iTunes, MobileMe: Understanding the Data Change Alert when syncing with Windows

What to do when the data change alert appears

The data change alert appears when you’ve edited your contacts, calendars, or bookmarks on another computer or device that is syncing with MobileMe or iTunes. Examples include:

•     Editing contacts, calendars, or bookmarks on your Mac that is syncing with a PC via MobileMe.
•     Editing contacts, calendars, or bookmarks on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and then syncing with MobileMe or iTunes

If this alert appears and you’ve recently made changes to your contacts, calendars, or bookmarks on another computer or device, confirm that you want to sync these changes by clicking Allow Sync.

If you have not recently edited your information, or the number of changes seems incorrect, click Cancel. You can verify these changes by checking the source that syncs with your Windows computer:

• iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch: Check Contacts, Calendars, and Safari bookmarks to verify the changes on the device.
• MobileMe: Log into me.com and verify the Contacts and Calendars information on the webpage. For Bookmarks, you will need to check other computers that sync bookmarks with MobileMe.

If the changes are acceptable, you can click Allow Sync the next time the alert appears.

If you do not want to accept the changes, you can replace the information on the device or MobileMe with your computer’s information:

• iPhone, iPad, iPod touch: Connect your device to iTunes and select it on the left side of the iTunes window. Click the Info tab. Under Advanced, select what information you want to replace on the device.
• MobileMe: For instructions on resetting your sync data, see MobileMe: How to reset sync data.

Note: The data change alert will continue to appear until you choose to Allow Sync, or you replace the information on your device or MobileMe with the information on your computer.

Configuring the Data Change Alert

You can configure the Data Change Alert using either iTunes for Windows or the MobileMe Control Panel.

iTunes

1. Open iTunes.
2. From the Edit menu, choose Devices.
3. Select the “Show alert when” checkbox, and then choose an option from the pop-up menu.
4. Click Done.

MobileMe

1. Open the MobileMe Control Panel.
2. Click Sync.
3. Select the “Show alert when” checkbox, and then choose an option from the pop-up menu.
4. Click Apply.
   

Related posts:

1. MobileMe: How to reset sync data
2. MobileMe: Confirmation dialogue choices and messages when configuring MobileMe Sync on an iPhone/iPod touch
3. MobileMe: Syncing does not work, “Invalid Change Log jump table size” appears in sync log
4. MobileMe: Troubleshooting “inconsistency” or “your need to replace your data on MobileMe” alerts when syncing data
5. MobileMe: Enabling syncing removes data from iPhone/iPod touch