General/Accounts/me.gmail.com Google parameters are ticked, but no joy.

34 contacts have been transferred over from my old device, but these are only Samsung account contacts - nothing from the Google account - probably from the Smart Switch app rather than sync'ing.

Any ideas?

Mikestony · Dec 3, 2015

Hiya Roger!
I moved your thread into this forum to get more help as I don't think this is device specific

Do your emails sync fine?

rattlingroger · Dec 4, 2015

Emails seem to sync OK - arrive about the same time to Outlook 2003 (laptop), S3 neo and Tab4.

chanchan05 · Dec 4, 2015

Have you checked the sync settings under accounts?

rattlingroger · Dec 4, 2015

chanchan05 said:
Have you checked the sync settings under accounts?

See second sentence of middle para in my original post.

Pugs1957 · Dec 4, 2015

Try mousegliders solution here http://forums.androidcentral.com/htc-hero/13201-google-contacts-won-t-sync.html

chanchan05 · Dec 4, 2015

rattlingroger said:
See second sentence of middle para in my original post.

I meant there are no other icons, there is no moving sync icon beside contacts or maybe a sync fail icon...

Kibaikasu · Dec 4, 2015

Is the issue on the Tab 4, the S3 Neo, or both? If it's the S3 Neo, are you running Jelly Bean or Kit Kat?

Roger Cordrey · Dec 5, 2015

chanchan05 said:
I meant there are no other icons, there is no moving sync icon beside contacts or maybe a sync fail icon...

No other icons in view, nor sync fail message under Google Account. Oddly, there is a Sync error shown under the Samsung Account, although each of the three sync options perform correctly without an error shown.

Roger Cordrey · Dec 5, 2015

Kibaikasu said:
Is the issue on the Tab 4, the S3 Neo, or both? If it's the S3 Neo, are you running Jelly Bean or Kit Kat?

The issue appears to be on both the S3 and the Tab4. The S3 is running Android 4.4.2, the Tab4 is running Android 5.1.1., the laptop is under Windows 10.

As an aside, I note that Google Calendars do appear to sync in S Planner on both devices.

Kibaikasu · Dec 6, 2015

Are you absolutely sure you backed up your contacts to your Google account from your old device? You might wanna check www.google.com/contacts to see if the missing contacts are listed there. If they are not, then they were never backed up to begin with.

rattlingroger · Dec 6, 2015

Kibaikasu said:
Are you absolutely sure you backed up your contacts to your Google account from your old device? You might wanna check www.google.com/contacts to see if the missing contacts are listed there. If they are not, then they were never backed up to begin with.

There are 189 contacts in www.google.com/contacts, with 20 most frequent and 0 starred. The contacts are up on the Google cloud, but how do I get them to sync down to the Contacts app on my Samsungs?

rattlingroger · Dec 6, 2015

Pugs1957 said:
Try mousegliders solution here http://forums.androidcentral.com/htc-hero/13201-google-contacts-won-t-sync.html

Thanks, but I cannot follow the solution shown which seem to relate to a Sprint Hero - another phone?

Kibaikasu · Dec 6, 2015

Ok, so what you wanna do if the contacts are backed up but not syncing right is a manual export from the google.com/contacts page.

If you're in the preview page, it'll be listed under the "More" tab on the left. If you're in the old Google Contacts page (it'll give you the option to go to the old Google Contacts if the new page isn't compatible with the export). See if you can move them like that.

Roger Cordrey · Dec 9, 2015

Kibaikasu said:
Ok, so what you wanna do if the contacts are backed up but not syncing right is a manual export from the google.com/contacts page.

If you're in the preview page, it'll be listed under the "More" tab on the left. If you're in the old Google Contacts page (it'll give you the option to go to the old Google Contacts if the new page isn't compatible with the export). See if you can move them like that.

I have tried that, and can import the 189 contacts as Vcards. However, this does not include anything but the basic telephone number and email address info (address and notes etc. are missing). Fundamentally, it does not solve the problem of not sync'ing. I have to perform the export/import to three devices (laptop, tablet and phone) and any change to any of them will mean doing it all over again to keep in sync.

As I assume the sync must be instigated from the Contacts app to effect any change to the cloud addresses, surely the problem is with this Contacts (Samsung) program? But as it does not appear as an app (presumably part of the OS) how can it be updated/corrected?

SavageRobot · Dec 9, 2015

Have you tried logging out and back into Google on the tab and S3?? I used to have problems with syncing on my S2 going back, don't know if it's a Samsung thing or if I was just unlucky.

Roger Cordrey · Dec 9, 2015

SavageRobot said:
Have you tried logging out and back into Google on the tab and S3?? I used to have problems with syncing on my S2 going back, don't know if it's a Samsung thing or if I was just unlucky.

I tried this on the S3, but it made no difference I'm afraid.

