Broken sync: 6 signs to spot it and a table of causes
The short answer: an integration has broken when what you see no longer matches the source. The most reliable signs are a new appointment or task that doesn't appear, a missing email, changes that aren't reflected and 'reconnect' prompts. You can confirm it with a test item created at the source.
6 signs that an integration has stopped syncing
The clearest sign is that something created in the original service doesn't appear in the app that brings everything together. The trouble is that a broken integration rarely shows an error: it keeps displaying the last thing it received, and everything seems fine.
- New items are missing, but old ones remain: this is the most misleading sign, because the screen is full and nothing looks suspicious.
- Changes don't come through: a meeting that was moved in Outlook still shows at the old time.
- Deleted items are still there: a completed task or a cancelled appointment doesn't disappear.
- There's a permissions or reconnection warning: many apps only show it in the settings, not on the main screen.
- An account shows up empty or disappears: if you have several, one can fail while the others keep working.
- The daily summary doesn't add up: if a summary says you have no meetings and you know you do, check the source before trusting it.
Checking a broken integration in 5 steps
To confirm the fault, create a test item in the source service, not in the app that displays it. That way you know what should arrive and can check whether it does.
- Create a test at the source: an appointment called 'TEST' on the Google Calendar website, a task in Todoist or an email you send to yourself.
- Force a refresh: reload the website or pull down to refresh in the app. Calendars added via an iCal link take longer, because the app checks the link at intervals.
- Compare on another device: if the test appears on the web but not on your phone, the fault is local; if it appears on neither, the connection has failed.
- Check the permission in the source account: in Google, go to Google Account → Security → 'Your connections to third-party apps & services'. If the app isn't listed, its access has been removed.
- Disconnect and reconnect: do this last, once you know what's failing. Afterwards, delete the test item.
If you want to understand exactly what breaks when a permission expires, go over what data you share by authorising a connection.
Common causes of broken sync, with a table
Almost all breakages come from a removed permission, a changed credential or a source that no longer exists. The table links each cause to its symptom and its fix.
| Cause | How you notice | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Account password changed | Nothing arrives from that account any more | Reauthorise the connection |
| Access removed from the Google account | Permissions warning or empty account | Reconnect and review the permissions granted |
| iCloud app-specific password revoked | iCloud Mail stops updating | Create a new one at account.apple.com |
| iCal link regenerated or deleted | The calendar stays frozen | Copy the new link and replace the old one |
| Access denied on the iPhone | The iPhone calendar or reminders are missing | Check the app's permission in iPhone Settings |
| Read-only integration | You can see the data but can't edit it | It's not a fault: edit at the source |
The last row prevents a lot of false alarms. In Madrugo, for example, Todoist and tokidu connect in read-only mode: tasks appear, but you complete them in their own app. If you combine several lists, the guide to Todoist and Google Tasks together explains how.
Remember too that reading iCloud Mail from a third-party app requires an app-specific password, created with two-factor authentication switched on. If you delete or regenerate it, the old connection stops working.
How to keep an eye on integrations without checking them daily
The simplest way to monitor an integration is to watch an item you know should appear. There's no need to create anything: a recurring meeting or a repeating task is enough.
- Use one marker per account: if each calendar's weekly meeting is where it should be, that account is syncing.
- Check after every security change: changing a password, turning on two-factor authentication or clearing out access are the moments when most connections get cut.
- Keep a note of which apps you've connected: when you remove access in your account, you'll know which ones you're breaking on purpose.
- Be wary of a day that looks too empty: a calendar with no appointments or an inbox with no new email may be good news or a dead integration. Check at the source before you plan.
- Tell faults apart from design: before reconnecting, confirm that the integration actually allowed writing or deleting from there.
For each specific service, you'll find all the integration guides under one topic.
Frequently asked questions
- Why isn't my iCal calendar updating?
- An iCal calendar doesn't update instantly because the app displaying it checks the link at intervals, depending on its settings. If it has been frozen for days, the usual reason is that the link has been regenerated or deleted at the source; copy the new one and replace the old one.
- Does changing my Google password break connected apps?
- Changing your Google password can cut off access for some connected apps, depending on how they were authorised. If an app stops showing email or appointments after the change, reauthorise it and review the list of third-party connections under Google Account, Security.
- How do I know whether a sync fault is down to the app or my account?
- To tell whether a sync fault is down to the app or the account, create a test item in the original service and look for it on another device. If it appears on neither, the connection has failed; if it appears on the web but not on your phone, the problem is local.
- Why can't I complete Todoist tasks from another app?
- Completing Todoist tasks from another app is only possible if the integration allows writing. Some, such as the Todoist integration in Madrugo, are read-only: they show the tasks, but changes are made in Todoist. That isn't broken sync, but a limit of the integration.