Comments on: Sync Google Calendar with Outlook

This article explains how to sync your Google Calendar with Outlook 2016, 2013 and Outlook 2010; it also provides an overview of free tools and services to help you choose the approach best suited for your needs. Continue reading →

Comments page 7. Total comments: 454

  1. Great original article.....extremely useful.....now that Google sync is dead, I'm using gSyncit, in a corporate environment, in an Active Directory Domain. gSyncit is working ok, but won't sync from Google to Outlook.
    Outlook to Google works though, so I'm managing!!
    And yes, I DO have the settings correct,before anyone asks. :-)

    1. Update:After logging off a few times, still had the same problem tying to manually sync, then after it's first "auto" update, everything worked fine!!...got 2-way sync'ing.

  2. Thank you!!! You were the first one mentioning Google Cal Sync was terminated and you even came up with new solutions.

  3. gSyncit seems fine. Not sure what "Google calendars was blocked by Google because evidently gSyncIt doesn't conform to "modern security standards" is about. Worked fine even with 2 factor authentication setup.

    1. I was the one who posted about gSyncIt not conforming to the security standards. I sent an email to the developers and they suggested I download version 4. I was running into the problem Nico mentions in comment 184 below. One of the features of v4 is "GOOGLE OPEN AUTHENTICATION SUPPORT: Migrated all Google syncing operations to use Open Authentication for better security and compliance with Google platform requirements."

      After I did that, everything is working fine.

      Thank you, Svetlana, for such an informative article!

      1. David,

        Thank you very much for the update!

  4. What a brilliant blog! I wish I had found it a month ago when, like everyone else, I received the dreaded e-mail from Messrs McGoogleScheister & Sons Inc..

    I wasted almost a week searching, researching, posting on blogs, forums, helplines etc, convincing Google I really WAS the admin for my account, getting useless help from clueless Microsoft support staff.. the lot, and was getting so confused by it all. At the 11th hour I found a wee posting on a blog called DroidLawyer which had a list of alternatives for GCS.

    I went for gSyncIt and invested my $19.99 (about £12.50) and I am SOOO GLAD I did. It's great, it is easy to set up, it does what I need and, by jimminy, it just works. When Fieldstone (its creators) answered my blog query about would it survive the 1st August deadline I even suggested they invest my $20 in sticky buns and a few beers (given that they're American, they probably thought I was some sort of pervert!).

    Anyway, for something simple with lots of potential, go for gSyncIt. If you don't want a 3rd party thing, there is apparently a way of doing it through setting up a pseudo exchange through Outlook.com but it rapidly got way above my skill set so I paid the money.

    Again, great blog Svetlana, thank you.

  5. Great post. Sync died for me today as well. Installed gSyncit and I'm happy... If anyone is not sure, it says it will not sync deletes for contacts, notes and tasks in the unregistered version.

  6. gSyncit works perfectly in both directions, thanks!

  7. Is any of this software able to sync without having Outlook open? That is one feature of Google Calendar Sync that I particularly appreciated. Also, some of these paid replacements are WAY overpriced: $30, $50, $60? That's nuts. I'll bet the prices all increased on August 1.

    1. As far as I know, none of the third-party syncing tools works with Outlook closed.

      As for the prices, gSyncit is still priced at $20 (have just checked it), and this is one-time payment. In comparison, Google charges $50 per year but offers a handful of advanced options.

  8. Excellent fix to sync Outlook and Google Calendar, thank you!! My Google Calendar Sync went down today; poof zap off it went, after about 6 months of having to manually click each time... I found this article and downloaded the software; the free version works on one pc; it seems each time you open up the app you have to let it offer a paid version for about 15 seconds then it loads. There are some nice features which let you tweak how and when and what to backup. Initially there seem to be some double entries but that is probably due to the settings I selected. Again, thank you!!

  9. Google Calendar Sync has stopped working this afternoon. Worked during the night...

    Now I need to find another free synchronization mode.

    Greetings from Brazil.

  10. Great article and comments! I just downloaded gSyncIt but access to Google calendars was blocked by Google because evidently gSyncIt doesn't conform to "modern security standards" (those are Google's words). Should I be worried about gSyncIt's security?

