Part of:Troubleshooting Microsoft productivity apps in iOS
How to fix Outlook when it's not syncing on an iPhone
Some of the most common issues users encounter with Outlook on iOS relate to syncing. Learn how to troubleshoot when the iPhone Outlook app is not syncing.
It's helpful for workers to access Microsoft Outlook on both desktop and mobile devices, but syncing issues can hinder this flexibility.
Microsoft Outlook is an application that enables users to exchange email messages and manage calendars and contacts. The Outlook client is available on multiple platforms, including iOS and Android. The mobile app makes it easy to access email and other services on the go, but syncing problems can occur. IT administrators should know how to guide Outlook users through solving these problems on an iPhone.
Employees who access their Outlook enterprise accounts on iOS often run into syncing issues between their devices and Microsoft Exchange Server or Exchange Online. For example, a user might be unable to receive emails on their iPhone, even though they can receive them through Outlook on the web. Similarly, they might be unable to sync their calendar events and contacts between their phone and their Windows desktop. Users might also find that they can no longer connect to the Exchange server through their Outlook account.
Plenty of other problems can also arise, and they're not always easy to track down. However, most issues fall into one of the following categories:
Client-side issues. These issues arise within the iPhone environment. They might be related to the hardware, OS, Outlook app or other apps. For example, users might experience issues if their device is running an older version of the Outlook app or if they recently updated iOS. When a client-side issue occurs, something within the device's hardware or software is disrupting the syncing operations.
Server-side issues. This type of issue is often related to a configuration setting in Exchange, Microsoft 365 or the MDM platform that manages the device. For instance, there might be a profile-related problem in the Exchange account settings or a misconfigured setting in the MDM platform. It's also possible that there's a disruption in the Exchange service.
Network issues. Outlook not syncing on an iPhone can sometimes occur because of network problems. The Wi-Fi or cellular network might be experiencing heavier-than-normal traffic, for example, or there might be an internet outage or other disruption to network services, such as a router failing or having the wrong settings.
While Microsoft Exchange can support IMAP and POP protocols, admins can only use these protocols to sync emails, not calendars or contacts. Most organizations only use these protocols to support clients that still rely on them. The Outlook mobile app uses native Microsoft sync technology.
Outlook syncing issues can also occur on an iPhone as a result of running other email apps, such as Gmail and Apple Mail. Outlook might need to compete with these other apps for memory, storage or network resources. Alternatively, the settings within the different apps might conflict with each other in some way. Issues can also arise when users operate multiple email accounts in Outlook. For instance, an update to the Outlook app might cause problems with sending and receiving emails from a Gmail account through the Outlook client.
The approach that IT takes to address a syncing problem depends on what type of problem it is. If it's a client-side issue, the admin can usually instruct the user on what steps to take. If it's a server-side issue, the admin likely needs to find a way to fix it inside the IT environment. Unfortunately, it's not always clear where the problem might lie.
When Outlook emails are not syncing, it's often a sign of client-side issues or network issues.
Troubleshooting issues with iPhone Outlook not syncing
While the source of iPhone Outlook syncing problems can be difficult to determine, IT can start by establishing what exactly users are experiencing. Issues often present themselves to users in one of three ways: emails not syncing, calendar events or contacts not syncing or accounts not syncing.
Outlook emails not syncing
When Outlook emails are not syncing, it's often a sign of client-side issues or network issues. In these situations, admins should instruct users to take the following steps:
Check that the device has network connectivity. If there's an issue with the corporate Wi-Fi network, notify the IT team. If there's a problem with the cellular network, the user should contact their provider.
Check that the iPhone's model is still supported and running the latest versions of iOS and Outlook.
Ensure that the iPhone has the necessary memory and storage resources to support Outlook.
Check that the Background App Refresh feature is enabled on the device. Open Settings on the iPhone and select Outlook. Next, toggle on Background App Refresh.
Close the Outlook app and restart the iPhone. Then, relaunch Outlook.
Sign into Outlook on the web or on a desktop and confirm whether emails are syncing properly. If not, notify the IT team. If they are, the problem is likely with the phone, although it's still possible it might be an IT issue.
Refresh the mobile device through Outlook on the web or the latest version of the Outlook desktop app. Go to Settings and select Account or Accounts, followed by Mobile devices. In the right panel, hover over the listing for the iPhone and click Refresh.
Uninstall Outlook on the iPhone and then reinstall it. Add the user's account.
If none of these steps work, the issue might be on the server side, which can make the troubleshooting process more complex. Admins must think about the nature of the problem and which users it's affecting to find the source. For example, ActiveSync might not be enabled, or there might be a problem with the ActiveSync certificate settings. In some cases, IT might be able to track down a problem by examining the Exchange logs.
Mail flow issues can also arise out of other circumstances, such as a user having a mailbox in both Exchange Online and Exchange on-premises. Admins should also check Exchange for outages. In some cases, an issue might be related to MDM settings, such as restrictions on Outlook functionality, or user account and mailbox settings in Exchange.
Outlook calendar events or contacts not syncing
When users encounter syncing issues with their calendars or contacts, they can follow the steps from the previous section to ensure that the Outlook environment on their iPhone is set up correctly.
If the syncing issues are specific to their calendar events, the user should also open Outlook on their iPhone, select the Calendar tab and click on the profile icon in the top-left corner of the screen. From there, make sure that the proper calendars are selected. If none of these steps address the syncing problem, escalate the issue to the IT team.
As with emails, admins trying to fix calendar and contact syncing issues might need to troubleshoot on the server side. Again, this might mean analyzing the Exchange logs, sync settings and ActiveSync status.
On iPhones, it's also possible to sync calendars from mail apps such as Outlook and Gmail into the iOS Calendar app. However, this can inadvertently expose sensitive data or open up the device to greater vulnerabilities. IT teams should build a plan to tackle these threats and make sure users are aware of the security concerns.
IT administrators should make sure users understand email and syncing security concerns.
Outlook accounts not syncing
Problems with account settings are typically on the client side. If a user runs into account problems when trying to connect to Outlook, they should try the following steps:
Check that the device has network connectivity. As with the troubleshooting steps for email syncing issues, determine if there's a problem with the corporate Wi-Fi network or the user's cellular network.
Verify that the user has been trying to log in with the correct Outlook account name and password.
Reset the Outlook account. In Outlook, go to Settings > Accounts > [account name] > Reset Account. Follow the prompts from there.
Close the Outlook app, restart the iPhone and relaunch the app.
Remove and re-add the Outlook account. In Outlook, go to Settings > Accounts > [account name] > Remove Account. Follow the prompts. After the account has been removed, tap Add Account and follow the prompts.
Sign into Outlook on the web or on a desktop and check that the user can connect to their mail account. If not, notify the IT team. If the user can connect to their account, the problem is most likely related to the phone.
In Outlook on the web, change the account password. Use the new password when logging into Outlook on the iPhone.
Uninstall Outlook on the iPhone and then reinstall it. Add the user account.
Reset the iPhone's network settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Follow the prompts.
When issues occur at the account level, admins should ensure that users are properly logging into their accounts and provide them with instructions as needed. Account-related issues can also arise in Exchange. For example, admins might want to check the user's Exchange account settings and whether they can reach Exchange Server. They should also review the logs for issues or errors. In some cases, there might be outages or network-related issues, such as problems with a VPN.
Robert Sheldon is a freelance technology writer. He has written numerous books, articles and training materials on a wide range of topics, including big data, generative AI, 5D memory crystals, the dark web and the 11th dimension.
