Defer

Support

Sync Troubleshooting

Learn how to troubleshoot syncing issues between your devices.

Overview

Defer uses Apple’s iCloud to seamlessly sync your tasks between devices. While this generally “just works,” there can occasionally be situations where sync needs troubleshooting. This guide will help you resolve common syncing issues.

Prerequisites

To ensure proper syncing:

  1. Use the same Apple ID on all your devices
  2. Have sufficient iCloud storage space available
  3. Have iCloud Drive enabled

Checking Sync Status

You can check your sync status on each device:

On Mac

  1. Click the ••• menu in the lower right
  2. Open Settings
  3. Go to the General tab
  4. Scroll to the bottom to view “iCloud Status”

On iPhone

  1. Open Settings
  2. Scroll down to “iCloud Status”
  3. Tap to view detailed status

The status should show “Synced with iCloud” on all devices when working properly.

Common Solutions

If you’re experiencing sync issues, try these steps in order:

1. Restart Defer

On Mac:

  1. Click the ••• menu in the lower right
  2. Choose “Quit”
  3. Reopen Defer from your Applications folder

On iPhone:

  1. Close the app completely
  2. Reopen Defer

2. Check iCloud Storage

  1. Go to System Settings → Your Apple Account → iCloud
  2. Verify you have available storage
  3. Ensure iCloud Drive is enabled

3. Restart Your Device

Sometimes a full device restart can kickstart the sync process.

4. Use the Hidden “All Tasks” View

This special view can help identify problematic tasks that might be causing sync issues.

On Mac:

  1. Hold down the Alt key
  2. Click the ••• menu in the lower right
  3. Select “Show All Tasks”

On iPhone:

  1. Go to Settings
  2. Long press on the “Data” heading
  3. Tap “All Tasks”

In this view:

  • Look for duplicate tasks
  • Check for tasks in unusual states
  • Delete any problematic tasks using Delete key (Mac) or swipe (iOS)

Important Notes

  • Sync issues often resolve themselves automatically given some time
  • Defer relies on Apple’s iCloud infrastructure, which can sometimes take time to propagate changes
  • If you see tasks in the “All Tasks” view that aren’t visible elsewhere, they might be causing sync conflicts and can be safely deleted

Still Having Issues?

If you’re still experiencing sync problems after trying the steps above:

  1. Verify you’re signed in with the same Apple ID on all devices
  2. Check that your iCloud status shows “Synced with iCloud” on all devices
  3. Contact us with details about what you’re seeing

When contacting support, please include:

  • iCloud status from each device
  • Whether you’ve tried the steps above
  • Any error messages you’re seeing
  • When the sync issues started