If a recipe is not showing up or your devices are not staying in sync, this guide walks through the fixes that resolve most cases. Start with how Crouton stores your recipes, because it explains why the steps below work.

How Crouton stores your recipes

Crouton saves your recipes to your personal iCloud, tied to your Apple ID. There is no separate Crouton account and no Crouton copy of your library on a server somewhere.

That matters in two ways:

• Your recipes are stored locally and in your private iCloud (when the device is signed in). They live in your iCloud, so signing every device into the same Apple ID with iCloud turned on is what brings your library together. Reinstalling the app or setting up a new phone does not erase your recipes as long as you sign back in correctly.
• There is no Crouton login to recover from, and the team cannot pull your recipes from a server. Because your library is private to your iCloud, almost every fix is on the Apple ID and iCloud side, which is what this guide focuses on.

First checks for any sync problems

Work through these on each device that is out of sync:

1. Same Apple ID everywhere. On iPhone or iPad, open Settings and tap your name to see the Apple ID email. On a Mac, open System Settings and click your name. The email must match on every device.
2. iCloud is turned on. In the same Apple ID screen, make sure iCloud is enabled.
3. You have a working internet connection (Wi-Fi or cellular) on each device.
4. Give it a moment. Sync is not always instant, and a large library can take a few minutes to catch up. Leave Crouton open and connected.
5. Force-quit and reopen Crouton, and restart the device if it is still stuck.
6. Update Crouton to the latest version on all devices.

Most sync problems come down to one device being on a different Apple ID, or iCloud being switched off.

One device is not showing recipes that another device has

This is almost always an Apple ID or iCloud mismatch on the device that is missing recipes.

• Recheck the first two steps above on that device. A different Apple ID (for example, a personal account on one device and a family or work account on another) will show a different, empty library.
• If the Apple ID and iCloud are correct, give a newly installed device time to download the full library while it stays open and connected.

Recipes missing after a new phone, a reinstall, or a reset

Because your recipes are stored in iCloud rather than on the device, they should return once the device is set up correctly.

1. Sign the device into the same Apple ID you used before.
2. Turn on iCloud.
3. Open Crouton and leave it open and connected so the library can download. A large library takes longer.

There is no “log into Crouton” step required to sync your recipes. It is all handled by your Apple ID and iCloud. If your recipes still do not appear after you have confirmed the same Apple ID and iCloud are active, see the final section.

Mac not syncing, or Crouton crashing on your Mac

If Crouton works on your iPhone or iPad but will not sync on your Mac, or it crashes when you open it or when Wi-Fi is on, this is a known issue the team is actively investigating.

• Confirm the Mac uses the same Apple ID with iCloud on, and that Crouton is updated.
• If it still crashes or will not sync, reach out through the final section. Support can walk you through capturing a crash report, which is what helps the team pin down and fix the problem.

A “failed sync” message that keeps appearing

A persistent failed-sync banner usually means Crouton cannot reach iCloud.

• Confirm you are signed into iCloud, that iCloud is on, and that you have a working connection.
• If you do not use Crouton on more than one device and want to quiet the banner, Crouton's Settings include a sync option. Keep in mind that turning sync off stops your recipes from backing up to iCloud and syncing to your other devices, so for most people the better move is to leave sync on and fix the connection.

Household members cannot see shared recipes

Household sharing runs on iCloud across Apple IDs, so it depends on the same conditions as personal sync.

• Confirm the member accepted the household invitation and is signed into their own Apple ID with iCloud on.
• Give a newly joined or large shared library time to appear while the app stays open and connected.
• Check that the missing recipe is assigned to the household on the creator's device (edit recipe, then scroll down to household and check assignment)
• If specific recipes still do not show up after that, contact support with the details listed at the end.

I accidentally deleted a recipe

Deleting a recipe removes it, and because there is no Crouton server copy, it cannot be restored from Crouton's side.

There is one thing worth trying right away:

• If you have another device that has been offline or has not opened Crouton since the deletion, the recipe may still be on that device. Open Crouton there before it connects and syncs the deletion, then export the recipe (to a link or a .crumb file) or duplicate it to save a copy.
• Deletions sync across your devices once they reconnect, so act before that happens.

Apple offers limited data-recovery options that you initiate yourself through Apple Support or iCloud.com. These are not guaranteed and are handled entirely by Apple.

When to contact Crouton support

If your recipes are still missing after you have confirmed the same Apple ID and iCloud on every device, or Crouton keeps crashing on your Mac, reach out and we will help you diagnose it. Please include:

• Which devices are affected and which ones are working correctly
• Screenshot or screen recording showing the issue
• Whether this is your personal library or a shared household
• Your Crouton version, your iOS or macOS version, and your device model
• Your User ID from the support screen inside the app

One note so you know what to expect: because your recipes are stored in your own private iCloud, the team cannot view or pull them from a server. What they can do is help you work through the sync path and collect a report that gets the underlying issue fixed.

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