Sync shows zero contacts

An IT admin or an employee can find out why a sync writes no contacts to a phone, then fix it.

The recap shows 0 added, 0 updated, 0 removed

What you see: the Sync complete screen shows "The contacts on this phone are up to date." and zero contacts added, updated and removed.

Common cause, not a problem: with Microsoft and the The whole directory scope, once the first full sync has run on this phone, later syncs only read the changes. Zero means nothing changed in the directory.

Cause to look for: in all other cases, the app reads the whole list again: first sync, Google, the Specific groups scope, or Force a full sync. A recap at zero is then not normal. Follow the next sections. See How sync works.

"Contacts permission"

What you see: the Sync failed screen shows "Contacts permission", then "RingSync does not have permission to access the contacts on this phone. Without it, syncing cannot run." with the Open settings → link.

Cause: access to contacts is denied. On iPhone, the One permission screen shows "Permission denied" after a refusal, and "Full access required" when the access granted is limited.

Fix on iPhone:

1. Tap Open settings →.
2. Open Contacts in RingSync's settings (Settings > RingSync > Contacts).
3. Choose full access to all contacts.
4. Go back to RingSync and tap Try again.

Fix on Android:

1. Tap Open settings →.
2. Allow Contacts for RingSync.
3. Go back to RingSync and tap Try again.

See Install on iPhone and Install on Android.

No contact written, no error message

What you see: the sync completes, the recap shows zero added, and the Contacts app has no contact from the directory, although the directory has people in it.

Cause 1: every person is ignored by the rules. RingSync does not write a person who:

• has no email address (with Entra, the mail attribute must be filled in);
• is a Microsoft guest account;
• has neither a first name nor a last name.

Cause 2: the scope contains nobody. With Specific groups, the chosen groups have no members, or Groups to exclude covers everyone. When the phone does not hold any contact yet, no error is raised.

Fix (admin):

1. Open Logs and choose the Skipped filter with the Last 30 days period.
2. Read the Reason column: no_email (no email) or guest_account (guest).
3. Fix the directory: fill in the email address of the people concerned. Guests are never synced.
4. A person with neither a first name nor a last name does not appear in the Logs.
5. If the Logs show no operation for the period, open Settings then Sync scope.
6. Choose groups that have members, or The whole directory, and check Groups to exclude.
7. Click Save.
8. On the phone, tap Sync.

Changes apply at the phones' next sync. See Select and exclude groups and Synced information.

"The directory returned an empty list"

What you see: the Sync failed screen shows "The directory returned an empty list. To be safe, the contacts on this phone were not removed. Contact your administrator." In the dashboard, To fix shows empty_directory for that person.

Cause: the full read of the directory came back empty while the phone already holds contacts from that directory. RingSync stops the sync instead of deleting everything. Possible causes:

• the groups of the Specific groups scope no longer have members;
• Groups to exclude covers everyone;
• the provider answered wrongly.

Fix (admin):

1. Open Settings then Sync scope.
2. Choose groups that have members, or go back to The whole directory, and check Groups to exclude.
3. Click Save.

Fix (employee): after the correction, tap Try again in the app.

If you really want a phone to keep no contact from this directory, open Settings in the app and use Remove synced contacts. If the empty list comes from the provider, try again later, then see RingSync lost access to the directory.

"org_suspended" or "plan_limit_reached"

What you see: the Sync failed screen shows the raw code org_suspended or plan_limit_reached. In the dashboard, an Access suspended or Plan limit reached banner is displayed.

Cause: RingSync refuses to start the sync.

• org_suspended: the organization's access is suspended (trial expired or invoice unpaid). Syncing is stopped, and contacts already on phones stay. See Invoices, payment and VAT.
• plan_limit_reached: the plan's Synced contacts limit is reached. No extra contact is imported. See Seats and limits.

Fix (admin):

1. Open Account then Billing.
2. For a suspension, use the button of the Access suspended banner (pay the invoice or choose a plan).
3. For the limit, change plan, or narrow the Sync scope to certain groups (Pro plan or above).

The Contacts app is empty although the sync succeeded

What you see: Sync complete shows contacts added, yet the Contacts app shows nothing from the directory.

Cause: the contacts are written on the phone, but the Contacts app does not display them. To check, tap the directory card: On this phone shows the number of contacts written by RingSync. The cards in the list show no counter, and the card of a directory in Error opens the Sync paused screen instead of the detail.

Fix:

1. On iPhone, open the Contacts app, then the list of groups, and show the group named after the directory.
2. On Android, check that your Contacts app displays the phone's local account, where RingSync writes the contacts.
3. If On this phone shows zero, run Sync again.

See the section Where RingSync writes contacts.

Where RingSync writes contacts

• iPhone: RingSync files contacts in a group named after the directory, and writes them to the phone's local container when iOS offers one. Otherwise, iOS uses its default container, which is iCloud if iCloud Contacts sync is turned on.
• Android: RingSync writes to the phone's local account, with no group or account dedicated to the directory.
• Counter: On this phone reads the list RingSync keeps of the contacts it wrote, not the content of the Contacts app.

See Security and data.

Where to look

• On the phone: the card (status, "last sync"), then the sync result screen.
• Dashboard: the Directory connection card and the To fix table.
• Users: View on the person, then Sync history (column A / U / R: added, updated, removed) and View the log.
• Logs: search by name or email, filters by action and by period. Details are kept for 30 days.

Still stuck?

Write to us through Contact us with the directory name, the email address of the person concerned, the message displayed and the time of the last sync.