CardDAV Setup with DAVx⁵ on Android and Contact Synchronization

CardDAV Setup with DAVx⁵ on Android and Contact Synchronization

­You have installed DAVx⁵ on your Android smartphone and successfully connected it to your eclipso Mail Europe account, but the contacts are not displayed in the Contacts app? This problem affects many Android users and can be resolved in just a few steps.
 

Why are my contacts not displayed?

Unlike iOS, where CardDAV is natively integrated into the system, Android requires a separate app like DAVx⁵ as an intermediary between the CardDAV server and the Contacts app. Even if synchronization in DAVx⁵ was successful, contacts may remain invisible for two main reasons:
 

• Missing app permissions: DAVx⁵ does not have permission to access Android contacts
• Account filter in Contacts app: The Contacts app does not display the DAVx⁵ account

 

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting Guide

Step 1: Check DAVx⁵ App Permissions

This is the most common cause and must be checked first:
 

1. Open Settings on your Android device
2. Navigate to Apps (or "Apps & notifications")
3. Find DAVx⁵ in the app list and tap on it
4. Select Permissions
5. Make sure the following permissions are all set to "Allow":
   • Contacts
   • Calendar
   • Storage (or "Files and media")

Without these permissions, DAVx⁵ cannot communicate with Android's contact management, even if synchronization with the server was successful.

Step 2: Activate Android System Account for Contacts
 

1. Open Settings
2. Navigate to Passwords & accounts (or "Accounts")
3. You should see an entry DAVx⁵ - your.email@eclipso.de
4. Tap on this entry
5. Select Account sync
6. Make sure the checkbox for "Contacts" is enabled
7. Tap the three dots in the top right corner and select "Sync now"

Step 3: Configure Contacts App Account Filter

This is the second most common error - contacts are synchronized but not displayed:
 

1. Open the Contacts app (standard Google Contacts)
2. Tap the menu icon in the top left (three horizontal lines)
3. Select "Settings" or directly "Contacts to display"
4. Select "All accounts" or specifically "DAVx⁵ - your.email@eclipso.eu"
5. Check the box for "eclipso Addressbook"

Alternative method:

1. Open the Contacts app
2. Tap the three dots in the top right corner
3. Select "Choose contacts to display"
4. Enable "DAVx⁵ - your.email@eclipso.eu"

Step 4: Check Synchronization Status in DAVx⁵
 

1. Open the DAVx⁵ app
2. Tap on your account (e.g., "demo@eclipso.eu")
3. Select the "CardDAV" tab
4. Tap on "eclipso Addressbook"
5. Check the following information:
   • "Number of contacts" should be greater than 0 (e.g., "12 contacts")
   • "Last sync" should be a recent timestamp (e.g., "2 minutes ago")
   • "Synchronized" should show a checkmark

If "Number of contacts" is 0, there is either a permission problem (see Step 1) or the address book on the server is actually empty.
 

Troubleshooting: Contacts Still Not Displayed

Forced Re-Sync (Method 1 - without data loss):
 

1. Open DAVx⁵
2. Tap on account (e.g., demo@eclipso.eu)
3. Select CardDAV tab
4. Tap on eclipso Addressbook
5. Tap the three dots in the top right corner
6. Select "Delete all contacts" (local copy is deleted, server remains unchanged)
7. Navigate back and tap "Sync now"

Clear Cache (Method 2 - for persistent problems):
 

1. Open Android Settings
2. Apps → DAVx⁵
3. Select "Storage"
4. Tap "Clear cache"
5. Reopen DAVx⁵ and synchronize again

Test Alternative Contacts App:

If the pre-installed Contacts app continues to have problems, install an alternative app from the Play Store:
 

• Simple Contacts Pro (Open Source) - automatically displays all accounts
• Contacts+ - offers advanced filtering options

 

Initial Setup of DAVx⁵ with eclipso CardDAV

If you haven't set up DAVx⁵ yet, follow these instructions:
 

1. Install DAVx⁵ from the Google Play Store
2. Open DAVx⁵ and tap the plus icon in the bottom right corner
3. Select "Login with URL and username"
4. Enter the following data:
   • Base URL: https://www.eclipso.eu (or eclipso.eu)
   • Username: Your complete email address (e.g., name@eclipso.eu)
   • Password: Your email password
5. Tap "Login"
6. DAVx⁵ automatically detects the available CardDAV and CalDAV services
7. Enable "eclipso Addressbook" for contacts
8. Optionally enable the desired calendars
9. Tap "Create"
10. Now follow steps 1-3 above to configure permissions and display filters

If your application does not support automatic configuration, please provide the following complete URL: https://www.eclipso.eu/interface/carddav.php
 

Why is Android more complicated than iOS?

iOS: CardDAV is natively integrated into the operating system. Configuration is done directly in the system settings under "Contacts" and works without additional apps.

Android: Google prefers synchronization via Google Contacts. For open standards like CardDAV, a middleware app like DAVx⁵ is required, which acts as a bridge between the server and Android's contact management. This requires additional permission configuration and account filter settings.
 

Important Notes

• CardDAV synchronization is available in all paid eclipso plans (Connect, Premium, Business)
• Changes to contacts are synchronized bidirectionally - both from server to device and vice versa
• DAVx⁵ synchronizes automatically every 4 hours by default. You can also start synchronization manually via "Sync now"
• During the first synchronization, it may take a few minutes depending on the number of contacts
• DAVx⁵ is an open-source app and available for free in the Play Store. A paid ad-free version is also available

Related Articles:

• How can I sync my address book with other programs or devices?
• Synchronize Calendar and Appointments with CalDAV