Syncing deletes some contacts in outlook and creates duplicates on iPhone

I, too, have had problems with syncing. It is so frustrating to look for contacts I know I entered into Outlook, but find my data missing after a sync. Ideally, Apple and Microsoft would work together to avoid deleting user data. Unfortunately, they are competitors. It is probably advantageous for one company to sabotage the other. I have no solution, but I am looking for one. I also hate the fact that Apple stopped syncing notes. I transferred all of my notes to contacts and my contacts continue to get deleted. Why did Apple stop syncing notes? Why doesn't Apple care about its customers? I feel like these companies are treating us like cattle or dumb animals and they are forcing us to behave in ways that do not benefit us. If Apple stops syncing notes, then Apple is not looking out for us, the customer. Instead, they waste our time and adding anger and frustration to our days.

The worst thing about this is that it is a trend. What is good and reliable is eliminated from the market, while crap that negatively impacts customers over and over again flourishes in the market. It's time for a change. Too much is going in the wrong direction. We need to support the good and reliable.

Hello jimbob5941,

It sounds like you are seeing some unexpected issues when locally syncing Outlook contacts with your phone. I would use the troubleshooting in the following article to help resolve the issue, named:

Troubleshooting Sync Services on Windows with Microsoft Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007, or Outlook 2010

http://support.apple.com/kb/ts2776

Here are the first couple of steps to get you started, but there are additional steps if you need them in the article:

Make sure your software is up to date

It is recommended that you use the latest version of your software:

• Use Windows Update to keep your computer up to date.
• Use Apple Software Update to keep your Apple software used during syncing up to date.
• Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch software.

Which option are you using to store your data in Microsoft Outlook?

By default, your Outlook data is stored in Personal Folders format (PST) unless you are using an Exchange Server to access your data. If you are using Outlook with an Exchange Server, your data may be stored in an OST file if you have Cached Exchange Mode turned on. An iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch syncing via iTunes will sync with the default PST or OST file. When using an OST file, only information stored locally, or cached on your computer, will be available to sync.

Note: You may be able to sync your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch directly with your Exchange server. For more information on syncing directly with an Exchange server, contact your Exchange Administrator. There are resources for Exchange Administrators, including the iPhone Enterprise Deployment guide onwww.apple.com/support/iphone/enterprise.

Thank you for using Apple Support Communities.

Regards,

Sterling

Hi

I have the same problem sync'ing worked perfectly until I upgraded my iPhone 4 from iOS 6.xx to iOS 7.xx. Which also forced an update of iTunes to from version 10 to 11.

Since then I first started noticing duplicate contacts in my iPhone and missing contacts in Outlook 2010.

I have iTunes 11.4.0.18. Versions of iTunes after this do not support the left hand side explorer bar so you can see your play lists. However I did try going to the latest version of iTunes that supports my iPhone 4. After a couple of months I noticed the problem was still getting worse.

Now I have about 50% of my contacts are missing in Outlook and every contact duplicated 5 or 6 times in my iPhone..

I also noticed some contact in my iPhone had the notes section, address or phone number or all there details except the name erased.

I do not think this problem is associated with Facebook as I never use Facebook. No applications have access to my contact calendar or photos etc.

I am not using or Sync'ing iCloud the storage is to small and expensive.

I also my Outlook does not connect to Exchange server so outlook just uses PST file.

Now I regular backup my Outlook PST file so I have copy's of my missing contacts.

Manual Solution:

Step 1 Going through my hundreds of contacts in the iPhone and check each one to see which has the most complete contact details and deleting the others 5/6 duplicates for each of the hundreds of contact will be a nightmare.

Step 2 Going through Outlook my contacts and various backups and manually copying back in the missing contacts and ensuring I have copied in the contact the most complete and up to date information. New backup may have more up to date notes, phone numbers and address. But some of the details a missing from more recent backups do have to check each contact manually on multiple backup files.

I do not want to waste a couple of weekends doing the above if the problem just continues.

Automatic Solution Please

Is there a way to reconcile my Outlook contacts in the PST files to create a new master Contacts list showing only one contact merged with the most completed details and most up to date notes.

Real Solution Please

Is there a solution to the Sync'ing sometimes deleting contacts in Outlook or the details contained with in the contact record from outlook and the iPhone and also stop duplicate records being created in the iPhone.

I have always found Apple support to be very disappointing/non existent. But the community support always to be impressive.

So maybe someone has a solutions or Apple will surprised me.

I have been sync'ing my PDA with Outlook 97 to 2010 for about 15 years. First with PalmPilot and then with Windows Phone before iPhone came out. I never had any problems until iOS 7 and iTunes 11 in the past two years. So the problem is not with Windows or Outlook or Exchange. The problem is with iTunes Sync or iOS Sync feature.

Please anyone.

iOS 7 looks uglier, harder to read with every thing in shades of grey than iOS 6. It's also slower and never works. Apple please provide a down grade to iOS 6 if you can not get iOS 7 to work and you are not providing upgrades to the newest version.

The only thing I have good to say about apple is the iPhone 4 was made strong and it has never broken. Unlike newer apple products.

When my iPhone 4 dies I am going to think seriously about getting a Android or Windows phone. Both are uglier and hard t use then iOS 6, but at least my syncing will work. iPhone is my only bit of Apple hardware and the Sync it has been a nightmare in the past two years.