How to add gmail acct WITHOUT syncing contacts automatically as well?

[ram216]

I FINALLY figured out a workaround!

The problem is you can't choose what to sync until AFTER it already synced everything to your phone on any google account you're adding. Obviously by then it defeats the purpose since it's already done.
Disabling the "auto-sync" box works in that you could add a gmail account and it won't sync anything. The problem with that is when you go into the list of things you want synced you can't choose anything! It's an all-or-none deal. You have to turn on the auto-sync box from the accounts page in your setting THEN it allows you to pick what you want synced. Well, here is the fix:
Disable auto-sync from the accounts page in settings. Then add all the google accounts you want. Once they are added nothing is getting synced of course since it's disabled. What you do then is turn OFF all data. In fact, turn off all data and put it in airplane mode just to be sure you disabled ANY data transfer. Once data is disabled return to the accounts page in settings and re-enable "auto-sync". Nothing will be synced but the check boxes in the list of what you want synced will reappear! Finally! Simply un-check anything you don't want synced (in my case I only wanted gmail to sync) then turn on data and turn off airplane mode. Voila! Works perfectly.
Since google screwed this up in their latest versions of lollipop you have to force android to not sync what you don't want to.
Thanks very much for your replies B. Diddy I hope this thread helps many others! Years ago others were running into the same problem. Take care!

Posted via the Android Central App

Thank you so much! I was struggling with this from a long time, and your solution have worked great!