A better fix for Mac OS X iPhone syncing problems

We’ve extensively covered on an issue where iTunes for Mac OS X fails to properly synchronize contacts with the iPhone, hanging repeatedly at the “Syncing contacts” phase. A previously noted fix, effective but risky, is to delete the iSync and SyncServices folders from ~/Library/Application Support (this is the Library folder inside your user directory folder).

A safer, and equally effective fix is as follows:

1. Back up Contacts using File > Back up Address Book
2. Delete all contacts in Address Book
3. Move ~/Library/Application Support/AddressBook, ~/Library/Caches, and ~/Library/Preferences/com.apple.AddressBook.plist to the Trash, but do not empty (just in case)
4. Log out of your user, then log back in
5. Launch iSync, Choose iSync > Preferences. Click on the Reset Sync History… button. Click Reset Sync History.
6. Log out of your user, then log back in
7. Launch Address Book, create a few test cards, then try to sync. It should be successful.
8. Now try restoring from your backup with File > Revert to Address Book Backup.

(Thanks to iPhone Atlas reader Tamal for helping with this fix)

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