How to Sync Contacts from iPhone to Mac [5 Ways]
Curious about syncing Contacts from iPhone to Mac? Look no further. In this blog post, we'll show you 5 ways to do it, with or without USB.
Transferring your contacts from your iPhone to your Mac is a wise decision. This ensures that you can access them whenever you want, reduce the risk of accidental loss, and recover contacts that were deleted by mistake.
If you don't know how to sync Contacts on your iPhone to your Mac, read through this blog, and you'll find 5 easy ways to do it. Without further ado, let's get started.
1. How to Sync Contacts from iPhone to Mac with AirDrop [without iCloud and USB]
The easiest way to sync a person's contact information to your Mac is using AirDrop. Here's how:
Make sure your iPhone and Mac are connected to a stable network and Wi-Fi is turned on.
Do the following to make sure AirDrop is turned on correctly on both your iPhone and Mac.
- On your iPhone: Scroll down to open Control Center, tap the Wi-Fi icon, then set your AirDrop to allow Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes.
- On your Mac: Open Finder > AirDrop, then set Allow me to be discovered by to Everyone.
- On your iPhone: Scroll down to open Control Center, tap the Wi-Fi icon, then set your AirDrop to allow Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes.
Select the contact you want to transfer and tap Share Contact.
Tap AirDrop > your Mac name to send a copy of that contact to your Mac.
After the transfer is complete, open the received .vcf file with Contacts on your Mac.
2. How to Sync Contacts from iPhone to Mac with iCloud [without USB]
AirDrop is suitable for transferring a small number of contacts. If you want to transfer all of your contacts from iPhone to Mac, iCloud is of help.
Here's what you need to do:
- Make sure your iPhone and Mac are signed into the same Apple ID account.
- On your iPhone: Go to the Settings app, and tap your Apple ID name > iCloud. Under the APPS USING ICLOUD panel, select Show All, then turn on the switch next to Contacts.
- On your Mac: Choose the Apple menu, select System Settings > your Apple ID name > iCloud, turn on the switch next to Contacts, and you will be able to see all your contacts in the Contacts app.
3. How to Send Contacts from iPhone to Mac with Mail [without USB]
Another way to import Contacts from iPhone to Mac is using Mail. You can choose to transfer one contact or all contacts to Mac.
Here's how:
- Select the contact on your iPhone that you want to transfer to your Mac.
- Tap Share Contact > Mail, select the mail you want to use, enter the email you want to send to and tap the Send icon.
- On your Mac, log in to the email you use to receive contacts, then drag the .vcf file you received to the Contacts app.
4. How to Transfer Contacts from iPhone to Mac with Finder/iTunes [with USB]
If you can't get your contacts from your iPhone via iCloud, use Finder or iTunes to sync your contacts.
Connect your iPhone to your Mac via a USB cable.
If you're using macOS Catalina or later, open Finder. If you're using macOS Mojave or earlier, open iTunes.
Unlock your iPhone to help Finder and iTunes read it, then click its icon in Finder and iTunes.
Click Info, check the box next to Sync Contacts to This X, and click the Apply button.
5. How to Import Contacts from iPhone to Mac with Data Transfer Tools [with USB]
If you don't like to use the above methods, try a third-party data transfer tool. It may not be as easy as you think, but it can transfer a lot of data, such as photos, messages, notes, etc.
There are tons of such tools on the internet. What you need to do is choose the one you like and follow the on-screen guide to sync or export your Contacts from iPhone to Mac.
iPhone Contacts Not Syncing with Mac? 8 Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some troubleshooting tips if your contacts are not syncing from your iPhone to your Mac:
- Check if you have set up iCloud correctly on both your iPhone and Mac.
- Make sure both devices are well-connected to a network.
- Ensure that both your iPhone and Mac are signed in with the same Apple ID.
- Restart your devices.
- Switch to another network or reset your network settings.
- Check if you have enough iCloud storage. (See what to do if your iCloud storage is full.)
- Sign out of your Apple ID and sign back in again.
- Contact Apple Support for assistance.
Conclusion
Now that you have 5 ways to sync Contacts from your iPhone to your Mac, which method would you like to try first? As you can see, using AirDrop and iCloud to do that is simple and easy. But if you can't use them, use one of the other 3 ways you prefer.
Living in Chengdu, Kelly is an Apple technician focused on Mac, iPhone, and iOS repairs. Meanwhile, he's also a columnist at Dr.Buho, with a simple mission to help fix Apple things that are with software or hardware glitches.