Communicating between Outlook and iCloud (iCloud errors)

Hi Jeremy,

I realize the inconvenience you are experiencing with Outlook 2016. I will certainly help you.

Before we proceed, I would require more information to assist you better.

1. Are you working on an Exchange server account?

2. Kindly provide step by step information on the sentence ‘tick box for Contacts, Calendars and Tasks’ so that we can re produce the issue.

Issue might have caused due to corrupt add-in installed, let’s start Outlook in safe mode by following instructions mentioned below and verify whether issue re-occurs.

* Hold Windows key + R.
* Copy and paste, or type the following command in the Open box, and then press Enter

Outlook /safe

Note:
* There is a space between Outlook and ‘/’. * Add-ins will be disabled in Outlook safe mode.

If Outlook works as expected in safe mode, disable the add-ins by following steps mentioned below and determine the problem causing add-in.

a) Click on File menu, click Options, Add-ins, Go button besides Manage: Com-in Add.
b) Check if there are add-ins listed, clear the checkbox.
c) Close the Office program and restart it.
d) Disable each add-in one at a time, restart the Outlook, and repeat the above procedure. If the issue reappears again, it will help you to determine which add-in is causing this issue.

If the issue still persist, you may create a new profile in Outlook and then configure the email account and check how it works. 

Refer to the following article on how to create and configure an email profile in Outlook and check if it helps.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829918

Note: Ensure that you select the new profile under Always use this profile for Outlook to start in the new profile.

Hope it helps. Try the suggestion and let us know the result at your earliest convenience.

Thank you.

Hi

Thanks for your time.

In answer, I'm not on an Exchange server. The steps taken are shown below.

I tried Outlook in Safe Mode, and the problem still occurred.

I set up a new profile as instructed, and configured the email account.  I checked by opening Outlook to make sure that the new profile is the default, and it is.

I closed Outlook, and started iCloud:

Then I ticked Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks, and clicked Apply:

The application hung displaying "Setting Up".  I closed the application, and started it again - tick box was blank:

Re-ticked the box:

Clicked Apply, and the application refreshed with a blank tick box:

And that's as far as it ever gets.  Whenever "Apply" is clicked, the error originally mentioned is logged.

Please let me know if this is not clear!

Thanks again.

Hi again.  I didn't think I was on an Exchange server, but I just noticed Outlook says Connected to Microsoft Exchange at the bottom of the screen on the original profile!  One of the email accounts is a hotmail account, which is Exchange.

The new profile only has one non-Exchange account, but still has the iCloud problem , so is it relevant?

Incidentally, when I try and change the default Data File in the old profile to the same as the Default email account, I get an error saying the selected account is a .pst, when it's plainly listed as a .ost, so that's a bit puzzling!

Thanks

Jeremy,

On the computer that Outlook is working is it an MSI install or a Click to Run (C2R)?  I'm not sure if it really matters but Apple docs say they don't support C2R, https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204230.  In Outlook click File, Office Account, and see if it has "Update Options" drop down, this is C2R.  If you have only "About Outlook" then that is MSI.  Just wondering if the working machine is MSI Office.

What version of Office is currently running on the Lenovo?  Click File, Office Account, About Outlook and it will be listed there.  It is likely our latest update 16.0.6965.2058.

I noticed on the link to the Apple forums you provided that the first report of the issue was on June 13th.  It might have happened before that and was not reported, but it coincides with the Office C2R update June 14th but was released to insiders even earlier, https://technet.microsoft.com/library/mt592918.aspx?f=255&MSPPError=-2147217396.  Just in case the issue could have been caused by an Office update try reverting Office to an earlier version.  This KB is for a different issue but try the workaround exactly as written to revert to a known good version, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3161084.  If this works we can then try reverting to 16.0.6868.2067 and then 16.0.6965.2053 to figure out if a specific build broke it. 

It could be due to another issue but this will help better isolate it.

Both laptops have "Update Options".  The Lenovo is running Outlook 16.0.6925.108 32 bit and is up-to-date (although it is a 64 bit os).

Haven't had a chance to try reverting to an older version yet, but it looks as though it's worked at 16.0.6868.2067 for RS888 on the corresponding Apple thread.

Will post as soon as I get a chance to try it - thanks so much for your help!

Hi again

As you expected, reverting to 16.0.6868.2067 does indeed work correctly!  

RS888 on the corresponding Apple thread mentioned you can go back to the latest version, but I believe this will be OK ONLY if you don't change iCloud.  Once you do, you're back to square one.

Is this problem something you can take further with MS?  It wold obviously be good to be able to keep Office up-to-date at some point!

Thank you for your time and suggestions: at least this is a practical workaround for the time being.  Good to have an explanation of where the problem lies at least.  I'll post further on the Apple thread to let them know.  If you do have any updates please let us know.

Regards

Jeremy

Jeremy,

I am going to try and repro the issue in order to have something for the Outlook Team to investigate.  I created an Apple account and tried to use it to configure iCloud but it says I have to configure it on an Apple device first.  I've requested an iPad from the lab and will see if I can add my Apply account on it and then configure iCloud on my Windows machine.  I'll update what I find.  If there are any updates from Apple please let me know.

Thanks Gabriel.  Will let you know, but most of the updates from the Apple thread are people glad of the workaround (when they can be bothered to read the detail!).

Regards

Jeremy

I was able to get my new Apple account configured on a lab iPad which then enabled me to install iCloud with Outlook 2016.  So far I have not been able to repro the issue. 

My steps were to first install Outlook, and configure it with a test Exchange account.  I then downloaded iCloud.  iCloud asked me for my Apple ID.  It then added an iCloud account in Outlook as a second account configured as iMAP.  After that I clicked the iCloud settings icon in the system tray and clicked Open iCloud Settings.  At the top of that dialog box it said the following "iCloud Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks are not set up in Outlook".  There was a link below that to click labeled "Set up iCloud Contacts, Calendars, and Tasks in Outlook".  After doing that step it completed successfully.

I'll keep watch in case there are other factors to cause the issue.  My Windows machine was Windows 10 x64 with Office 2013 x86.  If anyone sees other steps I need to repro with please let me know. 

Gabriel,

Just wanted to add to the thread...

Two days ago my wife got a new iPhone and we encountered this issue while trying to set it up. I found a number of other posts that did not help (reinstalling iCloud, various patterns of signing in and out etc.). None worked.

I found this thread and used the link you provided above and it fixed the problem immediately. The machine giving us the problem was a Surface Pro 3 running Windows 10 (x64) with Office 365 Outlook 2016 (C2R). All updates are turned on and current.

Per the KB article I reverted the last Office update then reinstalled iCloud and the Outlook sync started working.

Thank you for the information, it really helped.

Dave K