    1. Hi David,

      As Clankk reported in comment 181 below, gSyncit works fine even with 2 factor authentication setup.

  11. Hello, Now that Google Sync end-of-life is reached, I'm trying to decide between options. Any recommendations? I tried Sncqa; didn't like it because it creates multiple calendars on Outlook for each of my Google calendars. I was wondering if you knew of a solution that truly synchronized multiple calendars (and contacts) into a single Outlook calendar. Thanks so much for your help.
    Isau

  12. Looks like it dead now - getting geneic 2016 error...
    And it was working fine earlier today!

  13. Hello,
    I can't find a FREE version of gSyncit, only paid version on their website?
    Can some pls refer the link for the free version.
    Thx

  14. it seems to be working for me as well ??? and I checked it on both google and outlook so 2-way synching is working...does anyone one if they will still allow it ?

  15. Google Calendar Sync work for me as well ?!?!

    1. Google has made an official announcement that they do not _guarantee_ the correct work of Google Sync starting from Augusts 1, 2014.
      BTW, it still works for me too, but no one knows how long it will last...

  16. Don't sure why Google calendar sync still work for me. But if this service is stop. I decided to try gsyncit.

  17. Hi All - This info is helpful. I have a question that is a follow-up to Robin's recent post: Is there a way to get gSyncIt to sync Outlook meetings for which I am not the organizer? I had this problem with GCS and don't want to choose a new solution that has this same issue. I guess if gSyncIt doesn't sync Outlook meetings for which I am not the organizer, I may have to get Google Apps Sync as part of Google Apps for Business? Hopefully, that will work. Thanks in advance for your advice on this!

    1. Hello Stephanie,

      I think you'd better address the first question to gSyncIt's support who will be able to provide then most competent answer. As for Google Apps for Business, yes it includes the new version of Google Apps Sync.

  18. Like everyone else, I was very disappointed to find that google would discontinue the GCS program. I decided to try gsyncit and it has worked perfectly. I am syncing an iphone and outlook and have found no problems. I do not use the meeting functions and I can now sync contacts as well without any additional software which I could not do before with GCS. This article really helped me decide what the best course of action was for me. Thank You. Philippe, your trial and report back of Synqya was very helpful, so I really appreciate your feedback on what happened when you tried that option.

  19. Been running gSyncIt for a few weeks now. I've found it fails to sync meetings in Outlook that I am not the organiser for. Which rather defeats the object.

  20. awesome tips! unlike the rest of my search results, this actually worked! I now have my google calendar syncing to my work outlook calendar!

  21. Well finally, I tried SynqYa and not very glad.
    The parametrization is not evident but not too difficult.
    However, the main issue is the following: all entries for Outlook, which were the same than those in Gmail calendar have been exported without checks ==> my Gmail calendar has all entries in double. I had to eliminate all duplicates, one by one.
    All in all, I think the best solution is the following:
    - take the discipline to enter everything only in Gmail calendar
    - then show it in Outlook, by giving the URL in Outlook, as described in this excellent article.

    Philippe

    1. Thank you very much for your report Philippe! I will add this to SynqYa's Cons list.

  22. Excellent article. very detailed, pragmatic and helpful. I have decided for gSyncit and it works immediately. Big applause to Svetlana. Thanks

  23. Thanks Svetlana,

    This is very clear.
    I will try SynqYa.

    Best regards,

    Philippe

  24. Hi,

    I found this discussion very interesting ... but somewhat long.
    Could someone synthesize in a few sentences the pro's and contra's (limitations of the free version...) of the two main solutions SynqYa and gSyncit?

    1. Hi Philippe,

      I will try...

      gSyncit Pros: easy-to-configure, allows 2-way syncing of calendars, tasks and contacts; additional options such as pre-configured automatic syncing, removing duplicate items etc.

      gSyncit Cons: (free version): displays a pop-up window on Outlook start preventing Outlook usage for 15 seconds, supports syncing with one Outlook calendar only.

      SynqYa Pros: no client software, no installation (admin rights are not required), syncs Outlook, Apple iCal and other calendar software with Google Calendar.

      SynqYa Cons: more difficult to configure (based on our blog readers feedback), syncs with one calendar only.

