How To Sync Outlook Contacts

The steps in this guide may vary between operating systems and devices. Check that access to Contacts is allowed for Outlook before proceeding with the sync setup.

Sync Outlook Contacts to Android

To sync Outlook contacts with your Android device, your email provider must use Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. Since CTS using M365, this is already enabled.

· On your Android device, open Settings, tap Apps (or Applications).

· Tap Outlook.

            · Under App Settings, tap Permissions.

· Toggle the Contacts switch to enable it (if disabled).

         · Open the Outlook app and go to Settings.

· Tap your account and then tap Sync Contacts

 

How To Sync Outlook Contacts

The steps in this guide may vary between operating systems and devices. Check that access to Contacts is allowed for Outlook before proceeding with the sync setup.

Sync Outlook Contacts To Android

To sync Outlook contacts with your Android device, your email provider must use Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. Most major providers like Gmail do.

· On your Android device, open Settings, tap Apps (or Applications).

            · Tap Outlook.

· Under App Settings, tap Permissions.

· Toggle the Contacts switch to enable it (if disabled).

· Open the Outlook app and go to Settings.

· Tap your account and then tap Sync Contacts

 

iPhones usually do a good job of syncing and updating contacts across apps and devices. This isn’t always the case though, especially where there are incorrect permission settings or general software issues like bugs that stop Outlook from syncing with your phone.

You can sync Outlook contacts on iPhone using Settings, iTunes, iCloud, via email, by importing as vCards, or through Exchange.

Using Settings

· Open Settings and tap Outlook > Contacts.

· Switch Background App Refresh on to green.

 

· Open the Outlook app and go to Settings > your account> Sync Contacts

Using iTunes

Besides being a music player or safe storage tool, iTunes can manage and store data from your iPhone too, making it easy to update and transfer your Outlook contacts across devices. 

Make sure iCloud is disabled before using iTunes to sync your Outlook contacts.

· Connect your iPhone to your PC, and open iTunes. 

· Tap the iPhone icon and go to Settings > Info.

· Tap the Sync Contacts with checkbox and select Outlook from the list. 

· Select Apply to complete the setup.

Using iCloud

Before syncing your Outlook contacts to your iPhone with iCloud, ensure the iCloud control panel for Windows is available or installed on your PC.

Note: iCloud doesn’t let you sync only contacts to the cloud. If you don’t mind uploading your calendars, mail, and contacts altogether to iCloud storage, take the steps below.

· Launch iCloud on your PC and sign in with your ID and password. 

· Tap the Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks checkbox.

· Tap Apply.

Via Email

You can transfer your Outlook contacts to your iPhone using your email, though it’s a bit of a lengthy process.

· Open the Outlook desktop application. 

· Click File > Open > Import.

· In the Import/Export wizard, select Export to a file.

· Click Next.

· Click Comma Separated Values (Windows) and click Next.

· Select the folder with the contacts you’d like to export and click Next. 

· Name your CSV file, save it and click Next > Finish.

· Compose a new email and upload the CSV file Outlook generates as an attachment, and send it to an email address connected to your iPhone. 

· On your iPhone, open the email, tap the attachment, and follow the steps up to the Add All Contacts option.

Note: Not all iOS devices work with CSV files the same way. Some offer only a preview of the file without prompting you to add them as contacts.

Importing Contacts As vCards

This method enables you to sync Outlook contacts with iPhone by converting them to vCards or electronic business cards that you can view on any Outlook version. However, vCards are only created on the Outlook desktop app.

· Open Outlook and click Contacts.

· Pick the contacts you want to sync and click File>Save As>Save as type and select vCard Files.

· Pick a location to save your vCard, give it a name and click Save.

· On iCloud.com, sign in and click Settings > Import vCard. 

· Select the vCard you saved and click Import.

 

 

iCloud will add your contacts to the All-Contacts folder. The challenge with using vCards is that you have to create and import a new one each time you add new contacts in Outlook.

Through Exchange

This method works only if your iPhone is connected to your internal corporate network. If your company has an Exchange server, you can sync your Outlook contacts with it and access them on your iPhone.

· Open your iPhone and go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars (Select Exchange if it’s your first time to set this up). 

· Select Add Account.

         · Select Exchange.

· Type your email, username and password, and click Next. 

· Your iPhone will contact the Exchange Server, so make sure you know the server address as you’ll need to enter it here.

· Choose Contacts from the options of items you want to sync, and you’re good to go.