Sync Outlook 365 (email, contacts, calendar and notes) with android phone

Anonymous
2013-08-12T20:47:18+00:00

I have a home subscription to Office 365 that I use on my Windows 7 laptop and a Samsung Galaxy S3 (Android 4.1.1).  I am not on a work server using Exchange, just my own GMail address.  I am wondering if there is a way for my phone to sync with my Office 365 Outlook instance so that it automatically syncs email, calendar, contacts and notes.  Thanks!

Outlook | Outlook for mobile | Outlook for Android | For business

Locked Question. This question was migrated from the Microsoft Support Community. You can vote on whether it's helpful, but you can't add comments or replies or follow the question.

0 comments No comments

57 answers

Sort by: Newest
  1. Anonymous
    2016-04-20T19:38:03+00:00

    I think the basic issue is a lack of sympathy for the average user.

    A year ago I had an Apple phone. I use (and always have used) Windows on my desktop, and Outlook as my calendar. With that setup I was able to sync my Outlook desktop calendar to my iPhone outlook calendar. Worked like a charm.

    Then I switched to an Android phone. Before doing so I did some research. It looked as if I would be able to continue syncing as I had with an iPhone. So I upgraded to Office 365, again in reliance on what Microsoft appeared to be suggesting on its web pages, that syncing was possible.

    So I thought that I would still be able to sync. But I was not. I tried the third party programs that were supposed to work, but they were obscure and opaque in their instructions, and never seemed to work even when I could figure out what was being said.

    So I'm stuck relying solely on my memory with respect to my calendar when I'm away from my desktop.

    I know that software companies aren't obligated to make things easy for their customers--nor are they obligated to respond to what must be a very common situation (Windows users with Android phones). But I don't think it's reasonable to duck the issue by suggesting that the existence of complicated workarounds (if indeed they work), or clunky third party apps, is somehow a response.

    Wouldn't it just be more honest to say to people who are in good faith researching an issue before making a big purchase (or a big switch) to say "sorry, Outlook calendar won't sync with an Android phone"?

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  2. Karl Timmermans 3,685 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
    2016-04-08T22:30:44+00:00

    I've been looking for something that synchronizes the email itself.  

    No idea what exactly it is that your "looking for" - just need to configure the email account using the IMAP protocol.

    In answer to some of the other previous responses today as a general summary - the world of email works as follows

    #1 - An <Email Client> (regardless of device) connects to an <Email Account> using an <Email Protocol>. 

    #2 - Not all <Email Clients> support all <Email Protocols> even if supported by the ESP (Email Service Provider)

    #3 - The <Email Protocols> available for a given <Email Account> depends on the ESP (Email Service Provider)

    ****(have already provided a link to a description of the different standard protocols in a previous post so pointless to repeat it again)

    There are two fundamental "industry standard" email protocols which apply to any and all <email clients>.

    a) POP3 --> one way download of the <Inbox> folder only with the option to "leave messages on server" for "xx" number of days in the event that multiple devices are connecting to the same email account using POP 3

    b) IMAP --> bi-directional sync of email folders (depends on whether or not the ESP supports the protocol which virtually all do these days. IMAP does not support contacts/calendar etc 

    Secondary protocols

    c) Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) --> bi-directional sync of all items including contacts/calendar etc) used primarily for connecting to Outlook.com or Exchange based accounts and supported on virtually all mobile devices

    d) Exchange --> bi-directional sync of all items for email accounts on Exchange based servers (or a subset in the case of Outlook.com accounts migrated to/created on the Office 365 platform)

    e) iCloud --> proprietary to Apple. Bi-directional support of all items but requires the iCloud addon for Outlook (PC desktop client) which is provided & supported by Apple for free

    f) GMail --> requires the "paid" proprietary Google App Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GASMO) - sold/provided/supported by Google - for sync'ing contacts/calendar in Outlook (PC desktop client). Otherwise, POP and IMAP protocols are supported "out of the box". Google decided to remove support for Exchange ActiveSync in favor of requiring users to use their "pad for" GASMO addin. If full Gmail support is available in any email client, just means that the vendor of the email client has opted to build it into their email client product which in turns places the onus of support on the vendor of the email client - not Google - any time there may be any kind of change to the underlying protocol. POP and IMAP are industry standard protocols that have been around since the dawn of time.

    Other quasi-major email service providers (quasi-major providers = relative to the current universe of email users)

    g) Yahoo --> POP3 and IMAP protocols supported. Yahoo dropped support and availability of their addin for Outlook (PC desktop client) years ago without providing any alternative. In essence, leaving the solution to the vendors (not just Microsoft) of email clients to deal with. Period!!

    h) AOL and any other email provider that someone may care to mention - there is no universal protocol that magically syncs contact/calendar data for any outlier email service providers.

    In short, people can take the steps to learn how the world of email works or continue on with a pointless discussion about how Microsoft is out to "control the universe". For those who think an iPad is the panacea - great but reality is you will still (and always) work in the same email universe where 

    #1 - An <Email Client> (regardless of device) connects to an <Email Account> using an <Email Protocol>. 

    #2 - Not all <Email Clients> support all <Email Protocols> even if supported by the ESP (Email Service Provider)

    #3 - The <Email Protocols> available for a given <Email Account> depends on the ESP (Email Service Provider)


    *** the above doesn't change just because you opt to use a different hardware vendor or type of device used

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  3. Anonymous
    2016-04-08T16:20:31+00:00

    I've been looking for something that synchronizes the email itself.  I'll let you know how it works on a Windows 10 phone.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  4. Anonymous
    2016-04-08T16:14:19+00:00

    I have been using a product called Sync2 from 4Team.com for about 2 years. I sync address book and calendar seemlessly with my LG Android ver. 5.0.2 phone. The only time I've had any trouble is when I've upgraded Office Outlook. I usually have to reinstall the Sync2 software. It remembers all my settings and starts up like normal. $39.95 a year for a single license.

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments
  5. Anonymous
    2016-04-08T16:08:04+00:00

    I have had my outlook.com accounts syncing on other PC's and both a win phone and android without any issues, for at least 3 years (Using win7/10 Outlook 2010/2013/2016)

    Was this answer helpful?

    0 comments No comments