To Exchange, or not to Exchange?

[i-am-andrew]

Hi,

I've finally reluctantly taken the plunge and bought my first Android phone (a Pixel 2) after being with Windows Phone/Mobile since day one.

All my email, contacts, calendar events, cloud storage etc etc are in Microsoft services. I have a Google account with a gmail address but it is just a shell for their services, any emails are forwarded to my Microsoft account and I don't store anything on my google account.

I want to setup my new Android phone in the best way possible for using Microsoft services. In particular I'm trying to work out whether I need to add my Microsoft account at the OS level (which I understand should be added as an Exchange account). There are some threads that mention this but I've not found anything conclusive.

I've installed Outlook and this seems to have synced my contacts so I can use them in the phone and messaging app. However I haven't really tested it much. I don't want to find new/modified contacts appearing in my Google account while my Microsoft account remains unchanged etc. I don't really like the Android outlook calendar compared to Windows Mobile, especially the loss of a week view with the whole week on screen.

I can carry on with trial and error but would really appreciate people's thoughts and experience on whether the Microsoft account should be registered at the OS level for the best use of Microsoft services for email, contacts, calendar and storage. And perhaps what people use for their calendar.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Andrew

 

[libra89]

You best bet is to use the Blackberry Hub or Nine. I have a similar situation to you and I personally use Nine which works perfectly. It's worth the amount that it is.

You can use Exchange as a setup option but sometimes it makes doubles and it doesn't work right.

 

[anon(10324754)]

You best bet is to use the Blackberry Hub or Nine. I have a similar situation to you and I personally use Nine which works perfectly. It's worth the amount that it is.

You can use Exchange as a setup option but sometimes it makes doubles and it doesn't work right.

This. Any email that lets you use exchange will get your contacts, their photos, appointments etc. etc. into your android phone. Nine is a good one. Boxer probably too. I have never signed into a google service or had an email with them and can still use google apps this way.

 

[i-am-andrew]

Thanks for your advice, Nine does look very good.

I've realised now too that the Microsoft apps operate via accounts at the OS level anyway so between Outlook, OneDrive, Office, Cortana, Edge, etc I have 5 or 6 accounts all associated with my Microsoft account added by the apps so I haven't added an Exchange account.

Most of it seems to be working fine at the moment, just having an issue with OneDrive and Pixel 2 Portrait photos.

 

[toph36]

I have a Pixel 2 XL. I have the Microsoft Launcher installed, I have all the Office apps installed including OneDrive. I have Cortana installed and linked to the Home Button. Even have Hey Cortana set up, but haven't tried it yet. I use Outlook for my email and Calendar, and Edge as my browser. I have Skype installed, but I am using Facebook Messenger as my SMS client.

If I didn't have to go into the Play Store, I would think this is a Microsoft phone. Only bought a "Google" phone because I got $300 off, plus a $250 gift card when I bought it at Target.

The one thing that I did was created a new Google Account using an alias I created off of my primary Outlook.com account. I did have an old Google Account for YouTube at one point, but haven't used it so long. I didn't want an @gmail.com account, and I did not want gmail at all. You can't uninstall the app though. Good luck.

 

[AndyCalling]

After having read the front page article, my response is as follows. I am not being sarky here, this is genuinely going to be my approach if I don't like the Surface not-Phone when it comes. The best way to get a good Windows experience with an Android phone is to get a small Windows tablet and tether it through the phone. That's my plan B and the experience is way better than trying to mod Android in some manner. I've tested it already.

 

[sfbest23]

True, you cannot "uninstall" the GMail app, however you should be able to go into Settings --> Apps --> find GMail in the list, click on it, then click "Disable". It should ask if you want to revert back to original version and uninstall all updates to it, then it will disable.

 

[theboyknowsclass]

Hi,

I've finally reluctantly taken the plunge and bought my first Android phone (a Pixel 2) after being with Windows Phone/Mobile since day one.

All my email, contacts, calendar events, cloud storage etc etc are in Microsoft services. I have a Google account with a gmail address but it is just a shell for their services, any emails are forwarded to my Microsoft account and I don't store anything on my google account.

I want to setup my new Android phone in the best way possible for using Microsoft services. In particular I'm trying to work out whether I need to add my Microsoft account at the OS level (which I understand should be added as an Exchange account). There are some threads that mention this but I've not found anything conclusive.

I've installed Outlook and this seems to have synced my contacts so I can use them in the phone and messaging app. However I haven't really tested it much. I don't want to find new/modified contacts appearing in my Google account while my Microsoft account remains unchanged etc. I don't really like the Android outlook calendar compared to Windows Mobile, especially the loss of a week view with the whole week on screen.

I can carry on with trial and error but would really appreciate people's thoughts and experience on whether the Microsoft account should be registered at the OS level for the best use of Microsoft services for email, contacts, calendar and storage. And perhaps what people use for their calendar.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Andrew

i made the same switch..this is what ive gone with so far

Nine for email / Calendar
Textra for sms
Simpler for contacts

plus the ms launcher and onedrive obv.

