A very common question that is asked here at Outlookipedia is “how do I synchronize Outlook between two or more computers?” In this article we examine this question in detail and put together the web’s most comprehensive resource related to synchronizing Microsoft Outlook between two or more computers.
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When this question is asked, there is often confusion between synchronizing and sharing Microsoft Outlook. So, what is the difference between sharing Outlook folders (calendars, contacts, tasks, etc) with one or more Outlook users and keeping an Outlook data file synchronized between two or more computers?
Let’s say you have a desktop computer at the office, and a laptop computer you keep with you at home, and you want to keep your Outlook data in sync between the two computers. How do you keep Outlook synchronized between these two computers?
Outlook users often want to view and/or edit another user’s calendar, contacts, task list, etc., which is referred to sharing Microsoft Outlook calendars and/or other folders. If you are interested in learning how share Outlook calendar folders and/or other folders refer our in-depth article: How to share Microsoft Outlook calendar and contacts. The addins section of Outlookipedia also contains a comprehensive list of Outlook addins designed specifically for sharing Microsoft Outlook folders.
While there are many useful utilities and addins offered by Microsoft that are designed to help you better manage Outlook; Microsoft does not offer a built-in feature or addin that allows you to keep Outlook synchronized between two or more different computers. However, the demand for a utility to sync Outlook between two or more computers is so great that there are quite a few addins offered by 3rd party software developers that actually do this quite well.
It should also be mentioned that there are several manual methods that you could employee to synchronize Outlook between two or more computer, but they appear to be quite time consuming and error prone and thus we will not waste your time in mentioning them. As previously mentioned there are quite a few addins offered by 3rd party developers that automate this task for you. Below, we have compiled a list of all these applications, many of which offer free trials so you can see for yourself if they will work you before investing money in them. Here they are:
You have the same e-mails on notebook and PC? Easy2Sync for Outlook is the safe and easy way to make sure your Microsoft Outlook Profiles are in sync. Contacts, e-mails, tasks, everything can be synchronized. It doesn't matter if you use PST files or profiles.
An automatic synchronization is also possible when starting or ending windows or time-based. Even NT services are supported. The latest version contains specialized assistants not only to sync your all your mail and contacts, but also to sync only your contacts or calendar items - even if the folders have different names.
Synch Pst for Microsoft Outlook is the easy way to synchronize data among two personal folders. Just choose either single or multiple folders/subfolders to synchronize.
Synchronize all Outlook items including notes and distribution lists. Deletions are supported, too.
If the selected folder does not exist in the target file, the entire folder is copied otherwise the source and target files are compared and the entries are synchronized based on a high-end algorithm.
Synchronize your laptop with your desktop and be always up to date.
Q Synchronization is a Microsoft Office Outlook add-in. It synchronizes uni- or bi-directional your Outlook folders on Outlook notebooks or PDA such as contacts, calendars, appointments, tasks, emails with your central Outlook data.
Synchronization of Outlook folders – Q Synchronization is a Microsoft Office Outlook 97 to 2007 addin without or additionally to a Microsoft Exchange or OLfolders Server. Q Synchronization, the synchronization program for Outlook synchronizes folders uni- or bi-directional by a simple click of a button - contacts, appointments, tasks, emails, journal entries and all other kinds of Outlook objects including user defined forms allow you to work offline with shared data. It can synchronize any folder type for example between a notebook or PDA and a desktop, between shared folders and personal folders. Communicate at each time at each place.
EZ Outlook Sync is a straightforward yet versatile solution to synchronize MS Outlook files and folders between two or more computers. No matter how many different folders you use to keep your Outlook data or even how many computers these folders are spread over, EZ Outlook Sync dramatically decreases the time needed to always keep your files updated. Synchronizes all data stored in Outlook: contacts, calendar appointments, tasks, emails, notes journal entries and distribution lists.
