The Contacts app on several of the past versions of MacOS--and on Golden Gate--shows very unreliable workflow. Information that I insert in Contacts on the Mac does not sync to iCloud, and information that I insert in Contacts on the iPhone does not show up on the Mac. And iCloud>Contacts is turned on for all of them.
It is a shame because Contacts is one of the most valuable programs that Apple produces.
As a general repair reference that has worked on several of the recent MacOS versions, here are the steps when Contacts simply stops functioning as it should.
- Open Contacts.
- In Contacts, click File>Export>Contacts Archive. Save a backup copy on an external drive.
- In System Settings, click Apple Account>iCloud>Saved to iCloud (See All)>Contacts.
- Turn the Contacts button OFF for 30 seconds.
- Open Finder and then press COMMAND + SHIFT + G.
- You will now be in ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook.
- Press ENTER.
- Move the entire AddressBook folder to an external drive via COMMAND+OPTION+V.
- The Mac will likely say that it was able to move the AddressBook to the external drive but not to delete the contents of the AddressBook on the native drive. Whatever the Mac has not deleted of AddressBook from the native drive should be sent to Trash.
- Restart the computer.
- . In System Settings, click Apple Account>iCloud>Saved to iCloud (See All)>Contacts. Turn Contacts back on.
- Open Contacts and let it repopulate from iCloud.