Intune: Sync Outlook Contacts to Native App Automatically

When using the Microsoft Outlook App deployed on user’s mobile devices, Contacts from the Outlook App do not sync with the Native Contacts App by default. However, this can be addressed by implementing an App Configuration policy.

Before you create an App Configuration policy, You also need to make sure that the “Sync policy managed app data with native apps” setting is set to “Allow” in your App protection policy.

Step 1 – Verify “Sync policy managed app data with native apps” setting

Make sure the setting “Sync policy managed app data with native apps” is set to “Allow” in your App protection policy. To check and confirm, follow the below steps:

  • Sign in to the Intune admin center
  • Go to Apps > App Protection policies
  • Open your existing App protection policy for iOS and Android.
  • Under the Data Protection tab, Scroll down and find the “Sync policy managed app data with native apps” setting. Ensure it’s set to “Allow“.
Sync policy managed app data with native apps

Step 2 – Create an App Configuration Policy

The next step involves creating an App Configuration policy for the Outlook App on Android and iOS devices. Follow the below steps:

  • Sign in to the Intune admin center.
  • Go to Apps > App configuration policies.
  • Click on Add > Managed Apps.
Create Managed Apps App Configuration Policy (ACP)
Create an App Configuration Policy

Basics Tab

Provide a Name and Description of the policy. Click on “Select public apps“. Search for Outlook App and add it for both Android and iOS platforms.

Create Managed Apps App Configuration Policy (ACP)
Create an App Configuration Policy

Settings catalog Tab

Click on Next

Settings Tab

Expand “Outlook configuration settings” and make the below changes:

  • Save Contacts to Yes
  • Allow user to change setting: Yes
Create Managed Apps App Configuration Policy (ACP)
Create an App Configuration Policy
  • You can customize the synchronization of contact fields to the native app. Scroll down on the page, locate the ‘Sync contact fields to native contact app configuration‘ option, and choose the fields you wish to sync.
Create Managed Apps App Configuration Policy (ACP)
Create an App Configuration Policy

Assignments

On the Assignments tab, Click on Add Groups and select an Entra security group containing users. Click on Next to proceed.

Create an App Configuration Policy

Review + create

Review the deployment summary and click on Create.

End-user Experience

  • When the policies are synchronized on the target user’s device, a pop-up message will appear, prompting the user to grant permissions to Outlook. Click ‘OK‘ to provide the necessary permissions.
automatic Outlook Contacts Sync to Native Contacts App
End-user Experience
  • Click ‘OK‘ on the next screen to grant Outlook permission to access contacts.
automatic Outlook Contacts Sync to Native Contacts App
End-user Experience
  • If you wish to enable notifications on the next screen, click on ‘Turn On‘. Otherwise, select No Thanks.
automatic Outlook Contacts Sync to Native Contacts App
End-user Experience
  • “Click ‘Allow‘ on the next screen to permit Outlook to send notifications. If you prefer not to allow notifications, click ‘Don’t Allow'”.
automatic Outlook Contacts Sync to Native Contacts App
End-user Experience
  • Create a test contact in Outlook on the desktop or Outlook Web Access, and it should automatically sync to the Native App now.

More Information:

For more information on the App Configuration Policy, please refer to this link: Deploying Outlook for iOS and Android app configuration settings

1 thought on “Intune: Sync Outlook Contacts to Native App Automatically”

  1. Can I create an app config policy for managed devices targeting outlook without doing any APP. Example- blocking external images using an ACP targeting managed devices.

    Reply

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