Kibaikasu · Dec 9, 2015

If that is the case you might wanna look to the Play Store and download one of the apps listed there to fix the problem. Just look up Google Sync Error and you should get some decent results. I remember having to do just that for my old LG Optimus G actually, and that worked for me.

Bultaco · Dec 9, 2015

Roger Cordrey said:
I have a new S3 neo and a Tab4 but cannot get my Google contacts to sync. 34 contacts have been transferred over from my old device, but these are only Samsung account contacts - nothing from the Google account - probably from the Smart Switch app rather than sync'ing.

Any ideas?

Hi, Roger! Keep the faith!
And by that, I only mean "be patient".

Did I miss where you might have said how long you've been attempting this sync? I used to bash Microsoft, Windows and Gates constantly.....AND I SURE wish the hell I'd bought Google stock when it first hit the market....but the boys who "do" Android are far from perfect.

I have only two bits of advice (as opposed to two cents worth)....keep playing with it and go through every screen you can access. (I don't think anything "Samsung" plays nice with anything "Android".....so if you can turn anything OFF in Samsung without adulterating functionality, do it. (For SURE, don't even THINK about doing anything with KIES).

#2. Hate to sound like I'm dating myself, but, time heals all wounds. Some of this Android shit just seems to want to "sit overnight" before it decides it's ready to happen.

So, how un-technical is that? i.e. Hit every button you got......and wait till morning. (Sounds like the old doctor adage with the two aspirins.)

Please DO post your solution.....if/when you come upon it......and IF you can identify it. Even in the Android world I often hear people say, "I don't know what I DID for sure....I tried about three or four different things......and ONE of them seems to have worked!" (It's a pisser when you don't know...and can't pass on...which "one" it was!)

rattlingroger · Dec 17, 2015

Bultaco said:
Hi, Roger! Keep the faith!
And by that, I only mean "be patient".

Did I miss where you might have said how long you've been attempting this sync? I used to bash Microsoft, Windows and Gates constantly.....AND I SURE wish the hell I'd bought Google stock when it first hit the market....but the boys who "do" Android are far from perfect.

I have only two bits of advice (as opposed to two cents worth)....keep playing with it and go through every screen you can access. (I don't think anything "Samsung" plays nice with anything "Android".....so if you can turn anything OFF in Samsung without adulterating functionality, do it. (For SURE, don't even THINK about doing anything with KIES).

#2. Hate to sound like I'm dating myself, but, time heals all wounds. Some of this Android shit just seems to want to "sit overnight" before it decides it's ready to happen.

So, how un-technical is that? i.e. Hit every button you got......and wait till morning. (Sounds like the old doctor adage with the two aspirins.)

Please DO post your solution.....if/when you come upon it......and IF you can identify it. Even in the Android world I often hear people say, "I don't know what I DID for sure....I tried about three or four different things......and ONE of them seems to have worked!" (It's a pisser when you don't know...and can't pass on...which "one" it was!)

Thanks for the positive thoughts! I have deleted my Samsung account (which removed all the Samsung contacts, so presumably the Samsung sync was working) and then re-installed it (which re-sync'd the contacts). Now the comment "having sync problems" has - perhaps temporarily - gone from the Samsung account. I tried the same thing with the Google account and the "having sync problems" comment has now moved to the Google account!

I would be glad to remove all sorts of Samsung apps if I knew what they did and whether they are vital. I presume Samsung account is necessary, but Samsung billing, Samsung Galaxy, Samsung in-app purchase, Samsung Link, Samsung Push Service: can I uninstall all or some of these? What about the myriad of Google stuff that I don't think I use?

Roger Cordrey · Jan 18, 2016

As Bultaco predicted, the system seems to have sorted itself out but I cannot positively point to the solution. I was fiddling about on gmail.com and noticed that if I used the older contacts program (not the preview) it showed that I had 180+ contacts, but zero My Contacts. More in hope than expectation I moved many of the contacts into the My Contacts folder - which did not immediately have any effect. However, many hours later my S3 came up with an update to Google Drive Sync and afterwards My Contacts on gmail appeared on the S3 and the Tab4. Hopefully, the systems can now keep in sync.

Many thanks to all contributors.

Help Google Contacts Sync?

Newbie

~30% Carbon Black ±

Newbie

The Doctor

Newbie

Pugs1957

Guest

The Doctor

Member

Newbie

Newbie

Member

Newbie

Newbie

Member

Newbie

Android Expert

Newbie

Member

Newbie

Newbie

Newbie

BEST TECH IN 2023

Smartphones

Best Android Phones

Upcoming

Best iPhones

Upcoming

Tablets

Best Tablets

Upcoming

Laptops

Best Laptops

Upcoming

Televisions

Best TVs

Upcoming

Game Consoles

Best Game Consoles

Upcoming

Wearables

Best Wearables

Upcoming

Smart Home

Smart Home Tech

Upcoming

Similar threads