  25. thanks alot. permission to put this on my blog with source from you sir!

  26. Thanks a lot.
    gSyncit is working well for me.

  27. I am behind a firewall with limited administrator rights and all sorts of limitations. Had a lot of difficulty using any of the suggestions. Thank you for "Calendar Sync for Outlook and Google Calendar is one more free tool that may work a treat (thanks Sam for contributing!)." Works like a charm!

  28. Great post! Thanks for all the clear, helpful information and all the followup. And shame on Google for pushing users away from Google Calendar and Android phones by trying to wean us from Outlook. Not gonna happen.

    1. Hi Russlaw,

      Agree to 100%! And thanks for your kind feedback :)

  29. I just want to say thanks! Gsyncit trial version is working perfectly for me now that Google calendar sync is defunct. I am using outlook 2013 and a Gmail account. I have constant consistent insync calendars on both computer and Android now. Exactly what Google calendar sync used to do. Thankyou for this information.

  30. I was a very hesitant gSyncit customer but finally took the dive. I went right for the purchase, buying a license for two PC's at about $30 USD. Installation went fine, but it definitely helps to look at the manual to configure it! The set-up was very straight forward when approached in a step-by-step fashion. I set it up to synchronize everything - calendar, contacts, notes, and tasks. Then I tested everything but notes. In Google, I added a "Google test event" to the calendar, "Google test contact" to contacts, and "Google test task" to the task list. Similarly, in Outlook I added an Outlook test event, contact and task as well. I then ran a manual sync (I selected the option to sync everything, so that first sync took about 10 minutes). I then ran a sync on my Android phone. When I checked, I found that the my dual Outlook and Google test entries had populated all three devices perfectly, and from what I could tell, all previous items I did not want to lose were still there, unchanged and neither missing nor duplicated. Then I deleted the test contacts from my Android & synced it, removed the test tasks directly from Google, and removed the test calendar events from Outlook. I ran a second manual sync from gSyncit, resynced my Android phone, and all test items were removed with surgical precision. That second gSyncit sync took only about twenty seconds.

    The software defaults to asking the user to confirm deletions of events, contacts or tasks in Outlook, which I realized was probably a good idea to prevent catastrophe, so I left that default alone (there, of course, is no corresponding default to confirm additions, which would render the software annoying). When I thought about it, I don't really delete anything in tasks, calendar or contacts that often, anyways.

    I highly recommend gSyncit, and this is from a very reluctant customer. It is well worth the price of admission, especially coming off GCS. It not only syncs calendar but I finally have contact, task and notes sync as well! I am about to explore the other options in the program, including synchronizing files with my DropBox Cloud, which would be a nice capability.

    I had two hesitations from the start - (1) spending money on new software always feels like a bit of a gamble, and - much more importantly - (2) I did not want to take a chance on having gSyncit step into a well-choreographed 3-way dance between my devices and screw it all up.

    I am happy to say that (2) is not an issue, and as far as (1), well, I'll have forgotten about that $30 long after I'm still enjoying the benefits of the software.

  31. I just setup my Outlook calendar to sync with gSycnit and I need help with the sync settings. I want to make sure I never loose in past calendar events from previous years, so I changed the setting to sync all appointments as I had Google Calendar Sync doing. However, it appears this add-in is constantly re-syncing all previous events that have passed where as the Google Sync didn't do each time it was syncing.
    I have over 2,000 entries and this can take longer than I would like if its going to re-sync each item every time. Please advise on what I should change my settings to make sure all 2,000 entries are always on my calendar after syncing is complete. Also, I noticed that I'm getting a pop-up box stating that some of the entries have been modified since its last sync, which is not true. Please advise on both issues if possible. I'm not sure if I have to check back here or if I will receive an email. If I never receive an email...I know to check back here...lol
    Thanks in advance.

    1. Hi Lisa,

      I have never had such issues and I believe you'd better contact gSyncit support since they know their own software better than anyone else.

