Expert Reveals How to Sync Mac Outlook 2011, 2016 Contacts With Mac Address Book

“Hello, I am using Outlook 2011 for Mac and facing issues while trying to sync Outlook contacts with Mac address book using the Sync Services of Outlook. This service easily pulling the calendar data from the Outlook to iCal however, not syncing contacts to Address Book. I have re-started the Sync Services several times and emptied the Address Book caches various times as well, but nothing seems to resolve this problem. Any ideas about this? Any help would be appreciated greatly.”

After the launch of Outlook 2016 for Mac, several Mac users ask for a common question that how to sync Outlook for Mac 2016 contacts with  Mac Address Book? Well, it is so relevant as several users want to sync their smartphone contacts with native Address Book contacts manager. For instance, RIM’s Desktop Manager for Mac OS syncs with the iCal and the contacts relies on Sync Services to synchronize with Outlook 2011 contacts. If someone is managing their contacts in Outlook then, it requires a technique to sync Outlook 2011 contacts with Mac address book .

No Defined Ways to Sync Outlook 2016 Contacts With Mac Address Book

Mac Outlook 2016 does not allow ActiveSync even to consumer cloud services that supports it also, it does not provide support to CalDAV/CardDAV. Thus, there is no any technique to sync contacts and calendar from the various cloud services. Instead of this, it provides two different sync options one is Sync status and other is sync errors. The Sync status option allows only to download new email messages from the server while Sync Errors option help users to detect the errors in offline to online database synchronization procedure. We have to wait for launch of Mac Outlook 2019  to let the Microsoft fix issue of Sync Outlook 2016 contacts with Mac address book

Proven Ways to Sync Outlook 2011 Contacts With Mac Address Book

Before going further, keep this thing in mind that Outlook 2011 will synchronize contacts from the Address Book and one can sync email accounts with Mail. Yet, Outlook 2011 does not support CardDAV or CalDAV, which is required for iCloud contacts and calendars.

Step 1: Thus, we recommend to update your Outlook 2011 to new SP3 version 14.3.4 or the later. For this, navigate to Help and Check For Updates to download the latest version

Step 2:Select the essential updates and hit the Install button

Step 3:Follow all the necessary steps until the installation gets completed

Important: If you are using Exchange then, you are not required to sync Mac Outlook with Address Book Contacts or iCal as this will cause duplicates. One needs to sync Address Book Contacts and iCal directly with the Exchange account.

Non-Techie Guide to Set Up Sync Services for Mac

Before enabling the Sync Outlook 2011 Contacts With Mac Address Book, turn off all other third-party sync services, which are running in the background. When Outlook 2011 has finished its initial sync with the Address Book, users can enable these services once again.

Step1: For security, create a backup of your Contacts. For this, click on File >> Export

Step2: Select Outlook for Mac Data File (.olm) option and check all the data items you need to export. Then, hit a click in the right arrow to proceed

Step 3: Choose No, do not delete items option and hit the right arrow to continue

Step 4: Next, save this OLM file in the local directory

Step 5: After completing the Export process, click on Done button

Step 6: In the Outlook 2011, select Preferences option

Step 7: Here, hit a click on Sync Services

Step 8: Check the Contacts and then, select the account to which you would like to sync

Step 9: Quit the Sync Services window

Step 10: You have turned on Sync Services wizard will prompt now, click OK

Step 11: Again click on OK button to allow the SyncServicesAgent for accessing your contacts

Troubleshooting Sync Services For Mac

Although the process to fix Sync Outlook 2011 contacts with Mac Address Book issue is quite simple. However, sometimes users encounter the condition when contacts do not sync after following the above-discussed guidelines. Thus, below are the fixes that can help users if this happens to you.
Important: Create a backup of your Address Book as well as Outlook contacts before executing the troubleshooting tips.

Enable iSync to Sync Outlook Contacts With Mac Address Book

Note: Skip this step if you are using Mac OS Lion 10.7 or the later version because iSync is no longer compatible with the current Mac OS versions.

1. Open iSync via clicking on Applications >> Utilities folder
2. Launch Preferences wizard in iSync Application option
3. Select Enable syncing on this computer
4. Sometimes this feature found disabled or one cannot check or uncheck it after opening iSync. If it happens to
5. you then, wait for iSync to finish the synchronize procedure and then this option will be accessible again
6. Eventually, reset the Sync history

Delete .plist Data Files

1. Force close all programs currently running
2. Navigate to Home >> Library >> Preferences
3. Search for all the files that contain “com.microsoft.outlook.XXXXX.plist” and drag these files into the Trash
4. Then, search for “com.microsoft.SyncServicesAgent.plist” and also drag it to the Trash
5. Launch Microsoft Outlook application
6. Navigate to Tools menu and click on Sync Services
   
7. Make sure that Contacts option is checked
   

Quit and Restart Sync Services Agent

1. First, force close your Outlook
2. Then, go to Applications >> Utilities >> Activity Monitor
3. Search for the Sync Services Agent in Process Name section
4. Highlight this procedure and click on Quit button in the upper left
5. Close the Activity Monitor
6. After this, restart Outlook for Mac 2011

Conclusion

Syncing contact information on different platforms is vital for maintaining communication with suppliers, clients, and other contacts. However, while syncing contacts of Mac Outlook 2011 with Mac Address Book of Mac, users encounter multiple problems and Mac Outlook 2011 Contacts not syncing with Address Book is one of them. Thus, in this article, we have comprised a complete solution to Sync Outlook 2011 Contacts With Mac Address Book. Now, users can simply get rid of this problematic-situation after implementing the discussed solution.