iCloud for Windows isn't importing contacts to iCloud

Question

Level 1

4 points

iCloud for Windows isn't importing contacts to iCloud

I have Outlook (Version: You have Microsoft Outlook Version 1.2023.1114.100 (Production). Client Version is 20231117004.10 .) installed on Windows 11.

Two email accounts are connected to Outlook - one is an edu (Exchange) account, the other is an outlook.com account that is my Apple ID. The outlook.com account has over 600 contacts.

I installed iCloud for Windows and logged in with my Apple ID.

I checked the box to sync calendars and contacts. I unchecked the other sync options (like Photos, iCloud Drive, Bookmarks, Passwords). I clicked Apply.

Result: nothing. None of my contacts from outlook.com are syncing with iCloud.

Windows, Windows 10

Posted on Nov 26, 2023 4:50 PM

Reply

Answer 1

Nov 26, 2023 9:50 PM in response to helloapple2

I wish it worked that way too, but I'm pretty sure it will NOT upload your contacts from non-Apple/iCloud accounts and add them to your iCloud contacts. You may have noticed in Outlook that your Edu account contacts and your iCloud contacts are in separate address books. It keeps your contacts separate for the different accounts, which is probably for the best in most cases.

If you want to combine your address books, you'll have to export your contacts from one account and upload them to the other manually. I believe, from memory, that Apple doesn't make this too easy because Apple prefers using individual "contact cards" rather than a .csv file for import/export of contacts. I found a better way once, but it's too involved to get into in this post.

Reply

Answer 2

helloapple2 Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 27, 2023 4:37 PM in response to Voltron27

I think you're right. On the main help page for iCloud for Windows, it talks about using an AppleID. But, if you drill into the next level, it mentions having to use an icloud.com email address (and not just any old Apple ID) for the Contacts feature specifically.

That's too bad. I was trying to use the feature to get my Contacts onto iCloud and then onto my iPhone. But I've noticed that the existing test iCloud contact I made on the iCloud website won't even sync to my iPhone. So, I have some more exploring to do (maybe a phone reset). Cheers...

Reply

Answer 3

helloapple2 Author

Level 1

4 points

Nov 30, 2023 9:23 AM in response to helloapple2

Oddly, I did suddenly see my contacts from outlook represented in iCloud a day or two later. I'm not sure if this actually worked (iCloud for Windows is still on the computer) or some other factor was involved.

As a side note, I heard from Apple support that they are working on a code fix for getting Contacts from iCloud or outlook onto the iPhone (the second issue I mention) so I do wonder if there was a server-side change as part of that that could have started things working. Who knows; things are changing in any case...

Reply

iCloud for Windows isn't importing contacts to iCloud

Similar questions