You remember a conversation on the walk home and add a few details on your iPhone. Later, you sit down at your Mac to write a thoughtful follow-up. Your contacts—and the context that makes them meaningful—should be there when you need them.
Dextr works across iPhone, iPad, and Mac with Dextr Pro. Use the same iCloud account on each device, let your existing data arrive, and keep one Primary Sync Device connected to Apple Contacts.
This guide walks through the setup, explains what happens when you edit a contact on another device, and shows where to check when something has not appeared yet.
Before you add another device
You will need Dextr installed on each device, an internet connection for syncing, and the same Apple Account for iCloud. Using Dextr on multiple devices and using the Mac app require Dextr Pro.
There are two account checks to keep in mind:
- iCloud: The same account connects your Dextr data across your devices.
- App Store purchases: The account that owns Dextr Pro lets Dextr restore your paid access. This can differ from your iCloud account.
If you already own Pro but the new installation asks you to upgrade, use Restore Purchases before starting another subscription.
Understand the two kinds of sync
iCloud Sync keeps Dextr’s own data up to date across your devices. This includes contact details and the context you add in Dextr, such as tags, relationships, journal entries, and reminders.
Contacts Sync imports from and exports to Apple Contacts. Only your Primary Sync Device performs that job. Your other devices can still view and edit Dextr.
For example, when you change a mobile number in Dextr on your Mac:
- Dextr saves the change on your Mac.
- iCloud carries it to Dextr on your other devices.
- Your Primary Sync Device receives the change and updates the linked Apple contact when Contacts Sync runs.
- The account that stores that Apple contact distributes its own update to devices using that account.
A journal entry takes the Dextr-to-Dextr path. It does not become an Apple Contacts field. Separating these paths helps you check the right place if an update is delayed.
If you prefer to keep Dextr on one device, see using Dextr without iCloud. Turning off Dextr’s iCloud access stops its data from staying in sync with your other devices.
Set up your main device first
Choose a device you use regularly—usually your everyday iPhone—with access to the Apple Contacts library you want to connect.
Sign in to iCloud, install Dextr, and complete onboarding. If you are connecting Apple Contacts, grant contact access when requested and allow the initial import to finish.
Open Settings from Home
On iPhone, open Home, then tap the gear icon in the upper-left corner.
In Settings, choose Contacts Sync.
On Mac, choose Dextr → Settings from the menu bar, or press Command-comma, then open Contacts Sync.
Enable Contacts Sync and finish setup
On the device that will handle Apple Contacts, turn on Enable Contacts Sync. If Dextr shows Setup Contacts Sync, follow the prompts. You may need to choose your own contact card or adjust contact-access permissions.
Once setup is complete, use Sync Now and review Last Sync Results when it becomes available.
Our import and sync guide covers permission choices, selecting your own contact card, and interpreting imported, updated, and unlinked records.
Add your other devices
Once your main device is ready:
- Install and open Dextr on the other iPhone, iPad, or Mac.
- Check that it uses the same iCloud account as your main device.
- Complete any onboarding shown on that device and let the initial iCloud sync finish.
- Confirm that existing contacts and their Dextr details have arrived.
- If Pro access is missing, restore the purchase on that device.
Dextr must be allowed to use iCloud. On iPhone or iPad, check Settings → your name → iCloud → See All (or Show All) and find Dextr. On Mac, check the app’s access in System Settings → your name → iCloud. Apple’s iCloud setup guide for apps explains the controls for each platform.
“Multiple Devices” is expected on a secondary device
If you open Contacts Sync on another device, Dextr can show Multiple Devices and explain that Contacts Sync is already enabled elsewhere.
That message means another device handles the connection to Apple Contacts. You can continue using Dextr on this device with Pro; you do not need to make it primary simply to view or edit your contacts.
Leave your existing primary device in place during normal use. Your secondary device sends its Dextr changes through iCloud, and the primary device handles any eligible Apple Contacts updates.
