Summary

This guide helps you troubleshoot and resolve: Mobile app not syncing. Follow the steps below to fix the issue.

Common Causes

Overview

Your Outlook mobile app (or the built‑in mail app) should sync automatically. If emails or calendar events aren’t appearing on your phone, follow the steps below. For initial account configuration see Setting Up an Email Account in Outlook (POP/IMAP/Exchange).

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Quick Fixes (Try These First)

Check Your Connection

• Make sure Wi‑Fi or mobile data is turned on.
• Open a web page to confirm the internet connection is working.

Pull Down to Refresh

• In Outlook or the built‑in mail app, swipe down from the top of the inbox.
• This forces an immediate sync.
• Wait a moment and verify that new items appear.

Check Sync Settings

Outlook app:

• Tap your profile picture → Settings → Sync settings.
• Ensure sync is enabled for Mail, Calendar and Contacts.

iOS Mail:

• Settings → Mail → Accounts → select your account.
• Toggle Mail to ON.

Android Mail:

• Settings → Accounts → Microsoft account.
• Enable the Sync toggle.

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Specific Fixes

Outlook Mobile Not Syncing

1. Close the Outlook app completely and reopen it.
2. Remove and re‑add your account:
   • Settings → Accounts → Delete the Outlook account.
   • Open Outlook and sign in again.
3. Verify that the app has permission to access storage, contacts and calendar (iOS Settings → Outlook; Android Settings → Apps → Outlook → Permissions).
4. If the problem persists, clear the app cache (Android) or reinstall the app.

iOS: Offload or Reinstall Outlook

iOS does not offer a standalone cache clearing option for apps. Use one of the following methods to clear corrupted app data:

1. Open Settings → General → iPhone Storage.
2. Locate and tap the Outlook app.
3. Tap Offload App to remove the app while keeping documents and data, then tap Reinstall App.
4. Alternatively, tap Delete App, then download and install Outlook again from the App Store.

Only Some Items Not Syncing

• Calendar: Open the Calendar view → Calendars → make sure the required calendars are checked. For more details see Using Outlook Calendar and Scheduling Meetings.
• Email: Check folder sync settings: Settings → Folders → select “All” or verify that no filters are hiding messages.

Can’t Sign In

• Confirm your password at office.com.
• Check whether multi‑factor authentication (MFA) is required for your organisation.
• Ensure the account isn’t locked or disabled by your IT administrator.
• If MFA is enabled and the app does not support modern authentication, generate an app‑specific password from your Microsoft account security settings and use that instead of your regular password.

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Troubleshooting by Phone Type

iPhone (iOS)

1. Open Settings → Mail → Accounts → select your email account.
2. Ensure the Mail toggle is switched ON.
3. Return to the main Settings menu → Mail → Fetch New Data.
4. Set Push to ON for instant delivery if supported by your account.
5. If Push is unavailable, select Automatic and choose the shortest fetch interval.

Android

1. Open Settings → Apps → Outlook → Storage.
2. Tap Clear Cache (do not clear data unless you are reinstalling).
3. Restart the device.
4. Open Outlook and allow it to resync.

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Network Considerations

If Using Cellular Data

• Confirm mobile data is enabled.
• Some corporate policies require Wi‑Fi for sync; check with your IT team.
• Ensure no data‑saving mode is blocking background sync.

If on Wi‑Fi

• Try switching to cellular data to rule out Wi‑Fi issues.
• Or connect to a different Wi‑Fi network to test connectivity.

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Common Issues

Issue	Solution
Only receiving new emails manually	Enable Push or set Automatic sync in the account settings.
Calendar events missing	Check calendar visibility and ensure the correct calendars are selected.
Syncing very slowly	Verify sync frequency settings and ensure a stable internet connection.
Can’t sign in on mobile	Reset the password or verify multi‑factor authentication requirements.

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Still Not Syncing?

Check for app updates:

• Open the App Store (iOS) or Play Store (Android) → Updates.
• Install the latest Outlook (or Teams) updates.

Reinstall the app: Uninstall Outlook, then download and install it again from the store.

Check Microsoft service status: Visit status.office.com for any known outages.

Review device storage: Ensure sufficient free space for the app to store cached data.

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Need Help?

If the issue persists, Open a Ticket and include:

• Phone type (iPhone or Android) and OS version.
• The app you’re using (Outlook, built‑in mail, etc.).
• Any error messages displayed.
• Steps you have already tried.

Still Having Issues?