Sync with iCloud
That is a different account type, iCloud CalDAV, and it has its own page: Sync with iCloud CalDAV. The page you are reading covers 2Do's recommended iCloud sync, which needs no password at all.
iCloud is the recommended way to sync 2Do across your Apple devices. Everything in 2Do syncs across your devices through the iCloud account you are already signed in to, and no separate account or password is needed.
There is nothing to sign up for and nothing to type. 2Do uses the iCloud account already signed in on the Mac, and your tasks stay private to that account.
Requirements
- macOS 14 or later. On earlier versions the Account Type pop-up shows iCloud (requires macOS 14 or later) and the entry cannot be selected.
- The Mac is signed in to iCloud in System Settings.
Older releases of 2Do (version 2.x and earlier on the Mac, and version 3 and earlier on iPhone and iPad) do not support this sync method and cannot see tasks synced through it. Update those devices, or use a method they support, such as iCloud CalDAV.
Setup
- Open 2Do > Settings > Sync and stay on the Setup tab.
- Open the Account Type pop-up and choose iCloud (Recommended).
- Click Set Up Sync.
- If both this Mac and iCloud already hold data, choose how to combine them. See First Sync below.
- Repeat on each of your devices, signed in to the same iCloud account.
After setup, Enable Sync is the master switch: turning it off keeps the account and its settings in place and stops syncing until you turn it back on.
This method uses the system iCloud account, so the Mac has to be signed in to one. If sync does not start, open System Settings and check that you are signed in to iCloud.
First Sync
The first time an account syncs, and only when both sides already hold data, 2Do asks how to proceed with a Sync Method alert offering Replace Local Data, Replace Server Data, Merge, and Cancel.
- Replace Local Data replaces the syncable tasks and lists on this Mac with what is in iCloud. Items that exist only on this Mac may be removed.
- Replace Server Data replaces the syncable data in iCloud with the tasks and lists on this Mac. Items that exist only in iCloud may be removed, and your other devices receive this Mac's data on their next sync.
- Merge reconciles the tasks and lists on this Mac with the data in iCloud, matching existing items where it can. When an item was created separately on both sides and cannot be matched confidently, both copies are kept.
Choose Replace Local Data when iCloud already has the complete copy of your data, and Replace Server Data when this Mac has it. Choose Merge only when you are unsure, or when both sides hold changes you need to keep: it compares every item and can take a very long time with a large number of tasks. Read Merge vs Replace before choosing a Replace direction, as it overwrites one side with the other.
You can run any of these again later from Settings > Sync > Next sync action. It applies once, then returns to Sync Normally.
What Syncs
iCloud sync is a complete sync method. Everything in 2Do syncs across your devices, including Smart Lists, tags, tag groups, list groups, locations and attachments. That includes:
- Every task field: title, notes, dates, duration, alarms, repeat, priority, starred state, actions, and locations.
- Projects, checklists, and sub-tasks, with their structure intact.
- Lists, list groups, tags, tag groups, and Smart Lists.
- Attachments of every kind, including pictures, audio notes, files, and links.
One provider option appears under the account: Sync list ordering, which keeps the order of your lists the same across devices.
What Stays on This Mac
App preferences are not part of iCloud sync, so each device keeps its own Settings. A few choices are deliberately device-local as well:
- List alert exclusions, so silencing a list on one device does not silence it on the others.
- On iPhone and iPad, a task's own Ring as Alarm choice.
- View state such as which projects and list groups are expanded.
Keeping a list off iCloud entirely takes one switch: Settings > Sync > Exclusions. That list and its tasks then stay on this Mac.
Daily Sync
iCloud syncs continuously while 2Do is running, with Sync automatically on. Press ⌘S, or click the Sync toolbar button, to force an immediate sync. Turn Sync automatically off on this Mac to sync only when you ask.
Recovering When iCloud Loses 2Do's Data
If 2Do's data is removed from iCloud, syncing stops and the Setup tab shows a Recover iCloud Sync row explaining what happened. Which explanation you see depends on what happened:
- You removed 2Do's data from iCloud.
- iCloud encryption was reset, in which case the copy kept in iCloud cannot be recovered.
- 2Do's data in iCloud is no longer there for another reason.
The two choices are:
- Upload this Mac's data to iCloud again. Nothing on this Mac is removed. 2Do recreates your data in iCloud from this Mac. Other devices affected by the same reset may ask you to choose how to recover there too.
- Remove synced data from this Mac too. Anything that was synced to iCloud is removed from this Mac as well. Changes you made here and have not synced yet are kept.
Each choice asks you to confirm before it runs. After an encryption reset, uploading this Mac's data again is usually the right answer.
If several devices are waiting on this choice, start with the one holding the most complete copy and upload from there. The others can then pull that copy down.
Sync is not a backup. Keep milestone copies from Settings > Backups (a backup's ⋯ menu > Save a Copy…) somewhere safe, independent of whichever sync method you use.
Troubleshooting
Sync does not start
Check that the Mac is signed in to iCloud in System Settings, that Enable Sync is on in Settings > Sync, and that the Mac is online. The Setup footer shows Last Sync and, when a run fails, a red Last Error naming the problem.
VPNs, firewalls, and network filters
A VPN, firewall, or network-filtering app can interrupt the iCloud connections 2Do uses. Working web browsing or other iCloud services do not rule out a connection problem with 2Do's sync.
If sync fails, stalls, or Last Sync remains Never after an attempted first sync:
- Fully disable the VPN in its app and turn off automatic reconnection for the test.
- Temporarily pause any network filtering, such as a third-party firewall, DNS filter, or security app that filters connections.
- Try another network, such as a phone's personal hotspot, with the VPN and filters still disabled. On a work or school network, ask the administrator to check access to iCloud services.
- Try syncing again. Keep 2Do open and the Mac awake until the first sync completes, then check Last Sync in Settings > Sync.
Restore the settings you changed after testing. If sync works only with a VPN or filter disabled, contact its provider or your network administrator to adjust it. See Apple's guidance on VPN and security software.
Temporarily testing without iCloud Private Relay
If you use iCloud Private Relay, you can also temporarily turn it off for the connected network to see whether sync improves:
- Open System Settings > Network and select the connection you are using, such as Wi-Fi.
- Click Details beside the connected network.
- Turn off Limit IP address tracking, then try syncing again.
This is an optional connection test, not a requirement for iCloud sync. Turn the setting back on afterward. While it is off, Private Relay does not protect Safari browsing on that network. The change also applies to your other devices using Private Relay on the same network. See Apple's Private Relay instructions.
iCloud is greyed out in the Account Type pop-up
This method needs macOS 14 or later. The menu item names the requirement when the Mac cannot run it.
One device shows different tasks
Sync the device with the correct data and let it finish, then choose Replace Local Data from Next sync action on the device that is behind. See One of my devices isn't syncing correctly.
Adding another device
Install 2Do, sign the device in to the same iCloud account, choose iCloud in Settings > Sync, and let the first sync pull your data down. See Setting up a new device.