Edit to iCloud contact in Outlook gives error when saving

Question

Edit to iCloud contact in Outlook gives error when saving

This just started happening within the past day or two.

My calendar and contacts are in iCloud and they sync with Outlook (Microsoft 365 Home) on my PC via iCloud for Windows (Windows 10 - everything up to date). Has been working fine for months.

Today, when I edit an iCloud contact from Outlook 365 and then try to save the changes, I get this error:

Your changes cannot be saved because you don’t have permission to modify some or all of the items in this folder. Do you want to save a copy of this item in the default folder for the item?

Note: if I answer "yes", a new contact gets saved in "My Contacts" ... Contact list associated with my outlook email address.

This is what "Contacts" looks like in Outlook:

Note that I CAN to the following:

Edit an existing Calendar entry in Outlook on PC and create a new one (and changes appear in iCloud and on iPhone and iPad)
Create a new Contact in Outlook on PC (and it appears in iCloud.com and on my iPhone and iPad)
Edit the contact in iCloud.com or on iPhone/iPad and the edit does show up in Outlook on my PC

So sync is working just fine. The only issue is editing an existing iCloud contact ... in Outlook on PC.

What I've tried:

I have restarted Outlook and PC. I have signed in and out of iCloud for Windows.
I check the permissions on my <xxx>@icloud.com.ost file and they are fine.
I ran Outlook as admin: then I could save the change on my PC without getting the error message. However, the change did not go up to iCloud, and when I opened Outlook again (not as an admin), I got a popup window with this error: "Your changes to this item could not be saved because Server Denied Operation (HTTP 403 Forbidden)."

So it appears that iCloud is denying "change" access from Outlook. (Although "create" access seems to be fine.) But only for Contacts ... as previously documented, Calendar stuff (edit/create) is fine.

Any ideas? I'm out of them!

Thanks! ;-)

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Sep 10, 2020 2:23 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Sep 17, 2020 9:32 PM in response to Alicia12341234

Appears to be fixed (9/17/20; 10.30pm MDT).

New iTunes for windows version 12.10.9.3; downloaded, installed, re-authorized computers (mine and laptop) and all appears to be working normal for contacts.

Also running Apple's Microsoft's Store iCloud, version 11.3.

FINALLY

Reply

Answer 2

KennyT1

Level 1

4 points

Sep 13, 2020 2:32 AM in response to Alicia12341234

Try this? it seemed to work OK on my wife's setup. the important trick seems to be to "try again" if you get the option on the error dialogue..

1 Copy the existing contact that you want to edit into a contacts folder that isn’t in icloud. Use

‘move> copy to folder’ and click “try again” if you get an error first time you try.

2 Delete the contact in the icloud folder and click “try again” if you get an error first time you try.

3 Edit the contact in the local folder, save and close.

4 Copy it back to the icloud folder to create a new contact. Use ‘move> copy to folder’ and click “try again” if you get an error first time you try.

K

Reply

Answer 3

SloMo20

Level 1

4 points

Sep 16, 2020 6:11 AM in response to afmcire

I have had the same issue as everyone else these past days (9/16/2020 today). I had success in eliminating this error by adding a new contact via iCloud web - NOT through Outlook. Once I added a new contact in the contact directory this error went away when starting Outlook... I presume the authentication issue resolved when it sync'd this contact up to Outlook.

Reply

Answer 4

Sep 11, 2020 3:30 PM in response to Alicia12341234

Identical to above. MS tier 2 says it is an Apple issue they are aware and looking into.

Reply

Answer 5

Sep 12, 2020 7:27 AM in response to Alicia12341234

Mine started September 9th. I could enter a "Full Name" and the contact would be saved to outlook and it would appear in icloud. If I tried to enter data then I got the "Forbidden" pop up. I could go to my iphone and edit/add information to this contact and it would update back to Outlook.

Reply

Answer 6

Sep 12, 2020 8:08 AM in response to Alicia12341234

Same issue for me. I posted a query earlier this morning. You can answer "Yes" to box about not having permission. This will save an edited Contact entry in the Outlook Contact folder. You can then drag this contact to iCloud Contacts. This creates almost a duplicate entry in the iCloud Contact folder. You can then delete the previous Contact entry. What a pain!

Reply

Answer 7

AMM2T

Level 1

9 points

Sep 12, 2020 10:32 AM in response to Alicia12341234

I can tell you that uninstalling the updates does not fix the problem. I have tried all the steps everyone else has, and it seems we are again stuck between MS and Apple, each saying it is not their problem. However, if it was caused by an MS update, I think it is up to them to fix it. I don't suppose that is going to happen anytime soon, thought, so I am going to try the alternative of syncing my contacts to Google Contacts, using alternative software. I have always found iCloud difficult, and this really is the last straw.

Reply

Answer 8

AMM2T

Level 1

9 points

Sep 15, 2020 2:17 AM in response to JMEchols

I would endorse that. I dug out an old laptop which hasn't been used for a couple of months, and so does not have the latest MS updates. It immediately refused to save an amended contact to the iCloud.

Reply

Answer 9

Sep 11, 2020 11:41 AM in response to Alicia12341234

I know it's not going to help, but I also have the exact same problem as you which started today. Sounds like someone has screwed up. Have been waiting for about an hour for level two support from Microsoft.

It's obviously not just me so I will give it a few days and see what develops.

Reply

Answer 10

Sep 11, 2020 2:34 PM in response to BobzMac

BobzMac: I have those two updates too ... except for me, the .NET Framework is "Version 1903 x64" ... slight platform difference. Both were installed on Sept 9 (I have automatic updates turned on).

What do you think: can these be uninstalled?

Or should we just wait for Microsoft to fix the issues? For now, I'm just going to iCloud.com to edit a contact, or editing it on my iPad ... it's not something that I have to do very often.

Reply

Answer 11

Sep 11, 2020 4:19 PM in response to BobzMac

BobzMac - wee-elll ... oddly ... I uninstalled KB4574727 - Cumulative update for Windows ... first. Made no difference.

Then, I uninstalled KB4576484 ... Cumulative update for .NET ... the issue still exists!

Weird ... I don't get it.

I'll keep digging and will post if I find anything else. Meanwhile I encourage everyone else to do the same.

Reply

Answer 12

Sep 12, 2020 7:28 AM in response to Alicia12341234

Mine started September 9th. I could enter a "Full Name" and the contact would be saved to outlook and it would appear in icloud. If I tried to enter data then I got the "Forbidden" pop up. I could go to my iphone and edit/add information to this contact and it would update back to Outlook.

Reply

Answer 13

Sep 12, 2020 10:41 AM in response to Alicia12341234

Same issue, same timing. Also, Outlook WILL accept a new contact, and new contact syncs, but Outlook WON'T accept an email address in the new contact. The email address has to added on Apple device, then is synced back to Outlook. Apple and MS, pls stop blaming each other and fix the problem.

Reply

Answer 14

Sep 14, 2020 5:50 PM in response to jmscott45

NOT YET; just shut down everything and re-booted pc. Restarted Outlook and tried to modify and save a contact; NO LUCK. Problem returned. Sorry for false hope, it did work and now it does not after shutting down PC.

Reply

Answer 15

JMEchols

Level 1

8 points

Sep 17, 2020 10:07 PM in response to jmscott45

Yes it seems to be fixed as well but I did not download the new itunes or re-authorized computers. Someone behind the scenes at Apple fixed the problem because I have not receved any new updates from Microsoft.

Reply

Edit to iCloud contact in Outlook gives error when saving

Similar questions