How to Synchronize iCloud Mail with Outlook 2016?

iCloud is a preinstalled Apple cloud service on macOS and iOS devices that securely stores user data, such as photos, videos, documents, backups, etc. In addition, the data saved on Apple cloud storage is synchronized across all connected iOS or macOS devices and is available whenever the user needs it.

However, if you use an iPhone with a Windows product, such as Outlook for work, the iCloud emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, etc., do not synchronize between the two platforms. Thus, you need to constantly check all your devices for updates as they are running on different operating systems and do not support cross-platform synchronization.

To overcome this, you can add your iCloud email account to Outlook. This will enable cross-platform synchronization and keep all your emails, contacts, calendar items, etc. in iCloud and Outlook updated.

In this article, you will learn the process to add and synchronize your iCloud email account with Outlook 2016 using iCloud for Windows. You’ll also get to know the solutions to troubleshoot issues that you may encounter while adding or configuring iCloud in Outlook.

Steps to Synchronize iCloud Mail with Outlook 2016

You need iCloud for Windows to set up and enable synchronization between Apple iCloud and Microsoft Outlook. iCloud for Windows is an app designed for users who want to access and use iCloud on Windows devices. If you use Outlook on your Windows PC or laptop, iCloud for Windows provides an option to connect and enable synchronization between Outlook and iCloud, which keeps the data on both apps updated. The steps are as follows:

1. Download and install iCloud for Windows from Microsoft Store.?

2. ?Make sure your PC or laptop meets iCloud system requirements and has a stable internet connection. Also, the system date and time are correct.

3. ?Now open iCloud for Windows and sign in using your Apple user ID and password.

4.??Select the Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks option to sync with Outlook and click Apply.

5.??????After the setup, open Outlook. The iCloud mails, contacts, tasks, and calendars should be available and synced there.

From now onwards, the changes made on your iPhone or Mac devices will be synced and visible on your Outlook. So, you can now manage your contacts, calendar items, etc. across all your devices.

What if you encounter any issues during synchronization?

Sometimes, you may encounter issues while connecting and synchronizing iCloud mails, contacts, or calendars with Outlook. In such cases, follow these steps to troubleshoot and synchronize your iCloud emails with Outlook 2016.

Case 1: iCloud for Windows option Greyed Out

If the Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks option is not available for selection after signing in, you need to set up an iCloud mail account. When your Apple iCloud account doesn’t have an @cloud email address associated with it, the issue occurs.

To resolve this, follow this link to set up an @icloud email account on your Apple device and then sign in to iCloud on Windows to enable the Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks option.

Case 2: Can’t Send/Receive Emails

After adding iCloud to Windows Outlook, if you can’t send or receive new emails, follow these solutions.

Solution 1: Verify iCloud Mail Account

Try sending or receiving the iCloud emails via your iOS or macOS device. You may also use a web browser to verify this.

If iCloud mail works on iOS devices or the web, close the Outlook client and sign out of iCloud for Windows.

Sign in again and then restart Outlook. Check if you can now send/receive messages.

Solution 2: Turn on iCloud Add-in

When you enable Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks option in iCloud for Windows, it installs an iCloud add-in in Outlook, which transfers and updates content between Outlook and iCloud. Make sure the add-in is enabled.

• Go to File > Options > Advanced in your Outlook to check this.
• Check Manage at the bottom, besides COM Add-ins.
• Then check and enable iCloud Add-in.

Case 3: Synchronization Issues

If iCloud is set as the default account in data files, it can prevent Outlook from synchronizing the mail items between Outlook and iCloud. To fix this, follow these steps:

• In Outlook, navigate to File > Info > Account Settings > Data Files.
• ?Select a different account if iCloud is listed as the default account and set the different account as default.

Sync issues may also arise due to problems with iCloud for Windows. If the above solution does not resolve the issue, follow these steps:

• ?Open iCloud for Windows and uncheck Mail, Contacts, & Calendars box.
• ?Click Apply.
• ?Wait for a minute and then click the Mail, Contacts, & Calendars box.
• ?Click Apply and open Outlook.

Conclusion

By adding iCloud mail to Outlook 2016, you can manage all your emails, contacts, calendar items, and tasks from Outlook. Any changes made in Outlook or iCloud are automatically synced between the two platforms. However, some iCloud features may not be available or work differently in Outlook than on Apple iOS or macOS devices.

This article discussed steps to add iCloud mail in Outlook 2016 to enable cross-platform synchronization and solutions to troubleshoot common issues that you may encounter while adding or synchronizing the mail items between iCloud and Outlook. Since the iCloud mail uses IMAP and SMTP standards, Outlook stores the iCloud mail items in Outlook OST data. If the iCloud mail gets disconnected for any reason or synchronization does not work in Outlook, you can convert your iCloud OST file to PST format using an OST to PST converter tool and then transfer it to another PC or Outlook account.

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