iTunes 11 does not allow direct Outlook calender sync anymore. Why?

I'd like to add my voice to those concerned about the loss of/ added complexity of sync to Outlook. I followed rusher2004's advice and got this alarming message.

I now need to go hunting to see if I can fix iCloud image before I effectively duplicate every entry in my contacts list.

Come-on Apple. Sir Jonathan Ive promised to get a grip of the user experience. Stop nit-picking with how people word their legitimate frustration and let us know what we can do to make this work or what you will do to fix it - or come clean and tell us you are abandoning Outlook integration by degrees.

That woiuld be sad because my first iPhone Synced to Outlook far better than my previous Windows phone 5 years back. But if it is your plan, then we can all make informed choices when we next upgrade.

Mike

Well, I failed to find a way to avoid copying all my contacts back into Outlook (ie to Sync) so i opted for a one-time over-write of contacts from Outlook to iPhone.

I took the chance that I had not made changes on the phone as it is my secondary device. If I had made many, that would not have been an option. Happily, my next sync went smoothly.

I have no back-up of Contacts and Calendar to iCloud now, which would be nice. But I have another PC to Cloud backup service.

So, my solution would be: Sync before upgrade to iTunes 11 (or revert to 10.7 to sync) then do one-time overwrite. Put up with no iCloud sync for the time being.

The problem is real. No comment from a "you are using it wrong"-wiseacre will change this. I have to sync a calendar locally and I want to sync a second one (the private one) via iCloud.

This is a crucial feature for BYOD. Not every data can be sent to the cloud - FULLSTOP

This feature has been removed and I consider this to be a major problem. The syncing desaster was one of the main reasons I switched to apple.

The same problem for me. Need a solution for iTunes on Mac!

Just saw that iTunes 11.0.1 was released. Does anyone know if this fixes the problem of syncing with Outlook? Are there any known problems?

I installed it, but it doesn't fix the problem :-(

We have to wait another new release and that Apple understand that it's not possibile to remove functionality only to market targets.

Leonardo

It reallye ***** that apple has decided that direct sync is not allowed anymore. It's bad for my job, I need constat sync, not only copying contacts. Could you please explain me how can I sync via icloud?? I really hate to be forced to do it with icloud but for me there is no other alternative. How do I do it? I have an iphone 4 and a PC with windows 7. Thanks!

Download "iCloud control panel for windows", install it, sign in with your Apple ID and turn ON the Contacts section.

Did everything you wrote but still I don't see my iphone contacts in Outlook. Do I have to turn on something in the iphone? Thanks

Phone has nothing to do with Outlook-iCloud syncing.

Did you setup you account in iCloud Control Panel?

Check your Contacts at www.icloud.com

I have the same problem:

Several personnal calendars synced over iCloud

1 professional calendar only synced when connected on the office computer. The company policy does not allow to use iCloud for the professional use, so I have to sync that particular calender directly through the USB cable.

Before with iTunes 10 it worked perfectly and need it to keep the global overview.

Would appreciate if Apple could reactivate the option for both ways of synchronization allowing maximum of flexibility.

I am beginning to think Apple won't want to restore that simplicity - it is iCloud or Outlook. But at least sync with outlook is possible (see my 7 Dec posts to this question).

Google has announced it has deliberately abandoned sync of Outlook and Google calendar, which seems a policy choice. They leave legacy set-ups working but make it impossible for new users to set up. Is Apple also deliberately frustrating sync with Outlook and just not coming clean about it, I wonder?

In looking for Google - Outlook sync software, I found companionlink.com. They claim to have that nailed and also iPhone - Outlook. Downside: Cost (c.$50) and - for corporate users - installation of another set of third party software. Has anyone tried CompanionLink? If so, could you comment on it here, please?

Just moved from Blackberry Z10 to iPhone, as Z10 does not sync with Outlook calender. Now it seems that iTunes 11 doesn't sync with Outlook calender either. So dissaponted with Apple, as I have other Apple products and they are great. Is there a fix in the pipeline?

If you can use just iCloud head to http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1455?viewlocale=en_US and get it installed.

You can disable cloud sync as well, this has to be done on your iphone. Then a cable sync can be done again.

If you need offline synchronisation and iCloud at the same time you are "USING IT WRONG! REALLY HOW COULD YOU DARE TO WISH TO ACHIEVE SOMETHING LIKE THIS WHICH IS SURELY NOT MEANT TO BE DONE BY THE INAUGURATED!".

Hope that helps and don't get distracted by my "evangelism" 🙂

Ah yeah: If this still does not suffice, there is a tool which can be downloaded here: http://www.codetwo.com/sync-for-icloud/

This should get you over the limitations of outlook, unfortunately it's not free. Haven't used it by myself but there's a trial period.