OLEXP: No Option to Synchronize Windows Address Book to Hotmail Address Book (221569)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 for Windows 95
  • Microsoft Outlook 2000
  • Microsoft Outlook 98
This article was previously published under Q221569
For information about the differences between Microsoft Outlook Express and Microsoft Outlook e-mail clients, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

257824 OL2000: Differences Between Outlook and Outlook Express

SYMPTOMS

The option to synchronize between the Windows Address Book and a Hotmail address book does not appear on the Tools menu in Windows Address Book.

CAUSE

This behavior occurs because Windows Address Book is shared with the Outlook contact list. Synchronization of a shared address book is not currently supported.

RESOLUTION

To work around this issue, discontinue sharing the address book:
  1. In Outlook Express, open the Windows Address Book.
  2. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click Do not share information among Microsoft Outlook and other applications.
Any entries that you add to the address book while in Outlook do not appear in the Windows Address Book. If you want to transfer contacts from Outlook to the Windows Address Book, use the following steps:
  1. Start Outlook.
  2. On the File menu, click Import and Export.
  3. Click Export to a file, and then click Next.
  4. Click Comma Separated Values (Windows), and then click Next.
  5. Click Contacts, and then click Next.
  6. Choose a location and name for the exported file, and then click Next.
  7. Verify the actions on the screen, and then click Finish.
  8. Exit Outlook.
  9. Start Outlook Express, and then open the Windows Address Book.
  10. On the File menu, click Import, and then click Other Address Book.
  11. Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Import.
  12. Browse to the file you exported from Outlook, click the file, click Open, and then click Next.
  13. Verify the field mappings, and then click Finish.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed that this is a problem in the Microsoft products that are listed at the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION

For additional information about sharing information between Outlook and Outlook Express, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

179505 OL98: (IMO) How Do I Share Information Between Outlook and OE

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:6/28/2004
Keywords:kbprb KB221569
©2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.