Using New Outlook on Windows for personal email, calendar, and contact management
For Gmail and BigPond folders to sync between New Outlook for Windows and an iPhone, both accounts must be set up with a protocol that supports full sync (email + folders, and if needed calendar/contacts) and the mobile apps must be configured correctly.
Use these checks and fixes:
- Confirm account type on iPhone
- If the Gmail or BigPond accounts are added as IMAP or POP in the iOS Mail app, they will only sync email (and behavior can differ by provider); calendar/contacts will not sync, and some folder behavior can be inconsistent.
- For best folder and data sync, add accounts using Exchange/Exchange ActiveSync where supported.
- On iPhone, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > [your account] and check the account type:
- If it shows IMAP or POP, remove that account and re-add it using the provider’s Exchange/ActiveSync option if available.
- If using the Outlook mobile app
- Outlook mobile is recommended for consistent folder, calendar, and contact sync.
- In the Outlook app on iPhone:
- Go to Settings.
- Tap the Gmail or BigPond account that is not syncing folders.
- Tap Reset Account and wait for a full resync.
- If folders still do not sync, remove and re-add the account:
- Settings > [account] > Delete Account > Delete From This Device.
- Add the account again following the provider-specific steps for Outlook for iOS.
- If prompted to set up the account as IMAP, be aware that calendar and contacts will not sync via IMAP; full sync requires Exchange ActiveSync support from the provider.
- Check app permissions and sync toggles
- If using Gmail app on Android (for reference) or similar concepts on iOS:
- Ensure Sync options for the account (especially Sync Calendar and similar) are enabled in the app’s account settings.
- On iPhone with iOS Mail:
- Go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > [account].
- Make sure Mail (and Calendars/Contacts if available) are turned on.
- If there is no Calendar/Contacts toggle, the account is likely IMAP and will not sync those items.
- If using Gmail app on Android (for reference) or similar concepts on iOS:
- If folders still do not appear
- Set up the same accounts in Outlook on a PC using the provider’s recommended protocol (often Exchange/ActiveSync for Microsoft 365/Outlook.com, or the provider’s own sync method) and verify that:
- All folders appear and work correctly on the PC.
- Test sending/receiving and creating a test folder or calendar event.
- Then:
- Close Outlook on the PC.
- Restart the PC.
- Reopen Outlook and confirm the test folder/event is present.
- Check the Outlook app on the iPhone again; the new folder/event should now sync.
- If it still does not show, in Outlook mobile go to Settings and restart the app.
- Set up the same accounts in Outlook on a PC using the provider’s recommended protocol (often Exchange/ActiveSync for Microsoft 365/Outlook.com, or the provider’s own sync method) and verify that:
- When calendar/contacts specifically do not sync
- If Gmail or BigPond are configured as IMAP/POP, calendar and contacts will not sync by design.
- They must be added as Exchange ActiveSync accounts where the provider supports it. If the provider does not support ActiveSync, only email (and its folders) will sync, and calendar/contacts must be managed via the provider’s own apps or web interface.
If the accounts work correctly in Outlook on the computer and there is no service outage, but folders still do not sync on the iPhone, the issue is likely with the email app configuration on the phone. In that case, use Outlook for iOS and configure the accounts there as described above.
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