  32. Hi Svetlana

    Fist of all, I apologize for my english
    Thanks a lot for all these detailled solutions

    My project is to publish several meeting room calendar (defined as resources in Exchange) on my intranet, using Google czaledanr iframe

    I decided to use SynqYa to synchronize my Oultlook calendar with Google calendar ... and it works fine :-)

    But my purpose is about regenerating updated data for SynqYa, without having Outlook open !
    For the calendar, I used the dedicated function "Publish online", "Publish to WebDav server", and in "Advanced" options, I choosed "Automatic uploads .." and for update frequency "Update this calendar with the server's recommanded frequency, .."

    But with these settings, the Google Clendar is not updated without having Outlook open.

    1/ Is there any way to generate uopdated data without using an opend Otlook ?

    2/ Do yiu know where I can find this timer in Exchange : "Update this calendar with the server's recommanded frequency" ... Seems to be set to 1 hour, and I would like to chnage it to 10 mn

    thanks

    1. Hi Jean-Luc,

      I am afraid there is no syncing tool that could work with Outlook closed. As far as I know, all such tools use the Outlook object model to retrieve information from Outlook calendars. You can try to find some Exchange-based synchronizer, but this would be much more expensive. Sorry, I cannot help with the second question, I have no experience with Exchange.

      BTW, your English is good, and you have nothing to apologize for :)

      1. Hi Svetlana
        Thanks for answering quickly
        I think a work aound could be to open a RDP session for the account associated with the ressource calendar, open Oultlok, and let it run 24/7 ... I'll try

        1. Hi Svetlana

          the work round seems to be working ...

          but I ot a new problem with deleted meeting :
          when a meeting is deleted form the oulook calendar, the synchronization with Google Calendar (thtough SynqYa) is KO ... the meeting is still there in the Goole agenda, and I didn't found any way to solve this kind of problem
          => this is very annoying :-(

          any idea ?

          1. Hi Jean-Luc,

            I am very sorry but I am not able to advise anything regarding this issue. You can probably contact SynqYa's support since they know their own product better than anyone else.

  33. I just hope that gSyncit and SyncYa aren't using same methods and connections as GoogleSync does, 'cause they all could go off in two weeks.

    1. Hi Rista,

      I think this is very unlikely to happen because Google has not announced any changes in their API that could impede functioning of third-party synchronization tools. They are just discontinuing their own software.

      1. As I said, I hope it's that way.

        But, if we look at the matter this way:
        Google isn't changing API so 3rd party can synchronize, and is changing API so gCalendarSync couldn't sync.
        Or - what is stopping us from using gCalendarSync 0.9.4.1 if API remains unchanged?

        1. Rista, thank you for sharing your thoughts and concerns.

          I am not a programmer myself, but we do have a few very experienced Outlook developers here. I've just consulted one of them and here's what he says. To discontinue Google Calendar Sync, Google does not have to make any changes in their API, they can prevent gCalendarSync's code from functioning at the programming level. One of many possible ways is that Google server could simply stop responding to gCalendarSync's calls.

          Moreover, if Google changed or planned to change the API, they should make a public announcement or at least notify their partners. This is considered a good practice and this is what we expect from any trustworthy company. Anyway, we will know with certainty in 2 weeks : )

  34. I wanted to report that I just installed gSycnit, Version 3 and tested it. The program performed perfectly on the first run, syncing both ways. First, I added a test appointment to Outlook 2010 and ran the sync (I run the sync manually) and it added the appointment to my Google calendar. My iPhone pulled the new appointment into my iPhone calendar without any issue. I then edited the appointment on my iPhone and the appointment was updated on my Google calendar. I then ran the sync again, and it updated Outlook. I will test it for a few more days but looks like I found a winner.

    And big thanks to Svetlana for the walk through on setting up the program. It was spot on especially in some areas that might have been a bit confusing.

  35. Just as a warning, Fieldston Software has posted this note on it's web page concerning it's most recent version of gSyncit. Find it at http://www.fieldstonsoftware.com/software/gsyncit4/

    IMPORTANT: Effective 7/10/2014 - RECALL

    DUE TO A NUMBER OF ISSUES REPORTED WITH V4 AFTER THE INITIAL RELEASE ON JULY 7TH, 2014 WE HAVE RECALLED THE SOFTWARE. WE ARE RECOMMENDING USERS TEMPORARILY INSTALL GSYNCIT V3 WHILE WE CORRECT THESE ISSUES. LICENSE KEYS WILL WORK WITH V3 AND V4 WHEN RELEASED).

