Your phone rings and shows a number. The contact is saved in Outlook. Your phone does not show Outlook contacts.
Nothing is wrong with your phone or your contacts. The person is saved in one account. Your phone is looking in another.
Why your phone shows a number instead of a name
Your phone shows the contacts of the accounts you turned contacts on for. If contacts are off for your Outlook account, your phone has never seen that contact.
It can also happen the other way. You saved the person in an account that is not on your phone at all.
On an iPhone, new contacts go to one default account. If that is not the account you use at work, the people you save on your phone do not reach your work account.
How to show your Outlook contacts on your phone
On an iPhone
These are Apple's steps.
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Apps, then tap Contacts.
- Tap Contacts Accounts, then tap Add Account.
- Choose your account type, such as Microsoft Exchange or Google, and sign in.
- Turn on Contacts.
If the account is already there, open it and check that Contacts is on.
New contacts you save on your iPhone go to its default account. To choose that account:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Apps, then tap Contacts.
- Tap Default Account, then choose the account for new contacts.
You can choose a default account once more than one account has Contacts on.
On an Android phone
Microsoft's steps use the Outlook app.
- Open the Outlook app and go to Settings.
- Under Accounts, tap the account you want.
- Switch Sync Contacts on.
If the switch is off and says contacts sync isn't turned on in system settings, turn on Auto sync data in the Accounts menu of your Android settings. Where that menu sits depends on your phone.
What it does not fix
Once both accounts are on your phone, you see both lists. The same person can still show up twice.
On an iPhone you can link the two cards. Open one contact, tap Edit, then tap Link Contacts. Your phone then shows one card. Apple says linked contacts aren't merged. A change you make is copied to each account where that information already exists. For the steps on an iPhone and a Mac, see how to remove duplicate contacts in iCloud.
Linking changes how your iPhone shows the cards. It does not save the contact in your other accounts. To merge the same person across accounts, read how to merge contacts across accounts.
Other ways to fix it
Sync from your computer. Outlook CalDav Synchronizer runs in Outlook on Windows. It syncs Outlook with Google or a CardDAV server. Your phone gets the changes after the computer syncs.
Save in one account. Choose one account for all your contacts. Add every new person there.
It works until you save someone in the wrong account. Then you have two contacts again.
Why does this keep happening? See why your contacts don't sync between accounts.
What ContactZapp does
ContactZapp connects your Google, Microsoft, Apple and CardDAV accounts. It syncs your contacts both ways between them. Save a contact once and it is added to your other accounts at the next sync.
Your phone then shows the name when someone calls, as long as it reads one of the accounts you connected. There is no app to install. Your phone gets the contacts through the account it already syncs with.
You choose how often it syncs: every hour, every day or when you ask.
ContactZapp also finds the same person across your accounts. It merges duplicates when you allow it. A merge keeps every phone number, email and address. You can undo any change or merge for 12 months.
FAQ
Why does my phone show a number when the contact is in Outlook? Your phone shows the contacts of the accounts you turned contacts on for. If contacts are off for your Outlook account on your phone, it cannot show the name. Turn contacts on for that account, or save the person in an account your phone already reads.
How do I show my Outlook contacts on an iPhone? Open Settings, tap Apps, then tap Contacts. Tap Contacts Accounts, then tap Add Account. Sign in to your account and turn on Contacts. If the account is already there, check that Contacts is on.
How do I show my Outlook contacts on an Android phone? Microsoft's steps use the Outlook app. Open Settings, tap the account under Accounts and switch Sync Contacts on. If the switch is off, turn on Auto sync data in your Android settings.
Does linking contacts on an iPhone merge them? No. Apple says linked contacts aren't merged. Your iPhone shows the linked cards as one contact. A change you make is copied to each account where that information already exists.
Do I need an app on my phone for ContactZapp? No. ContactZapp has no mobile app. Your phone gets the contacts through the account it already syncs with.