FAQ & Support

Answers to common questions — especially about how syncing works differently on iPhone/iPad versus Mac.

Why doesn't ReciproCal sync automatically on iPhone/iPad?

iOS does not allow apps to run continuously in the background the way a Mac app can. Background refresh is opportunistic — the system decides when (or whether) to grant it, and it can be delayed by hours, disabled by Low Power Mode, or turned off entirely in Settings.

More importantly: ReciproCal has no server of its own — that's the whole point of its privacy promise. A calendar app with a server could send a silent push notification the moment something changes and wake itself up to sync. Without a server, that channel doesn't exist. So on iOS, ReciproCal syncs only when you explicitly ask it to — never silently in the background.

How do I trigger a sync on iOS?

Any of the following runs every enabled rule once, immediately:

• Tap the Sync Now button in the app's toolbar.
• Long-press the ReciproCal app icon on your Home Screen and tap Sync Now — this opens the app and runs the sync immediately.
• Ask Siri: "Sync ReciproCal" — or add the built-in Sync Now action to any Shortcut.

Can I make it sync automatically on a schedule anyway?

Yes — the Shortcuts app can trigger ReciproCal's sync action for you on a schedule, using a Personal Automation. This isn't a true background process (it's still Apple's automation system doing the tapping for you), but it gets you close to "automatic":

1. Open the Shortcuts app and go to the Automation tab.
2. Tap + → Create Personal Automation.
3. Choose a trigger — e.g. Time of Day, repeating every morning, or When I open an app.
4. Tap Add Action, search for ReciproCal, and choose Sync Now.
5. Turn off Ask Before Running so it fires silently, then tap Done.

The automation still needs your device unlocked or the Shortcuts app given permission to run without confirmation, and iOS can still delay it slightly — but in practice this covers most "check a few times a day" needs.

Does this apply to the Mac app too?

No — on macOS, apps aren't suspended the way iOS apps are, so ReciproCal can genuinely run continuously in the background:

• The first time you grant calendar access, you'll be asked whether ReciproCal may launch automatically when you log in.
• A ReciproCal icon stays in your menu bar for as long as it's running.
• Click it to Sync Now, change how often it syncs automatically (every 5, 15, 30 or 60 minutes), or toggle Launch at Login at any time.

Is my calendar data ever sent anywhere?

No, on either platform. All of the mechanisms above — the button, the quick action, Siri, Shortcuts, and the Mac's background loop — run entirely on your device through Apple's EventKit. See the privacy policy for details.

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