    WE WILL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE "BETA" UPDATES TO V4 AS WE ADDRESS VARIOUS ISSUES AND EXPECT TO RE-RELEASE GSYNCIT V4 VERY SOON.

    1. Mark, a huge thank you again for letting us know!

  36. Thank you, Svetlana. BTW, your company should develop a product since you make Outlook Add-ins. I would buy it!

    1. Hi Mark,

      Thank you very much for your feedback!! In fact, it is more important to us than you probably think :) And here's why...

      Currently we do consider a possibility of creating such add-in. However, our initial research shows that developing a stable and reliable syncing tool would require quite a lot of time and effort. Our developers would have to overcome a number of pitfalls to get it to work consistently with all Outlook versions and localizations, and your next comment regarding gSyncit is a good evidence of this.

      So, I want to ask other readers. If you might be interested in such an add-in too (free or paid, or both versions with different sets of features), please let us know. Your feedback will be of great help to us to make the right decision. Thank you!

      1. Hi Svetlana,

        There are enough other apps in this space to mean you'll have to set yourself apart from them very well. My recommendation is based on the fact that I have been unable to find an app that syncs everything properly across Linux, Mac, and Windows.

        Basically you need gSyncit's features and syncYa's platforms.

        Another app to look at (which I wish was multi-platform, as it's all I need) is MyPhoneExplorer, available at http://www.fjsoft.at.

        PS: If you mail me directly, you'll have to go through automated white-list verification via an auto-reply to your first mail.

        8-)
        John

  37. I need to sync more than one calendar between Outlook and Google Calendar. Should I use SynqYa instead of Google Calendar Sync, since this sync is only possible between the defaults calendars both from Outlook and Google?
    Is there any advantage from using SynqYa instead of Google Calendar Sync?

    Thanks for the help and for your helpful article.

    1. Hi Filipa,

      The main advantage is that Google Calendar Sync will stop working altogether in about 2 weeks, on August 1, while SynqYa will keep functioning : )

      As for syncing multiple calendars, sorry I do not know, their web-site does not provide this info. But since they recommend using a dedicated publishing calendar in Google Calendar, most likely SynqYa works only for 1 calendar too.

      1. I believe that OggSync will handle multiple Google Calendars.

  38. I used the Google Calendar sync until now.
    I have found an opensource application, that enable one way sync between gmail and outlook. It works very well and no admin rights are needed.

    https://outlookgooglesync.codeplex.com/

  39. Thanks for the great article. Very helpful. I am considering the gSyncit solution and have 2 questions, if anyone can answer them.

    1. Will running gSyncit create a bunch of duplicate entries on any of my calendars (Outlook and Google) resulting in multiple entries on my iPhone/iPad?

    2. Will gSyncit require me to uninstall Google Sync? I really don't want to remove Google Sync until I am sure I have found an adequate replacement as Google sync will work for another couple of weeks.

    Thanks for any thoughts.

    1. Hello Mark,

      gSyncit does not require uninstalling Google Sync. However, if you had both applications running, you might have duplicate entries because each appointment would be synced twice. So, I would suggest temporary disabling Google Sync while testing gSyncit (not uninstalling, just turning it off in the COM add-ins dialog in Outlook). Also, make sure you selected the option "Remove duplicate appointments" on gSyncit's Sync Options tab.

      1. Never thought of disabling GCS through the COM addins! Whenever I found it necessary to disable GCS, I just took out the Google password from the GCS Google Account Settings.

        1. For what it is worth, I tried gSyncit, and selected the Category Mapping feature so Outlook Appointments with a Category assignment would be synced to a separate Google Calendar for that Category, which can be displayed or hidden in Google. Regrettably, after a few sync cycles, this created MANY duplicate Appointments on both sides.

          I switched to OggSync, and the Syncs worked very well, with categorized Appointments syncing to/from their respective Google Calendars. This has the added benefit that the Google Calender shows the Category Calendars in the same color as the Outlook Category.

          1. James - Are you still using gSyncit? I have multiple categories in Outlook, but need to sync to Google to allow the family to see the calendar.

