Outlook App for Android does not sync contacts

Anonymous
2019-05-07T17:31:24+00:00

Android contacts app does not sync with my Outlook email account.  I tried 4 different ways.  Each time I ensured Contacts sync is enabled in both Outlook account settings (off by default) and Android Settings\Accounts (on by default).  My account syncs with Android email and Android calendar - only Android contacts is empty.

1.), in Android Settings\Accounts, added my email as an Exchange account.  It successfully syncs with Android mail and Android calendar.  Not contacts - remains empty. 

Removed this account and tried again

2.) Installed Outlook for Android, added my outlook.com address, enabled contacts sync.  Still nothing.

3.) Left account in Outlook and attempted to add it in Android Settings\Accounts -  message "The email address is already connected with Outlook.  Do you want to connect it again with another service?"  I proceeded and chose "Outlook.com" as the service.

4.) Uninstalled everything.  in Android Settings\Accounts, added my email as an Exchange account.  Installed Outlook for Android, added account to Outlook.  Now it shows up in Android Settings\Accounts twice - once as Exchange and once as Outlook.com.  

Within Android Settings\Accounts it indicates "Contacts - Last synced 5/7/19 10:28am".  If I disable and reenable sync, the spinning sync circle appears, as if it was syncing, and then displays a new "Last synced" message.  Yet, no contacts ever show up.

Never had an issue on iOS.  Works perfectly.  My girlfriend's Samsung phone, contact sync works perfectly.  My LG phone, no contact sync.

Clarification - this is not an Outlook for Android issue.  This is a Microsoft ActiveSync integration issue with Android.  It is NOT required to install Outlook on Android.  Contacts, calendar, and mail sync are UNRELATED to Outlook for Android.  If you enter Android Settings\Accounts, you can connect to your microsoft email account via Exchange ActiveSync without ever having installed Outlook.  This is an Exchange ActiveSync bug!

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  1. Anonymous
    2019-09-27T12:34:02+00:00

    Hi all, the issue has to do with Microsoft's separate Authentication app being put to sleep by modern phones. You need to go into the App settings, and make sure the Battery usage is not optimsid, and that background usage is unrestricted. On my Samsung S10, I went to Apps, Authenticator, Battery Usage, Optimise Battery Usage, change dropdown to All, turn off Authenticator. This should resolve your issues. Tx F

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  2. Anonymous
    2019-09-26T05:22:48+00:00

    The Android Contacts app definitely is doing something! Removing data, e.g., Partner/Spouse, Children, and degrading picture quality; it makes it frustrating to work with.

    I use Nine Folders to sync contacts from Outlook.com instead. The Outlook app is just not able to handle it.

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  3. Anonymous
    2019-09-25T14:28:16+00:00

    Same or similar issue. Basically it is an Outlook security issue with Android. I went through this in the London Microsoft store (Sept 19) who were going to raise a ticket into Microsoft. 

    The Outlook App on your Android will only sync contact changes made on your PC. You can make changes on your android phone and they will not sync back to the PC due to 'security issues'. It all looks OK on the phone but all those numbers you added are lost if you need to restore your phone to factory or change it. 

    Interestingly the sync process works perfectly if you use the native email/contacts like Gmail. In store with the tech expert we set up a new contact on my phone using my exchange account on the Gmail app and it appeared on my PC. Then did it using the Outlook App and nothing, its on the phone but not on the PC. Delete the app and you delete the contact changes.

    It took me ages to work this out and find a thread on it. 

    So come on Microsoft sort out your app/exchange/outlook working and at least tell people of the issue instead of letting them spend hours trying to work it out.

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  4. Anonymous
    2019-09-23T00:48:29+00:00

    Same here!!!! Same phone same issue.

    My account has 2 alias email addresses associated with it. Contacts don't sync... slider to "sync contacts" turns itself off usually after a few seconds, sometimes it takes a minute.

    I have another MS account that doesn't have any aliases, and it's contacts sync fine with the contacts app on android

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  5. Anonymous
    2019-09-22T21:40:57+00:00

    I also have the same issue. Contacts sync worked fine until this past spring. Now the "sync contacts" switch turns itself off after a few seconds. I have uninstalled Outlook, cleared cache. I even reset the entire phone (Galaxy Note 9) and I can't get sync to work. I have contacted the app support team through the outlook app, and I keep getting told that it will be fixed in an update to the app ( benn waiting 4 months now)

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