iOS 13's Reminders App Causing iCloud Syncing Issues, Users Report

Apple may not able to fix issues with the Reminders app until macOS Catalina release.

By Jagmeet Singh | Updated: 1 October 2019 13:28 IST

Highlights

Reminders app require the latest iOS, iPadOS, and macOS to sync reminders
Apple says users can access their reminders on iCloud.com
However, users have noticed syncing issues

iOS 13's Reminders App Causing iCloud Syncing Issues, Users Report

Updated Reminders app doesn't sync with iCloud for many users

Reminders app is one of the biggest changes that Apple has provided on iOS 13. It not just flaunts an all-new interface but also offers various new features, including the ability to use Siri shortcuts and a quick toolbar to add times, dates, and even photos as well as scanned documents. However, an issue that breaks your access to Reminders through iCloud.com could emerge as a strong reason to hold back on updating your Apple device to iOS 13. Multiple users across social media channels have so far raised complaints around the problems they are facing while syncing their notes to the updated Reminders app. But some of them have pointed out the issues they face while accessing their existing reminders through iCloud.com.

Once you install iOS 13 or a later version, you need to upgrade the Reminders app on your iPhone to access all the new features. The same is the case with iPadOS. However, after you upgrade the app, you won't be able to access your existing reminders on a previous iOS version.

"Calling in 'incompetent' to work because Apple's iOS 13 update lost my reminders," one of the affected users tweeted while highlighting the syncing issues with the updated Reminders app.

Apple has itself acknowledged through its support page that the upgraded reminders aren't compatible with earlier versions of iOS and requires macOS Catalina, which hasn't released yet. "If you upgrade your reminders on your iPhone with iOS 13, your iPad and Mac using the same iCloud account can't access your reminders until iPadOS and macOS 10.15 Catalina are available," the company noted.

Alongside the advisory on the support page, Apple has offered an option for iOS 13 users to delay upgrading the Reminders app, as noted by The Verge. But most of the users who didn't notice the option and proceeded with the upgrade are complaining about syncing errors.

While some users on social media are reporting about the issues that Apple highlighted through its support page and the updated Reminders app, there are some complaints suggesting bugs. One of the affected users has pointed out that after updating to iOS 13.1.1, iCloud.com is not syncing existing reminders.

Nick Statt of The Verge has underlined in his report he was also not able to access the reminders that were created on an iPhone 11 Pro running the latest iOS 13.1.2. "[I]t looks like this issue may be eventually resolved only after Apple irons out the kinks with yet another iOS update, on top of macOS Catalina release that promises to fix syncing," he said.

The syncing issue with iCloud.com contrasts Apple's statement available on the support page. "You can always see your reminders on a Mac or PC by signing in to iCloud.com with a compatible Web browser," reads the statement.

Apple in the past fortnight has released four iOS updates, including the first iteration of iOS 13 as well as the last but the newest bug-fix release -- iOS 13.1.2. Nonetheless, the Cupertino giant is yet to fix issues with the Reminders app. There are various complaints on Apple's own Communities portal detailing syncing issues with the updated app.

That being said, Apple is likely to sort out some of the early problems with the Reminders app by releasing macOS Catalina in the coming days.

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