            What were the issues with gSyncit that you needed to resolve?

            Thanks!

          2. UPDATE: The gSyncit Support helped me resolve the issues I mentioned above, and it now seems to be a bit better than OggSync. Certainly, the one-time pricing of gSyncit is a plus. I found the documentation a bit confusing, though, especially the features that are disabled until you buy the product.

  40. @James - I am not aware that gSyncit is $20/year. I think the $20 buys you unrestricted license for 1 PC rather than an annual subscription.

      1. Perhaps, I was hasty -- you are correct, it is a one-time $20 fee for a long term license; and yes, OggSync is $30/year.

        In my testing, though, (see my additional notes below). OggSync seems 'better' in that it more accurately replicates my CATEGORIZED Outlook Calendar to Google, and with out duplicating Appointments.

    2. Absolutely so. In case of gSyncit you get a time-unlimited license rather than annual subscription.

  41. Has anyone compared OggSync to gSyncit? Both seem to enable mapping of Outlook Categories to a unique Google Calendar that is added to your account. IN Google, you can select all of the additional Calendars, and your Google Calendar display will show the same color-coding for your Outlook Categorized appointments.

    I find this feature worthwhile, and since both of these products employ it, I am curious of any other comparative that would make the decision of which one to purchase easier. (gSyncit = $20/year; OggSync = $30/year)

  42. after installing and updating the free version of gSyncit I find out that not only do you have to wait for 10 second every time you hit the synch button but you are limited to 50 contacts. that is a bit more limitation than the ones mentioned above.

    1. I've installed gSyncit, it works well, with the problem indicated by Fred on comment 136. To sync the contacts, I use Outlook4Gmail, free, works perfectly for more or less 500 contacts.

  43. Used the Google Calendar sync until now and was looking for alternatives since it's going away. Like the others am sorely disappointed that Google and Microsoft can't work together... but until they grow up and figure out how to share the sandbox, thank you for this information! I set up Gyncit and it's working great for my calendar betw my outlook on my laptop, gmail calendar, and iphone. I can add, delete and edit on any of those and it flows between them.

    thank you again!

  44. This post is gold. Thank you so much. Google Apps Sync for only paid customers - just another reason to fight the power!

    1. Question for both gSync and SynqYa - is the syncing automated and scheduled? I don't seem to see any option for frequency of syncing in gSync. Thank you again!

      1. Never mind! For gSync, I found it under the Application Settings tab! Thanks!

        1. Hi Phil,

          Thank you for this great question (and the answer : ) I will point out this option in the article for other users to know.

          1. How about for synqya (automatic sync)?

  45. Thank you so much for this post! I'd been burying my head in the sand a bit concerning Google's calendar sync being discontinued and it was only a heads-up email from them this week that finally got me looking for an alternative. Your instructions for gSyncIt were very clear and helpful - it looks like it's working so far! Cheers!

  46. Thank You Svetlana - your article will greatly assist us in getting through this impasse :-)

  47. Well, yes, gSyncIt works.
    But pops up a window requiring you to clik on "evaluate" (or something like that), preventing outlook usage for 15 seconds each time you restart outlook :'(

  48. It sounds like the free version of gSyncIt does everything that GCS does plus more (up to 50 contacts), but to get full functionality you must pay. On the other hand for one PC at $20 or two PC's at $30, getting all that functionality while precluding the need for a paid Google subscription, I'm inclined to just support the software, buy it, and be done with it all....

  49. Hi Svetlana, I've received, as all, the google email this morning...and after several attempts and search, I've finally found your blog with a lot of useful instructions ! I've installed "gsyncit" and it works GREAT ! Thanks to you :-)

  50. Hi all,

    I am trying to use Google Apps Sync to sync my Gmail calendar to my outlook calenders. My emails already come through but when I try to use Google Apps Sync an error message comes up with

    'Google Apps Sync is not enabled for your domain'

    Can anyone help me to solve the problem?

    1. Hi Diane,

      Please keep in mind that Google Apps Sync is available for Google Apps for Business, Education, and Government accounts only. If your domain is in this category, you should definitely contact Google support for assistance.

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