Use your tasks together with others, your partners must not be in the same LAN with you. This Add-In synchronizes your Outlook 2002/2003 task folders over E-Mail. The only thing you need is Outlook 2002/2003, which can receive and send E-Mails. You can share every task folder you want. Excludes private tasks from synchronization. After the installation, you get a new property page into you task folders on which you can choice the synchronization properties. Easy installation: The only thing you must know, are the E-Mail addresses from your partners.
Use your appointments with others together, your partners must not be in the same LAN with you. This Add-In synchronizes your Outlook 2002/2003 Calendars over E-Mail. The only thing you need is Outlook 2002/2003, which can receive and send E-Mails. You can share every calendar you want. Excludes private appointments from synchronization. After the installation, you get a new property page into your calendars on which you can choice the synchronization properties. Easy installation: The only thing you must know, are the E-Mail addresses from your partners.
Outlook Connect makes it possible to synchronize Contact data with any relational database that supports ODBC (Open database connectivity). Outlook Connect supports loading data from the database into an Outlook contact folder or storing data from Outlook into the database. It is possible to use Outlook Connect on multiple Outlook Contact Folders and multiple databases.
The user can protect his private contact data by using a different Contact Folder to store private contacts or by telling Outlook Connect to ignore Contacts that are marked as private.
Outlook Connect consists out of several COM objects and becomes an integral part of Outlook after installation. Outlook Connect adds a new toolbar to MS Outlook with buttons specific for synchronizing data and configuring Outlook Connect. The user can customize this toolbar and place the buttons on different toolbar or menu bar.
Share or synchronize Outlook contacts, calendars, tasks, email and more with one or more other computers on your network or via FTP. Every change you make to a shared contact is automatically reflected in the contact on the other computer(s). Synchronization happens automatically, no action by you is required. Just connecting your computer to the network (for instance in case of a laptop) or the internet (in case of synchronizing via FTP) and starting Outlook® is enough to have OSA Sync process all the changes.
Use PST Sync to perform Outlook synchronizations, helping you synchronize every Outlook folder, even custom created ones. PST Sync provides bi-directional folder synchronization as well as a number of other tools to help you manage your pst files with ease, PST Sync offers SmartMove and SmartCopy functionality as well as Encryption, Password Protection, Online Backup as well as the popular built in PST file viewer. It takes into consideration the time and date in calendar according to GMT, not just your local time (a PST Sync exclusive).
Synchronizes data between Outlook PST files (for example: PC workstation to notebook) and in addition "Personal Folders" of Exchange with PST files in both directions. All folders or selected folders can be synchronized. Supports an "escalation inquiry" by reciprocally changed entries and against the unintentional deletion of data. Supports Outlook 97 through Outlook 2003.
SYNCING.NET for Outlook is a full featured solution for synchronization of Microsoft Outlook data between multiple computers. All data is transmitted directly between the computers via LAN/WLAN and/or the internet (peer-to-peer). Once selected, the Outlook data is synchronized completely automatically. Users don't need to do anything more and can work with Outlook as usual. Any changes to Outlook items are transferred immediately to all members of the sync network.
Designed for mobile professionals and small business who’d like to sync their home, office and notebook computers, connect remote offices, manage virtual teams and share business data with colleagues, partners and clients. You have the possibility to create up to 25 Outlook synchronization Networks. Synchronize all Outlook folders (E-Mails, Contacts, Calendars, Tasks).
Synchronize Microsoft Outlook data between multiple PCs using external USB device, shared network folder or FTP. Share and Sync Outlook Calendar folders with Google Calendar™ service.
If you are looking for a quick and easy way of synchronizing Microsoft Outlook folders' data on two or more PCs or with Google Calendar service, this program is for you. You just need to install Sync2 on your computers running Outlook 2000, 2002, 2003, 2007 and/or on computers of your preferred teammates, and after a few steps you will be ready to have fully synchronized Outlook folders that will look the same on all synchronized computers. All changes will automatically propagate to the synchronized folders after each synchronization, even without opening Microsoft Outlook, and can be scheduled or made manually.
The synchronization is made via transportable files that allow you to use a wide array of USB storage devices or shared network folders without a server expense.