Deploy a managed Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) profile for contact synchronization.
Organizations can adopt this approach by deploying the following policies: This approach results in two synchronization paths – Outlook leverages the native Microsoft sync technology for synchronizing data within Outlook, and ActiveSync is leveraged by iOS to synchronize the contacts.
With this contact synchronization model in place, users no longer need to leverage Outlook for iOS’s contact export synchronization process. On enrolled devices, users can leverage an Exchange ActiveSync profile that only synchronizes contacts. However, with the Managed Exchange ActiveSync Profile improvements introduced in iOS13/iPadOS, organizations now have an additional capability to configure how users can manage contacts on mobile devices. Unfortunately, these issues are not something that Outlook for iOS can solve as we’re completely dependent on the operating system to provide a supported mechanism for bi-directional synchronization and for delivering managed contacts.
We recognize that there are limitations and/or concerns with our contact export process, such as: This functionality enables Caller-ID, iMessage, and FaceTime integration for users’ Outlook contacts. As many of you know, Outlook for iOS supports a one-way contact export process whereby contacts from within Outlook can be exported into the native iOS Contacts app.