Smart Switch Outlook Sync not so smart

[YammerUK]

I can't get Smart Switch's Outlook Sync to work properly. It can't seem to compare contacts correctly.

I've just got my first Android smartphone, a Samsung S10+. I've had iPhones for 10 years.

I have a large database of contacts, with lots of useful information, including notes, stored in my Outlook Contacts, built up over many years. When I had iPhones, I was able to sync this with my phone's contacts using iTunes for Windows and a USB cable. The most up to date changes always propagated across, in the appropriate direction.

The move to Samsung was largely painless (apart from all those darned notifications). But the only thing I can't get to work is Outlook Sync...

Once it gets going, it often compares two identical entries and asks which one I want. Mostly, it compares two totally different contacts, with nothing in common. I've not had a full sync so far. I usually give up after clicking 'skip' many times.

The S10's phone's contacts were transferred from the iPhone during the initial set-up. And I'd already done a full backup and outlook sync with the iPhone minutes earlier.

Unfortunately, I have already updated a few contacts on my S10 and my computer, so they are slightly out of sync. And Smart Switch seems unable to work out what to do.

Any help would be much appreciated!

[YammerUK · Accepted solution]

No replies. I had to work it out myself.

I looked at a few alternative software solutions, and none worked.

I made sure that both the phone and the PC were up to date, which took me all morning.

I deleted all contacts on my phone.

I loaded up Smart Switch, reset the Outlook sync log/history.

I synchronised contacts from Outlook to Phone.

I have now changed Outlook Sync to both ways, and this seems to work OK.

Moral of the story is: don't rely on over-the-wire Smart Switch to transfer your iPhone's contacts properly, especially if you want to continue to regularly sync with Outlook.