How to sync contacts in all accounts in Microsoft 365

Question

Switched to "New Outlook" and lost all my contacts in my other accounts. Had to export my MS account and import it to my other accounts, IMAP, Google, Yahoo, etc. I found no setting that would sync them when changes are made. Was fine in "Old Outlook". And don't get me started with calendar. Why was this not taken into account during the change over? Except for One Drive, I see no advantage to Microsoft 365. Should be seamless between Window and Android. What's up with that?

Answer 1

Dear @David Free,

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.

I completely understand how frustrating this feels, especially if this workflow worked well for you in the classic version of Outlook.

In Classic (Old) Outlook, this experience felt seamless because contacts and calendars were handled locally, which allowed more flexibility when working with multiple accounts. In New Outlook, however, the architecture has changed. Each account (Microsoft, IMAP, Google, Yahoo, etc.) now maintains its own separate contacts and calendars, and at this time there is no built‑in cross‑account sync capability. Changes made in one account will not automatically sync to others, which is why exporting and importing contacts is currently the only supported workaround. This behavior is by design in New Outlook, which aligns closely with Outlook on the web and uses a cloud‑based model where contacts are stored and synced per account only.

In this case, I recommend you continue using Classic Outlook, which still supports more advanced multi‑account contact workflows and remains fully supported.

Note: Please be reassured that if there is any update from Microsoft, I will update to you as soon as possible

Moreover, I totally agree with you that automatic contact and calendar syncing across accounts is an important feature, especially for users managing multiple providers and devices. To ensure your feedback reaches the right teams, I highly recommend submitting your feedback directly to Microsoft Ideas · Community, where our product development team can know your requirements and ideas for product improvements. If enough users raise ticket for the same idea, Microsoft may consider adding this feature in the future. 

Note: As Microsoft Community moderators, please note that we are not involved in product design decisions and do not have direct access to the development roadmap, we want to assure you that your feedback has been acknowledged and is valued.  

I hope this information is helpful. If you have any other questions please feel free to reach out

Thank you for your patience and understanding. I'm looking forward for your reply.

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Answer 2

To sync contacts across all accounts in Microsoft 365, you can use the synchronization features available in the platform. Here are some steps you can follow:

1. Sync with Microsoft 365: You can synchronize all changes from your primary account to other accounts like IMAP, Google, or Yahoo. Ensure that you have the required fields filled in, such as Name and Email address, for the contacts to sync properly.
2. Full Sync Option: If you want to ensure that all contacts are synchronized in both directions, you can perform a full sync. This will synchronize all contacts regardless of the last sync date.
3. Automate Synchronization: If you are using Business Central, you can set up background synchronization to automate the sync process on a schedule that you define.
4. Manual Import/Export: If automatic synchronization is not working as expected, you may need to manually export your contacts from one account and import them into another. This can be done through the Outlook interface.

If you are experiencing issues with the new Outlook, it may be helpful to check for updates or consult Microsoft support for specific guidance related to your situation.

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References:

• Synchronize contacts in Business Central with contacts in Microsoft Outlook
• Contacts folder empty and contacts are in a different folder in Outlook for Microsoft 365