If a contact or change appears in Dextr on your iPhone but not your Mac, or the other way around, start with connectivity and accounts. Dextr’s iCloud Sync carries its library between devices. Contacts Sync connects that library with Apple Contacts through one Primary Sync Device.
You can edit Dextr on both devices without making each one primary.
1. Start with the Basics
- Check that your iCloud storage isn’t full. On iPhone, open Settings → your name → iCloud to review storage usage. On Mac, open System Settings → your name → iCloud. If storage is full, free up space or upgrade your plan, then reopen Dextr and allow syncing to resume. Apple’s iCloud storage guide explains the options.
- Confirm each device involved has a working Wi-Fi or mobile data connection. Open a webpage to check that the connection actually works.
- Turn off Airplane Mode if it is blocking your connection. If using mobile data, check that Dextr is allowed to use it.
- Open Dextr and Apple Contacts on the relevant devices and give them time to catch up, especially after a large import or a new installation.
- Install available Dextr and system updates. If the problem persists, restart the affected device and try again.
- Check Apple System Status for an iCloud Contacts or iCloud account service issue. Wait for an outage to clear before changing your setup.
After each step, check the same contact again so you can see which change helped.
2. Compare the iCloud Accounts and App Access
On iPhone, open Settings → your name. On Mac, open System Settings → your name. Confirm that both devices use the same Apple Account for iCloud.
Then check that Dextr is allowed to use iCloud on both:
- iPhone: Settings → your name → iCloud → See All or Show All, then find Dextr.
- Mac: System Settings → your name → iCloud, then review the apps saving to iCloud and find Dextr.
Check available iCloud storage and resolve any account sign-in or storage warning. An App Store purchase account can differ from the iCloud account. Matching purchase accounts alone does not establish that the Dextr libraries use the same iCloud account.
Apple’s third-party app setup guide explains the iCloud controls.
3. Check Contact Accounts on the Primary Device
If the missing person was recently added to Apple Contacts rather than Dextr, confirm the person first appears in Apple Contacts on your Primary Sync Device.
On iPhone, review Settings → Apps → Contacts → Contacts Accounts. Check that each account you use is signed in and has Contacts enabled, including Google or Exchange accounts. On Mac, review the relevant accounts in System Settings → Internet Accounts.
You do not need to enable Dextr’s Contacts Sync on both devices. If your iPhone is primary, a Google contact available only on your Mac cannot be imported through that iPhone until the account’s contacts are also available there.
If Apple Contacts itself differs between devices, follow Apple’s iCloud Contacts troubleshooting guide or the relevant account provider’s instructions.
4. Keep One Primary Sync Device
On iPhone, open Dextr → Home → the Settings gear → Contacts Sync.
On the existing primary device, check Enable Contacts Sync, use Sync Now when available, and review Last Sync Results after the run finishes.
On Mac, choose Dextr → Settings from the menu bar, or press Command-comma, then open Contacts Sync.
Multiple Devices on the Mac is expected when your iPhone is primary. It does not mean Dextr-to-Dextr syncing is disabled. Leave the primary role in place during routine use.
If you have replaced or reinstalled your primary device, follow the device-switching guide. Allow existing Dextr data to arrive before switching, and review the confirmation because switching can produce duplicate imports.
5. Separate a Library Delay from an Export Delay
Compare one existing person on both devices. Avoid editing the same field on both while you are checking.
- Missing inside Dextr on the other device: focus on Dextr’s iCloud access, the iCloud account, storage, and connectivity.
- Visible in Dextr on both, but missing in Apple Contacts: focus on Contacts Sync on the primary device. Open Dextr there and let the eligible update export.
- Visible in Apple Contacts on the primary device, but missing in Apple Contacts elsewhere: focus on the account storing that Apple contact.
- A tag or journal entry appears in Dextr but not Apple Contacts: that can be normal. Dextr’s relationship context does not export as equivalent Apple Contacts fields.
After a new installation or a large change, keep Dextr open on both devices while the initial sync finishes. A message that Dextr is syncing with iCloud means it still needs time to receive its existing data.
6. Confirm Dextr Pro Access
Using Dextr on multiple devices and using the Mac app require Dextr Pro. If a device asks you to upgrade despite an existing purchase, follow How to Restore Your Dextr Pro Subscription.
Restoring a purchase and syncing data solve different problems. Restoring Pro unlocks access; it does not move a library from a different iCloud account.
Do not delete iCloud data, reinstall both apps, or recreate missing contacts as an initial fix. Preserve the existing copies while you identify where the change stopped.
Still Need Help?
If this article didn’t resolve the problem, reach out to Dextr Support. Tell us which devices and Dextr versions you use, which device is primary, which contact account is involved, and where the missing update appears.
Video recordings and photo or screenshot captures of the problem help us follow the steps you took and expedite a resolution. Include any exact error message, and hide private contact details before sharing.