How do I get Outlook app on Android to sync contacts? (Not Outlook.com app)

Anonymous
2015-06-03T04:43:19+00:00

I got a message on my Android phone that Microsoft was no longer going to support the app Outlook.com and that we should use the Outlook app. So I uninstalled outlook.com app and installed the Outlook app.

Now new contacts that I entered on the People page of Outlook on my computer do not show up on my phone. I went to Settings, Accounts, Microsoft Exchange, and clicked on sync for mail,, contacts, calender, and tasks. It said that the sync was done moments later. However, I still do not have the new contacts on my phone. This was not a problem with Outlook.com app.

I am about to uninstall the Outlook app and go back to Outlook.com. However, if you don't support it, I could have problems not getting updates to protect against malmare and hacking.

I don't particularly like the new Outlook app's appearance with all those colored squares with people's initials on the left of the email listing. I prefer to have he boxes on the left so I can look at the list and check off one or more messages and then delete them all at once. What if there is a message with a virus in it. I want to be able to delete suspicious messages without opening them.

Thanks for your help,

Jacki

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

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Anonymous
2015-06-04T04:27:02+00:00

Hi,

Thank you for posting your query in Microsoft Office Community.

Please provide us the additional information to help you better.

  1. Are you able to see the new contacts on Outlook.com webmail?
  2. Does the existing contacts show up in Outlook app?
  3. Did you setup the Outlook.com account as Exchange Active Sync in Outlook app?

If not, you may setup as EAS account and verify whether contacts synchronize.

If yes, create new contacts in Outlook phone app and check if it syncs.

Microsoft is collecting feedback from customers regarding Outlook app user interface. They are actively looking into the concerns raised by the customers.

You may provide feedback regarding outlook app interface using the In-App function in Outlook for Android. 

I look forward to your reply to assist you further.

Thank you.

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  1. Anonymous
    2016-08-21T15:56:15+00:00

    I think I just found a workaround... I think.

    It seems the number has to be stored in a particular format.

    For example:

    +1 (555) 5551212  - OK

    15555551212 - Bad

    If you go to people.live.com  and modify the contacts phone number with the correct format, it will sync to the contacts on the android phone.

    Not sure if this is Microsoft thing or an android thing, but it seems to work.

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  2. Anonymous
    2016-08-23T00:39:15+00:00

    I also had the problem of new contacts that I entered on the People page of Outlook on my desktop computer not showing up on my phone.

    I clicked on the Outlook app of my phone and then the settings icon in the top right. Under Accounts I tapped on my Outlook account. There was a line that said Synced 44 contacts  ?  The switch to the right was turned off. I switched it on and after several minutes, the missing contacts appeared and it now says Synced 142 contacts .

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  3. Anonymous
    2016-09-07T14:07:20+00:00

    The key concept is that contacts do sync to native Android Contacts but only one-way from Outlook app.  Therefore one cannot edit a synced contact on the Android device (it's disabled). See https://support.office.com/en-us/learn/outlook-for-ios-and-android-faq?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US

    Some of the confusion syncing natively without the Outlook app stems from Google's abandoning Exchange ActiveSync several years ago. They continued to support it for enterprise services, but for public services like outlook.com, the Accounts settings now actively changes the sync type to IMAP, even if one manually specifies a server and overrides Autoioscover returning from Microsoft services like outlook.com.  Autodiscover is a configuration service returned by services like Microsoft's that, based on your email address, provides dynamic information on what servers to connect to and HOW to connect properly.  An app like  Android Accounts can choose to ignore the configuration information or reinterpret it.

    Also confusing the matter is Google's not supporting CardDAV then supporting only it while at the same time dropping support for EAS.  Here's a cute article from an app vendor about it: https://www.fullcontact.com/blog/what-is-carddav/

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  4. Anonymous
    2016-09-07T15:06:37+00:00

    Very useful information - so the Outlook APP can keep the Android contacts up to date BUT ONLY FROM OUTLOOK. Therefore, any updates etc should be made via the Outlook App which will in turn update the Android contacts?

    Presumably, if one is using social media such as WhatsAPP (which used the Android contacts) then there should be no issues?

    Despite all this, I guess where notes fields extend past 1000 characters, Android truncates these so back to using the Outlook App for detailed contact info. Android has had the 1000 character issue for many years now.

    Just a little nervous as despite having multiple backups, c700 contacts with extensive notes fields are rather valuable!

    It might have helped users if MS had done a short piece about how the Outlook App fundamentally integrates and what one should do (or not do)! The link you provided does give a good starting point.

    Thanks again for the info.

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