 

[anon(10324754)]

I have a Pixel 2 XL. I have the Microsoft Launcher installed, I have all the Office apps installed including OneDrive. I have Cortana installed and linked to the Home Button. Even have Hey Cortana set up, but haven't tried it yet. I use Outlook for my email and Calendar, and Edge as my browser. I have Skype installed, but I am using Facebook Messenger as my SMS client.

If I didn't have to go into the Play Store, I would think this is a Microsoft phone. Only bought a "Google" phone because I got $300 off, plus a $250 gift card when I bought it at Target.

The one thing that I did was created a new Google Account using an alias I created off of my primary Outlook.com account. I did have an old Google Account for YouTube at one point, but haven't used it so long. I didn't want an @gmail.com account, and I did not want gmail at all. You can't uninstall the app though. Good luck.

You don't have to use Play Store to download apps. I use the Apkpure app. Although whether these are exactly the same as store apps or more or less safe I don't know.

What I really want from MSFT, which I doubt will happen, is their own dedicated app ecosystem in Android. So when I turn on my new Android phone for the first time it asks me for my email and when I choose Exchange it logs into the native Outlook Email, Calendar, Contacts, etc, which then works with the messaging app. The same way when I get a Samsung it uses it's own native apps for these functions and not Gmail or Google photos or any of that other Google crapola. Even adding Cortana to the phone in a dedicated manner like Bixby on the Samsung would be cool. These are things you can do without Google's permission (maybe?). Also, MSFT has shown lately that they are very good at making apps for Android so I don't see why not.

 

[PNvmkpk]

I did the same for contacts on my S8+ and only issue I ran into was that WhatsApp thinks the contacts I sync through Outlook app are hidden and by default does not use them. Once I enable syncing hidden contacts, it is good. Now only things I miss from Microsoft (as Zac stated in one of his article) is a messaging app (that taps into the backed up messages by Windows Messaging), photos and a dialer app. I am not using any other google/Samsung apps (with the exception of Hangouts and Drive app).

 

[Urbautz]

The one thing i miss most ist the bing maps app. Sure, there is here, but i moved all my favorites to bing maps and now cannot use them on Android.

 

[nCogNeato]

After the Outlook app for Android let me down one too many times, I uninstalled Outlook and connected my Microsoft account at the OS level via built-in Exchange.

Works for *@hotmail.com, *@live.com, and *@outlook.com.

Instructions for stock Android 7 (menus for Samsung, OxygenOS, etc. may differ slightly):

• Settings > Accounts > + Add account > Exchange
• Enter email address - DO NOT select "NEXT"
• Select "MANUAL SETUP"
• Select Exchange
• Enter password
• Select "NEXT"
• Server: outlook.office365.com
• Port: 443
• Security type: SSL/TLS
• Select "NEXT"
• Complete setup

 

[FAHMI BASSEM]

After the Outlook app for Android let me down one too many times, I uninstalled Outlook and connected my Microsoft account at the OS level via built-in Exchange.

Works for *@hotmail.com, *@live.com, and *@outlook.com.

Instructions for stock Android 7 (menus for Samsung, OxygenOS, etc. may differ slightly):

• Settings > Accounts > + Add account > Exchange
• Enter email address - DO NOT select "NEXT"
• Select "MANUAL SETUP"
• Select Exchange
• Enter password
• Select "NEXT"
• Server: outlook.office365.com
• Port: 443
• Security type: SSL/TLS
• Select "NEXT"
• Complete setup

Does it sync contacts and calenders with the system normally as it does on Windows?

I've moved my contacts from Outlook to Gmail after several failed attempts to make it work normally...

 

[Genghis7777]

Hi,

I've finally reluctantly taken the plunge and bought my first Android phone (a Pixel 2) after being with Windows Phone/Mobile since day one.

All my email, contacts, calendar events, cloud storage etc etc are in Microsoft services. I have a Google account with a gmail address but it is just a shell for their services, any emails are forwarded to my Microsoft account and I don't store anything on my google account.

I want to setup my new Android phone in the best way possible for using Microsoft services. In particular I'm trying to work out whether I need to add my Microsoft account at the OS level (which I understand should be added as an Exchange account). There are some threads that mention this but I've not found anything conclusive.

I've installed Outlook and this seems to have synced my contacts so I can use them in the phone and messaging app. However I haven't really tested it much. I don't want to find new/modified contacts appearing in my Google account while my Microsoft account remains unchanged etc. I don't really like the Android outlook calendar compared to Windows Mobile, especially the loss of a week view with the whole week on screen.

I can carry on with trial and error but would really appreciate people's thoughts and experience on whether the Microsoft account should be registered at the OS level for the best use of Microsoft services for email, contacts, calendar and storage. And perhaps what people use for their calendar.

