Help please: Syncing contacts between Android and Hotmail

[TGBmark1234]

The wife has bought a Galaxy Note and I've been lumbered with tech support on it - having never touched Android before. I'm trying to make the device perform basic functions at the moment. How do I make this thing edit, add and then sync contact changes on the phone to Hotmail/Outlook.com? I can get server changes to sync to the phone, but can't edit or add at all on the device. Even whatever brick of a phone we had 12 years ago would let us add and edit contacts!

I did have to download the official Outlook.com app as it sync's multiple calendars, and the built in functionality would only sync the primary calendar. All the contacts have the Outlook icon, but are uneditable using the built in functionality and the Outlook.com app just seems to sync this data rather then allow editing. Using gmail isn't an option as that won't sync contacts/calender to Outlook on the PC.

Any ideas gratefully received. (I don't know why she couldn't have just gotten a Windows Phone where all the issues I fought with yesterday would have JustWorked? )

 

[anon(847090)]

outlook.com dont support IMAP. Microsoft is working on it i believe and will come soon.

because of that it might not be possible to sync from phone to the server. Its a problem with outlook

 

[TGBmark1234]

But Hotmail/outlook.com does fully support EAS, which syncs mail/calendar/contacts. The contacts are making their way from the server to the phone, I just can't edit or add to them once they're there! Calendar (using S Planner) and mail changes on the phone are syncing back to the server just fine, only Contacts aren't working properly.

 

[anon5607814]

It's quite easy, with the right settings. I recommend this simple guide at

 

[TGBmark1234]

Hi, thanks for that. I'd already tried the native functionality before installing the Outlook.com app. Unfortunately the native functionality doesn't sync multiple calendars, only the primary one. This is essential functionality for my wife. More so than even being able to edit contacts!

I've also tried using the native functionality just to sync contacts and leave everything else to the Outlook.com app, except then it didn't sync any contacts at all. At least the Outlook.com app does a one-way from server to phone.

 

[anon5607814]

I do have both my calendar and a client's calendar synced to my phone, and it's only a Galaxy Ace. Is there no way of doing that in the calendar settings, under calendars?

 

[TGBmark1234]

Is that using two accounts, each with a calendar? That may work, not tried it. What we have is one account with multiple calendars and the native functionality will only sync the primary calendar. The Outlook.com app will sync multiple calendars, which can then be (un)checked as appropriate in the native calendar app. But using the Outlook.com app breaks, or at least doesn't enable, two-way contact syncing.

 

[funvin]

+1
My contacts sync fine, but are uneditable. Why is Microsoft hell bent on losing users?

 

[TGBmark1234]

Are you using the new version of the outlook.com app? (It was updated a couple of days ago) I've not tried this new version yet. Eventually I got a mixed setup working with the outlook.com app syncing email & calendar and the native app syncing contacts and tasks.

 

[Seta Sevulyan]

Having the same issue. Any luck?

Update: I tried the app sync.me and i think it's great!!!!

 

[rdubmu]

The only way I have found is setting up as a exchange and as well as on the outlook.com account.

Right now i am using just gmail to sync my contacts and email, and using outlook.com app to do calendars

 

[ddkhix]

Thanks a lot! I have a Motorola Droid 4 and the directions were pretty much spot on. Thanks again.