Contact changes no longer shared between me and my wife

Our calendars are shared as required but we found that birthdays were not syncing because it seems that our changes in Contacts are no longer being shared. What do I have to do to restore sharing?

Are you using the same iCloud account or different iCloud accounts? What devices (and OS versions) are connected to the iCloud account(s)? Can you correlate the change in behavior, even closely, to any particular device or app change?

Are you and your wife using the same Apple ID? I found that using the same Apple ID for myself and my wife simplified the sharing of contacts, calendars, and iMessages. There are some drawbacks to that, however, since I wind up getting all her call info on my phone as well. Not her calls, but just the info.

Shared contacts with different Apple IDs

chscag said:

Are you and your wife using the same Apple ID? I found that using the same Apple ID for myself and my wife simplified the sharing of contacts, calendars, and iMessages. There are some drawbacks to that, however, since I wind up getting all her call info on my phone as well. Not her calls, but just the info.

Click to expand...

No we're not. The calendars, apart from birthdays, sync fine because I have specified which ones are to be shared. It seems odd that, although calendars can be shared between us, contacts can't. The main reason for having separate Apple IDs is so that we can pay separately for Apple store purchases.

Would it be possible to keep the same Apple ID for contacts, calendars and iMessages and separate ones for the Apple Store? If so how do I do that?

Re iMessages, how do I specify text message instead of iMessage, which is now the automatic default and can only be changed if an iMessage fails because there is no cellphone signal?

Settings -> Messages

Turn of iMessage

Ember1205 said:

Settings -> Messages

Turn off iMessage

Click to expand...

Thanks.

Alwyn said:

Would it be possible to keep the same Apple ID for contacts, calendars and iMessages and separate ones for the Apple Store? If so how do I do that?

Click to expand...

You can log in to another Apple ID for each feature you want to share. Mail, Calendars, Contacts, Notes, and Reminders, can all be set up with multiple Apple ID's.

chscag said:

Are you and your wife using the same Apple ID? I found that using the same Apple ID for myself and my wife simplified the sharing of contacts, calendars, and iMessages. There are some drawbacks to that, however, since I wind up getting all her call info on my phone as well. Not her calls, but just the info.

Click to expand...

If I do this will we get each other's iCloud e-mails (i.e. those going to our individual iCloud e-mail addresses)? While we're at it do all the e-mail addresses in Contact Groups under 'All iCloud' automatically be held in the iCloud?

The iCloud sing-in controls mail, contacts, phone logs, etc. It's a LOT of data that gets sync'ed between the devices.

If all you want shared is contacts, set up a shared account somewhere and create that account in the "Mail" section of settings and turn on Contacts only. It could also be used for a shared calendar if you wanted as well (and even the mail, too - up to you). Sharing contact data via iCloud allows a LOT of extra data sharing as well that you might not want or need.

My wife and I have a Google account that's for "us." We both have the account set up under Mail to allow Mail and Calendar sharing. My personal Google account is used for my Contacts. I do not use iCloud for Calendar or Contacts.