- Quit and reopen Outlook to resolve minor glitches that might prevent it from syncing.
- Clear the Outlook cache by navigating to Finder > Go > Go to Folder and entering ~/Library/Caches/Outlook, then delete the cache files.
- Use the Microsoft Database Utility to rebuild the Outlook database if the app is frequently crashing or not syncing.
- Go to Help > Check for Updates in Outlook and install any available updates to ensure you use the latest version.
Note : Before moving on to the fixes, ensure that your Exchange account credentials are correct so that the Outlook for Mac app can sync properly.
Fix 1: Ensure the Internet Is Working On Your Mac
With a poor internet connection, Outlook will not sync with your Exchange Server application. Therefore, the first and most important thing to ensure before moving on to the next method is whether you have a good and stable internet connection.
Fix 2: Unselect the Work Offline Option From Outlook Settings
The most common reason for Outlook not syncing on Mac is that you may be working in offline mode. This will not let you send emails or receive them, and your Apple mail will not sync with the Exchange server. Follow the steps below to fix this.
Step 1 : Press the Command + Space , type Outlook , and press Return .
Step 2 : On the top left corner, click on Outlook .
Step 3 : From the drop-down menu, uncheck the Work Offline option.
That’s it. With this, your Outlook for Mac should be able to sync without any issues. If it still doesn’t, jump to the next method.
Fix 3: Check and Confirm Exchange Connectivity
Step 1 : Press the Command + Space , type Outlook , and press Return .
Step 2 : Go to Tools from the top menu.
If there is an orange indicator against the existing Exchange account, it indicates some issues with the account. To fix this, you will need to disconnect and reconfigure the account. Continue with the steps.
Step 3 : Select the account and click the – (minus) icon at the bottom.
Step 4 : From the pop-up, click on the Sign Out button.
With this, you will be signed out of Outlook. Now, log back in using the account credentials. Once you log in, the issue will be resolved. If, for some reason, it didn’t, the next method may help.
Fix 4: Restart the Sync Services Agent Using Activity Monitor
Note : Quit the Outlook app on Mac before moving to the below steps.
Step 1 : Open Finder and click on Applications .
Step 2 : Under Applications, scroll down to find and click on Utilities .
Step 3 : Now, click on Activity Monitor.app .
Step 4 : Go to the Process Name tab, tap on Sync Services Agent , choose the process, and click the Quit option.
There you go. Now, close the activity monitor and open the Outlook app. The sync issue should have been fixed. If you don’t see Sync Services Agent, it’s not an issue; move to the next method.
Fix 5: Clear Outlook Mail Cache From Your Mac
Note : Ensure your Mac is connected to the internet. Additionally, Microsoft’s official support page shows the steps for emptying the cache for specific folders; however , that option isn’t available anymore.
Step 1 : Press the Command + Space , type Outlook , and press Return .
Step 2 : Go to Tools from the top menu.
Step 3 : From the drop-down menu, select Accounts .
Step 4 : In the Accounts tab, click on the three-dot icon .
Step 5 : From the drop-down, select Reset Account .
In the prompt, click Restart Now.
With this, you have successfully cleared your Outlook cache. Once you launch the Outlook app again, it will re-download emails from the server. This should sort out the syncing issue. If it doesn’t, move to the next method.
Fix 6: Rebuild the Database Using Outlook Profile Manager
Note : Make sure you quit the Outlook app on your Mac before beginning the steps.
Step 1 : Go to Finder and click on Applications .
Step 2 : Right-click on the Microsoft Outlook app and select Show Package Contents .
Step 3 : Click open the Contents folder and navigate to the SharedSupport folder.
Step 4 : Double-click on the Outlook Profile Manager.app app.
Step 5 : In the Outlook Profile Manager window, click the plus (+) button to create a new profile.
Step 6 : Right-click on the Profile and select Set as Default . Now, close the window.
Step 7 : Press the Command + Space , type Outlook , and press Return .
You will see a blank application, so go ahead and enter your account credentials. You will be good to go. This method should fix the syncing issue. If it didn’t, jump to the next method.
Fix 7: Update the Outlook App on Your Mac
If you have tried all the solutions mentioned above but still couldn’t fix the issue, chances are you are using an outdated Outlook version on Mac.
Note : If you have downloaded the Outlook app through the App Store, you can directly update the app from the App Store. The below method will not work for you.
Step 1 : Open the Microsoft Outlook app on your Mac.
Step 2 : Click on Help in the top menu bar.
Step 3 : Select Check for Updates from the drop-down menu.
Step 4 : Next, click Update next to Microsoft Outlook.
Note : Check the box that says Automatically keep Microsoft Apps up to date.
Download and install the updates, and restart the Outlook app. With that, the syncing issue should have been resolved. If you have any further queries, check out the next section.
One of the most effective ways to force Outlook to resync on a Mac is to reopen the Outlook app.
The synchronization of Outlook may take a long time due to several factors, such as a slow internet connection, incorrect account settings, large mailboxes, viruses or malware, firewall settings, add-ins, and incorrect proxy settings.
The fixes mentioned above should resolve Outlook for Mac’s not syncing issue. However, if none of the fixes mentioned above work, you can seek support from Microsoft support to fix the issue.
