Managing an Airbnb listing sync settings and locked attributes

You can connect your listings between Airbnb and Guesty in one of the following ways:

• Import your Airbnb listings to Guesty. 
• Publish (“push”) your listings from Guesty to Airbnb.
• Link (“map”) your existing Airbnb listings to your existing Guesty listings.

When a listing is connected between Guesty and Airbnb, changes to the listing's data are expected to sync between Guesty and Airbnb within several minutes. However, during high-load activity, it could take up to 24 hours. The listing's data syncing is configured by two parameters: the listing sync type (full or limited sync), and Airbnb's locked attributes feature. Read below how to manage these parameters.

Airbnb locked attributes

Making changes to specific content attributes in Airbnb disables your ability to update the same attributes in Guesty, regardless of the listing's sync type (full or limited sync). If you change them in Airbnb, they'll be managed in Airbnb, and won't sync to Guesty. 

The locked attributes are:

• Listing title & description fields  (name, summary, the space, access, interaction with guests)
• Listing nickname
• Property type and listing type
• Amenities
• Address (apartment, street, city, state, zip code, country code)
• Location coordinates, and whether to display the exact location to the guest
• Listing views (not supported in Guesty)
• Listing directions (not supported in Guesty)
• Check-in & check-out instructions
• House rules (only the free text, not the yes/no values)
• Wifi network and password in Airbnb (Guesty's "Guest should know" section, including Wifi name and password, doesn't sync with Airbnb). 

For instance, if you update the listing title in Airbnb, this field will automatically get "locked" from being updated via Guesty and can be managed only from Airbnb. 

You can selectively use the locked attributes feature, to use data types that are not supported in Guesty. For example, add an amenity to your listing that isn't displayed in Guesty's amenities options. Add the amenity to the listing in Airbnb, and this amenity can only be managed from Airbnb.

Once an attribute gets locked, changing the listing's sync settings from Limited sync to Full sync won't unlock it automatically. You can "unlock" all attributes, and return to managing them from Guesty. To do so, follow these steps:

Unlock all locked attributes

1. Log in to your Airbnb account.
2. Click Listings.
3. Select the relevant listing.
4. Under “Edit preferences”, select Property management software.
5. Under “Not currently managed by Guesty”, click Manage from Guesty instead.
6. Click Yes, allow

All the fields listed under “Not currently managed by Guesty” will be unlocked, and you can manage them in Guesty.

Sync settings

Once a listing is connected between Guesty and Airbnb, its sync settings is automatically set to “Full sync”. Pro users (only) can switch the listing sync settings from Full sync to "Limited sync" (or vice-versa). Learn what data is synced between Guesty and Airbnb for both sync settings, and where to manage each data type, accordingly.  

Full sync

In Full sync, rates and fees, availability settings, guest messages, and reservations sync between Guesty and Airbnb and should be managed in Guesty. If you apply changes in Airbnb to the rates or availability settings values, they will be overridden by the settings in Guesty the next time syncing occurs. Updates are expected to sync between Guesty and Airbnb within several minutes. However, during high-load activity, it could take up to 24 hours.

Additionally, the listing’s attributes, including description fields, property type, cancellation policy, booking options (instant or request to book), and amenities should be managed in Guesty.

Limited sync

With Limited sync, rates and fees, availability settings, guest messages, and reservations sync between Guesty and Airbnb, and should be managed in Guesty. 

However, all content attributes (including description fields, photos, amenities, property type, etc.) won't sync to Guesty and should be managed directly in Airbnb. Changes to the content attributes in Airbnb won't be reflected in Guesty. 

Change the listing sync settings

You can easily switch the listing’s syncing settings from Full sync and Limited sync (and vice-versa) in the Guesty. Changing the syncing type is possible only for a listing in a “Connected” status. You need to "unlock" any locked attributes in Airbnb first.

Follow the instructions below.

1. Follow the instructions above to manage all content attributes back in Guesty.
2. Sign in to your Guesty account.
3. In the top navigation bar, click the mode selector and select Growth mode.
4. Click Distribution.
5. Select Airbnb.
6. Click the name of the relevant Airbnb account. Alternatively, click View all accounts' listings
7. In the listing’s row, click
8. Click the dropdown menu under “Sync settings” and select Full sync or Limited sync.
9. Click Save.