recipient name not suggestd

Question

recipient name not suggestd

Gordon Cooper 0

using outlook under Gmail on pixel 7 . when composing email recipient name not suggested. this problem occurred in past 3 days

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Answer 1

Alice-N 13,260 Microsoft External Staff Moderator

Hi Gordon Cooper

Please reply with:

Whether the missing suggestions are from Google Contacts, Android phone contacts, or only people you emailed before.
Whether suggestions work when typing the full email address.
Whether the same Gmail contacts appear correctly at Google Contacts.
Your Outlook for Android app version.

Please try these remaining steps:

1) Check Outlook contact permission on Android

On your Pixel 7, go to Settings > Apps > Outlook > Permissions > Contacts, then make sure Contacts access is allowed.

2) Turn on contact sync in Outlook for Android

Open Outlook > tap your profile icon > Settings > select your Gmail account > Sync Contacts, then turn it on.

3) Check Android system sync

On your Pixel, go to Settings > Passwords & accounts or Settings > Accounts, select the Google/Gmail account, and make sure Contacts sync is enabled. Also check that Android Auto-sync data is turned on.

4) Confirm the contacts exist in the phone’s Contacts app

Open the Android Contacts app and search for one of the names that is not being suggested. If the contact is missing there, Outlook may not be able to suggest it while composing.

5) Test by typing more of the recipient’s name or full email address

In a new Outlook message, type the first few letters of the name or the full email address in the To field.

6) Send one test email by manually typing the full address

If the recipient does not appear, manually type the full email address and send one test message.

7) Update Outlook from Google Play

Open the Google Play Store, search for Microsoft Outlook, and install any available update. Then restart the phone and test again.

8) Reset the Gmail account inside Outlook

In Outlook, go to Settings > select the Gmail account > Reset Account, if that option appears. Then close and reopen Outlook.

9) Remove and re-add the Gmail account if the issue continues

If Reset Account does not help, remove the Gmail account from Outlook, restart the phone, then add the Gmail account again. Before removing the account, make sure you know the correct Gmail password and any 2-step verification or app password requirements.

Please tell me how it goes. If the problem persists, please don’t hesitate to reply to this thread and I will be happy to help. Have a lovely day!

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Gordon Cooper 0 Reputation points

2026-08-02T09:15:42.1433333+00:00

Thanks for your efforts. All those things I have tried but to no good effect. It has been suggested to me the problem might have been caused by a recent Google software update but there appears to be no evidence of this.

On my Pixel phone I have 3 email accounts though in truth I limit myself to just one. I have GMail, live.com, and my main one (in use on my laptop too) which is provided by BT but runs under outlook. Everything has worked well for a number of years until the last couple of days. When I compose an email I can select from which of the 3 mail systems I want to send it from. Only when sending from Gmail do I get recipient suggestions. As an alternative I can 'add a contact' which is a useful alternative.

I notice I have 2 contact lists - all, and Google. Not sure why and the difference is only 1 entry. And when I switch from one to t'other the same problem appears.

One thought. I think i was first aware of the issue when fiddling with GBoard icons. Might there be a link here?

Any help appreciated, though at a distance I feel it won't be easy to resolve the problem.
Gordon Cooper 0 Reputation points

2026-08-02T09:16:42.6533333+00:00

Thanks for your efforts. All those things I have tried but to no good effect. It has been suggested to me the problem might have been caused by a recent Google software update but there appears to be no evidence of this.

On my Pixel phone I have 3 email accounts though in truth I limit myself to just one. I have GMail, live.com, and my main one (in use on my laptop too) which is provided by BT but runs under outlook. Everything has worked well for a number of years until the last couple of days. When I compose an email I can select from which of the 3 mail systems I want to send it from. Only when sending from Gmail do I get recipient suggestions. As an alternative I can 'add a contact' which is a useful alternative.

I notice I have 2 contact lists - all, and Google. Not sure why and the difference is only 1 entry. And when I switch from one to t'other the same problem appears.

One thought. I think i was first aware of the issue when fiddling with GBoard icons. Might there be a link here?

Any help appreciated, though at a distance I feel it won't be easy to resolve the problem.
Alice-N 13,260 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-05T08:56:07.4066667+00:00

Hi Gordon Cooper

Thank you for the update,

Since the suggestions still work only when sending from Gmail, this seems more likely to be limited to how Outlook mobile is reading suggested recipients for the other accounts, not Gboard. Outlook for Android suggestions are based on personal contacts and addresses previously used when sending messages.

Please try manually typing and sending to one affected recipient from the BT/live.com account, then check again after some time. If the same contacts still do not appear only for those accounts, the best next step is to report it directly from Outlook mobile: Outlook app > profile icon > Help & Feedback > Contact Support. This lets the Outlook mobile support team review app/account-specific logs.

For now, using Add a contact or typing the full address. Thank you !
Gordon Cooper 0 Reputation points

2026-08-08T12:04:46.1866667+00:00

I think I might have misled you as I don't use Outlook for Android for my main mail. I use Outlook on my laptop which is linked to my BT service provider. On my Pixel my 'BT/Outlook' mail runs as IMAP account under GMail. Does that make sense?

In answer to your specifics. The missing suggestions are from Google contacts. Suggestions don't work from typing in an email address. BUT if I type in a full email address it does show next as a suggestion but only above the keyboard, not in 'add a recipient'.

Permissions to access contacts are all set to allow.

Still struggling!
Alice-N 13,260 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-08-09T06:52:11.1033333+00:00
Hi Gordon Cooper

Thanks for clarifying. Since the affected account is set up as BT IMAP inside the Gmail app on your Pixel, the recipient suggestions are being handled by Gmail/Google Contacts, not by Outlook for Android or Outlook on your laptop.

A key point is that IMAP only syncs email, not contacts. Note that IMAP/POP cannot sync contacts or calendar data, only mail: Can’t sync calendar and contacts with my phone or tablet.

Please try this check:

Open Google Contacts in a browser.

Search for one of the missing recipients.

Check both Contacts and Other contacts.

If the address is missing, add it manually to Google Contacts.

Reopen the Gmail app and test composing from the BT account again.

If the contact is present in Google Contacts but still does not appear in Gmail’s Add recipient field, this is most likely a Gmail app/Google Contacts suggestion issue rather than an Outlook issue. In that case, continue typing the full address or use Add contact, and report the behavior through the Gmail app feedback option.

If you want Outlook-style account behavior on the phone, you can also try adding the BT account directly to Outlook for Android instead of using it through the Gmail app. Hope this helps