Set up Eigen Contacts in a contacts app

Eigen Contacts syncs over CardDAV, so you can keep your contacts in step with Apple Contacts on a Mac or iPhone, or with DAVx5 on Android. Changes flow both ways. Add a contact on your phone and it shows up in Eigen. Edit one in Eigen and it reaches your phone.

Before you start

You need two things: your Eigen web address, and an app password.

Find your web address. This is the address you use to open Eigen in your browser, for example https://your-domain. Most CardDAV clients discover your address book from that base address on their own. Some clients also accept the discovery path https://your-domain/.well-known/carddav.

Generate an app password. App passwords are separate credentials you give to external clients instead of your main Eigen password. If you have two-factor authentication switched on, an app password is required; your main password will not work for CardDAV.

1. Open the Integrations page in Space.
2. Scroll down to App passwords.
3. Type a name in the field, such as Apple Contacts or My phone, then click Generate.
4. Copy the password now. It is shown only once.

Connect in Apple Contacts (macOS or iOS)

macOS

1. Open the Contacts app and go to Contacts → Add Account (or Settings → Accounts → Add Account).
2. Choose Other Contacts Account and click Continue.
3. Set Account Type to Manual.
4. Enter your Eigen email address as the username.
5. Paste your app password into the Password field.
6. In the Server Address field, enter your Eigen web address, such as https://your-domain.
7. Click Sign In. Apple Contacts finds your address book and starts syncing.

iOS

1. Open Settings and scroll to Contacts → Accounts → Add Account.
2. Choose Other, then Add CardDAV Account.
3. In the Server field, enter your Eigen web address, such as https://your-domain.
4. Enter your Eigen email address as the username.
5. Paste the app password into the Password field.
6. Tap Next. iOS finds your address book automatically.

Connect in DAVx5 (Android)

DAVx5 is the most common CardDAV client on Android. It syncs both contacts and calendars, but you can enable just contacts.

1. Install DAVx5 from your app store and open it.
2. Tap the + button to add an account.
3. Choose Login with URL and user name.
4. In the Base URL field, enter your Eigen web address, such as https://your-domain.
5. Enter your Eigen email address as the user name.
6. Enter your app password as the password, then tap Login.
7. DAVx5 lists the address book it finds. Turn on Contacts sync for the account.
8. Grant DAVx5 permission to access your contacts if Android asks.

Your contacts sync into the Android address book, and new contacts you add on the phone sync back to Eigen.

Sign in

For all clients, use:

• Username: your Eigen email address
• Password: the app password you generated (not your main Eigen password)
• Server: your Eigen web address, such as https://your-domain

What syncs over CardDAV

CardDAV gives access to your personal contacts. Contact photos and labels sync too. Team member suggestions that appear inside Eigen are not personal contacts, so they do not sync to an external app.

Troubleshooting

The client asks for a password again and again. The app password was probably not copied correctly. Delete it on the Integrations page, generate a new one, and update your contacts app.

The server address is rejected. Use your plain Eigen web address, such as https://your-domain, without a path after it. If the client still cannot find the account, try the discovery path https://your-domain/.well-known/carddav.

No contacts appear after connecting. Give the client a minute to finish its first sync. On Android, check that Contacts sync is switched on for the account in DAVx5 and that you granted the contacts permission.

A blank or empty contact shows up. Some apps store contact groups as their own hidden entry. A client such as DAVx5 or Thunderbird can show that entry as a blank contact. It is harmless and does not affect your real contacts.

An animated contact photo does not show in Thunderbird. Thunderbird does not display animated GIF contact photos. The photo still syncs correctly and shows in Eigen and on other devices. Still photos, including transparent PNG, show fine in Thunderbird.

401 Unauthorized. Your username or password is wrong. Confirm the username is your Eigen email address and the password is the app password, not your main account password.