Thanks for your thoughts!
Andrew

 

[Jason Rosenthal]

I just got my Pixel 2 as well and I currently going all native apps and services until I find deficiencies. I really like that people hub on windows phone from 7.5 to 8.1. Has anyone found something similar to that on Android? I'd imagine that mail, contacts, sms, calendar and social media would all need to included into one mega app with widgets for it to work properly. The main requirement is that notifications of any type pertaining to a selected contact or groups of contacts are above other notifications. Plus I want to be able to see my next calendar event without opening the app. The years of being mocked for have a windows phone may be over, but there sure is a feature void going to stock Andriod.

One tip I'd like to add if you are frustrated with the Oreo keyboard is to turn off auto-correct on space or punctuation. It works more like word flow and won't change stuff that you've entered correctly, but still get all the suggestions.

 

[seasidepb]

The calendar module of the Outlook for Android app is hopeless. I've tried setting up an Exchange account rather than outlook.com so I could in theory use other apps (like Digical) but although the account sets itself up ok it doesn't retrieve any of my outlook.com data. So I gave in and started using google's calendar which I have to admit even on the Win10 is better than the system calendar (ever tried changing the default for reminders?). I'd much rather stay completely in the Microsoft ecosystem, but MSFT really needs to up its game to make that properly desirable. Oh and how about sorting out the Todo app so it's properly integrated with the otherwise excellent Microsoft Launcher?

 

[kbagrows]

I don't have a Pixel 2, am using a LG V20. Recently switched over from a 950XL. I set up my exchange account through the phones' OS. Initially, I tried to just do it through Outlook - what a mess. It didn't sync with the phone contacts, etc.

I believe LG has different native apps than the Pixel line, but regardless.... I have had really good luck with email, calendar, and contacts using the phones native apps. Any, the Microsoft launcher (that I also use) has no problem with shortcuts, upcoming calendar entries, etc. Works really well for me.

So, based on my experience, I'd recommend you avoid Outlook and use your phones' native apps.

 

[Dirigent82]

Instructions for stock Android 7 (menus for Samsung, OxygenOS, etc. may differ slightly):

• Settings > Accounts > + Add account > Exchange
• Enter email address - DO NOT select "NEXT"
• Select "MANUAL SETUP"
• Select Exchange
• Enter password
• Select "NEXT"
• Server: outlook.office365.com
• Port: 443
• Security type: SSL/TLS
• Select "NEXT"
• Complete setup

Does that server address only work if you're syncing O365 contacts? If you're trying to sync contacts from outlook.com, I've read the server address should be eas.outlook.com. I haven't tried it personally yet, but does anyone know?

 

[lazybum131]

Just got an Essential phone two days ago, updated to Oreo 8.1 beta and setting it all up.

So far the only true two-way syncing of Contacts I got to work was with Nine, which was super simple, just logged into my Microsoft (Hotmail.ca) account and selected it to sync contacts, no manual settings or anything else required. Sync in both directions is fast, auto-updates in under 30 seconds. If using Nine to refresh manually, changes from outlook.com happen immediately.

Outlook Android app and Blackberry Hub both failed, one way from Outlook.com to the phone was fine, but not the other way. Blackberry Hub was also weird in that in the Contacts app my contacts showed up under All Contacts but not under the sub-heading Contacts (said I had zero contacts). New phone contacts got saved under the sub-headed Contacts, but would not sync back to outlook.com.

I swore there was an option to setup an OS level Exchange account when I first used the phone on Nougat, but there's no Exchange option now under Settings -> Accounts in 8.1 on this phone so never got to try that method.

Boggles the mind a third-party like Nine can get it right but Microsoft can't in their own Outlook app?! Now is it really worth the $15(?) to buy Nine just for proper contact syncing...

 

[FAHMI BASSEM]

Just got an Essential phone two days ago, updated to Oreo 8.1 beta and setting it all up.

So far the only true two-way syncing of Contacts I got to work was with Nine, which was super simple, just logged into my Microsoft (Hotmail.ca) account and selected it to sync contacts, no manual settings or anything else required. Sync in both directions is fast, auto-updates in under 30 seconds. If using Nine to refresh manually, changes from outlook.com happen immediately.

Outlook Android app and Blackberry Hub both failed, one way from Outlook.com to the phone was fine, but not the other way. Blackberry Hub was also weird in that in the Contacts app my contacts showed up under All Contacts but not under the sub-heading Contacts (said I had zero contacts). New phone contacts got saved under the sub-headed Contacts, but would not sync back to outlook.com.

I swore there was an option to setup an OS level Exchange account when I first used the phone on Nougat, but there's no Exchange option now under Settings -> Accounts in 8.1 on this phone so never got to try that method.

Boggles the mind a third-party like Nine can get it right but Microsoft can't in their own Outlook app?! Now is it really worth the $15(?) to buy Nine just for proper contact syncing...

15$ is expensive, but it worths, you're going to use Android for very long time, think of it as investment. + Nine works great as a mail and calendar app!!