Calendar and contacts marked This computer only in Outlook: why IMAP does not sync them

E-mail·· 6 views· 3 min read

The short answer: IMAP only syncs e-mail. On an IMAP account, Outlook keeps the calendar, contacts and tasks in a file on the computer and labels them “This computer only”. That is why they do not appear on the phone or in webmail, and why they are lost if the computer breaks. To have them everywhere you need a proper calendar and contacts service.

What syncs and what does not

What On an IMAP account
E-mail and folders Syncs: it is on the server and every device sees the same.
Calendar Does not sync over IMAP: it stays “This computer only”.
Contacts Does not sync over IMAP: they stay on the computer. So do the address suggestions as you type.
Rules and signatures They live in Outlook on that computer. The signature is set up on each device.

Having calendar and contacts everywhere

1 Use the calendar and contacts in cPanel: the e-mail account can have synced calendars and address books (CalDAV and CardDAV). See calendars and contacts on your own domain.
2 Connect them on the devices that support them: phones and several desktop programs speak CalDAV and CardDAV directly. Outlook for Windows does not on its own: it needs a dedicated add-in, or use the calendar in webmail.
3 Before switching, export what you have: in Outlook, File > Open & Export > Import/Export and export the calendar and contacts to a file. Keep it off the computer.
4 Import into the new place (the cPanel calendar or the service you choose) and check on the phone that everything appears.
5 If you only need the contacts on another computer, exporting and importing a file is enough; no sync needed.
“This computer only” means exactly that. If the disk fails or you change computers without exporting, that account’s calendar and contacts are lost: the mail server has no copy of them.
When changing computers, IMAP mail comes back from the server by itself, but the calendar and contacts do not: export them before handing over the old computer.

Need help getting the calendar to sync? Tell us the e-mail account and the devices you use.

Open a support ticket

SEE ALSO

Calendars and contacts on your own domain

POP or IMAP: which to choose, and what you lose by picking wrong

Webmail or an e-mail app: which one to read your mail with

Adding a signature to your e-mails: webmail, computer and phone

Outlook is not syncing: missing e-mails and folders that do not update

Other e-mail apps on your phone: Gmail, Samsung Email and Outlook, with the same settings

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