Try one small change
Pick an existing contact and make a useful edit in Dextr. For example, add a tag on your Mac, then open that person’s profile in Dextr on your iPhone after syncing.
In the profile below, Ada’s phone number sits alongside her job, tags, First Met event, and introduction. These details give you several ways to recognize the same person when checking your other device.
For an Apple Contacts check, edit a linked contact’s phone number in Dextr, let it reach your primary device, then run Sync Now there. Check the corresponding card in Apple Contacts.
Tags, First Met, introductions, journal entries, and reminders remain Dextr features; you will not find equivalent fields for them in Apple Contacts. See which details sync for the difference.
Let one edit finish traveling between devices before trying another. Re-creating the same person on each device makes it harder to tell whether you are looking at the same record.
Change the Primary Sync Device
Switch the primary device when you move to a replacement device or need to re-establish the connection after reinstalling Dextr. You do not need to switch it whenever you move from your phone to your Mac.
- Open Dextr on the device you want to make primary.
- Wait for your existing Dextr data to finish arriving through iCloud.
- Open Settings → Contacts Sync.
- Choose Make This My Primary Device.
- Read the Switch Primary Sync Device confirmation, then confirm with Make This My Primary Device if you are ready to move the connection.
- Allow the switch and sync to finish, then check a known contact and the sync results.
The confirmation explains that switching can create duplicate imports for Apple contacts without enough identifying information. This is why Dextr recommends switching for a new device or a reinstall, rather than routinely moving the role back and forth.
If you see Syncing With iCloud or Settings Unavailable, allow that status to resolve before switching. If the new device cannot verify the existing setup, contact Dextr Support for help.
If duplicates appear after a move, use Dextr’s duplicate review and merge tools to compare the records.
Restore Pro on the new device
If your contacts are present but Pro features remain locked, open Dextr Settings → Restore Purchases. On iPhone, scroll below Contact Platforms to find it.
Complete an Apple sign-in prompt if one appears, using the account that purchased Dextr Pro. An existing purchase restore does not start another subscription.
If Settings shows Modify Subscription, Dextr already recognizes a Pro subscription. For an account mismatch, expired plan, or a failed restore, follow How to Restore Your Dextr Pro Subscription.
Restoring Pro and syncing contacts are separate steps. Pro unlocks access; iCloud brings your Dextr data to the device.
Check a delayed change
The change is missing inside Dextr on another device
Confirm that both devices are online, use the same iCloud account, and allow Dextr to use iCloud. Open Dextr on both devices and allow time for syncing, especially after a new installation.
Review any iCloud status message. Syncing With iCloud means data is still arriving. iCloud Storage Full requires attention to the account’s available storage. Settings Unavailable can appear while Dextr is unable to verify the current configuration.
The change is in Dextr but missing from Apple Contacts
Open Dextr on your Primary Sync Device, go to Settings → Contacts Sync, and check that sync is enabled. Run Sync Now when available, then review Last Sync Results.
A Pending Contacts Sync message means changes still need to be pushed to Apple Contacts through the primary device. Keep that device connected; plugging it into a charger can help the process run sooner.
A new Dextr contact needs a phone number, email address, or social profile to be eligible for export. An unlinked contact or a read-only source can also explain why a record is not being updated. The sync troubleshooting guide covers these cases.
If the update reaches Apple Contacts on the primary device but is missing from Apple Contacts elsewhere, check the contact account on those devices. That final step is handled by the account storing the Apple contact.
One device still asks for Pro
Check the App Store purchase account and restore your existing purchase. Seeing your Dextr contacts through iCloud does not confirm that the right purchase account is signed in.
If the problem continues, contact Support with the devices and Dextr versions involved, the exact status message, and where the change appears: Dextr, Apple Contacts, or both.
Make the most of the device in front of you
Capture a quick detail on your phone, then use your Mac or iPad when you want more room to organize and write. A useful next step is to record a Journal Entry after a conversation or organize your contacts with tags. That context can be waiting in Dextr when you next reach out.
