Resolve Outlook Mac Not Syncing with Exchange Server Error

Last updated on June 9th, 2022 at 05:03 am

When the account data is updated as soon as possible, synchronization works well. The result of a synchronization error can be caused by bad connectivity or settings. 

Outlook for Mac, a Mac environment email client, allows you to configure the Exchange Server account. You can access the Exchange data in the email client application. The data is also updated through the synchronization processes. Users sometimes find themselves in an unfavorable situation, where Outlook for Mac stops synchronizing with Exchange Server. This is a very bad situation.

Related Post: How to Migrate OLM files to Office 365 or Outlook PST

Without troubleshooting, it is impossible to determine the exact cause. You could have bad Internet connectivity, poor encryption settings, unreliable LAN settings, failed server connectivity, files corruption, cache corruption or other causes. It is best to look at each aspect and then work on it. Refer to the next section.

Outlook Mac Not Syncing With Exchange Server

Below is a list of manual solutions that users can use to solve the Outlook Mac and Exchange Server synchronization problems.

  • Outlook Mac Internet Mode
  • Verify Exchange Server Connectivity
  • Clearing Outlook Mac Cache Files
  • Outlook Mac Database Rebuilding
  • Restarting Sync Services Agent
  • Reindex Outlook Mac
  • Utilizing Inbuilt Microsoft Database Utility

Checking Outlook Mac Internet Mode

Users sometimes forget to cancel the Work Offline mode for Outlook for Mac. This could cause synchronization problems between Outlook Mac and the Exchange Server. Launch the Outlook Mac app and go to Outlook>>Work Offline to check if Work Online mode has been selected. There will be a checkmark against the Work Offline option if it is selected. To remove it from the application, click on this button.

Verify Exchange Server Connectivity

To continue the synchronization process, it is essential to have the Exchange Server account configured correctly with the Mac Outlook app. It can be confirmed by users as follows.

  1. Move to Tools>>Accounts in Outlook for Mac.
  2. Next, search for the Exchange account you have configured. You can verify that the configuration problem is identified by an orange indicator.
  3. It is a good idea to disconnect the Exchange Server account and reconfigure it to Outlook Mac.
  4. Users can verify the Exchange Server account status via Outlook for the Web. If it is in a good state, they can connect to it using the Outlook for The Web.

Clearing Outlook Mac Cache Files

Cache files can become corrupted or remain incomplete due to factors such as abrupt shutdowns of applications, power interruptions, viruses intrusions, and so on. These files can corrupt synchronization processes in a negative way. It is better not to delete the Cache files in an Exchange folder that isn’t synchronizing at the moment.

  1. Confirm the connection between Outlook for Mac and Exchange Server.
  2. Right-click on the Exchange folder to open it, then click Properties.
  3. Click on the Empty Cache option in the General tab of the Properties dialog box.
  4. All Cache files will be deleted.

Outlook Mac Rebuilding

Outlook Mac users have the option to re-build their database file. This is a troubleshooting process. Let’s take a look at it briefly.

  1. Exit Outlook Mac and related applications
  2. Copy the Outlook Mac or Identities folder to the system C drive.
  3. Launch the Microsoft Database Utility app (press Alt key, and then the Outlook icon).
  4. Open the utility and select Identity for rebuild. Click on Rebuild.
  5. In a matter of minutes, the rebuilding of the chosen identity file will begin.

Restarting Sync Services Agent

This is another solution to Mac synchronization using Exchange Server. These are the steps.

  1. Close Outlook for Mac.
  2. Navigate to Applications>Utilities>Activity Monitor.
  3. Navigate to the Process Name section, and click on Sync Services Agent.
  4. Click on the Quit button after you have completed the selection process.
  5. Close the Activity Monitor, and then start Outlook for Mac again to verify the synchronization process.

Outlook MAC Reindexing Application

This guide will help you configure Mac Outlook with Exchange.

  1. All running applications must be closed.
  2. Click on Outlook icon and hold the option in your launcher. The Outlook Index tool will open.
  3. Click on the Reindex button and select the database.
  4. After the Reindex process has been completed, open the terminal and click the following commands. sudo mdutil -E / sudo mdutil -i on /

Utilizing In-built Microsoft Database Utility

Microsoft’s in-built utility, Microsoft Database Utility (Microsoft Database Utility), can be used to correct minor bugs or repair OLM files that have been corrupted by the Scan option. This tool can be found at the following location:

Microsoft Office 2011/ Office Applications

You can also launch it using the native method.

Click on Scan to start the scanning and repair process. It will take a while for it to complete.

After performing the native fixes, the next step would be to check if the synchronization between Outlook for Mac and Exchange Server is active and if Exchange email are being updated in client applications.

Users may choose to move to Windows from the Mac environment for compliance reasons or business requirements. Users will need to Import Mac OLM Emails into Outlook to continue using Outlook Mac data within the Windows supported email client Microsoft Outlook.

The manual method of converting OLM to PST files format would be a poor choice. It is more time-consuming and less flexible than the automated one. We offer a better solution: OLM to PST Converter. This tool converts OLM files to Microsoft Outlook-supported PST file formats. This PST file can easily be imported into your Outlook application to continue use. This converter tool makes it easy, straight-forward, simple, and flexible. It supports all versions of Outlook for Mac and Microsoft Outlook. This tool is available in a free version. We wish you a wonderful experience.

Wrapping up

After troubleshooting the basic issues, you can resolve synchronization issues between Outlook for Mac account and Exchange Server account. We have provided all possible causes and solutions in this blog.