Re-sync or repair Outlook data

If you're using Google Workspace Sync for Microsoft Outlook (GWSMO) and you notice problems with your data in Outlook, such as missing email messages or calendar events, try repairing your local profile by synchronizing again. You can re-sync Gmail, Google Contacts, Calendar, and other data.

Re-synchronizing with Google overwrites local data with data stored on Google's servers, rather than performing a two-way sync. In rare cases, you might lose changes made in Outlook, such as a contact you recently edited.

Re-sync your data

Important: You can continue to work during a re-sync but be aware that a re-sync can take a long time and consume significant resources.

1. (Optional) If you're re-syncing calendars, GWSMO might start syncing different calendars than before. To ensure this doesn't occur, select the calendars you want to sync.

   For details, go to View & manage your calendars.

2. Click GWSMO in your Microsoft Windows taskbar notification area.

   If you can't find the icon, it might be hidden in the overflow area. To view all icons, click the up arrow on the taskbar.

3. Click View sync status.
4. Next to the type of data you want to re-sync, click Re-sync ​​​​​​.
5. Select either Overwrite or Delete and re-sync.

   For details, go to Syncing options.

6. Click Re-sync.

Syncing options

Overwrite (try this option first)

This option overwrites your local profile with data from Google, updating only the data type you selected. It preserves Outlook-specific data, such as follow-up flags, color categories, and distribution lists.

Delete and re-sync

This option deletes local data from your Outlook profile, then re-syncs with the cloud to repopulate your local profile with data from Google. It only deletes and re-syncs the data type you have selected. Choose this option after trying the Overwrite option.

The Delete and re-sync option removes Outlook-specific data from your local profile, including all data Google doesn't store (such as follow-up flags, color categories, calendar attachments, and distribution lists). However, it does so only for the data type you're syncing. For example, you can repair your calendars without losing mail categories, or repair your mail without losing distribution lists from your contacts. For details on what isn't synced with Google, and would be lost when using this option, go to What's synchronized?

After a re-sync

If you re-sync email data, incoming messages appear in your Inbox when the re-sync is complete. However, existing messages are delivered immediately.

If you re-sync personal contacts, GWSMO removes empty contact folders from Outlook so you need to re-create them.

Troubleshoot

If an item isn't successfully synced by GWSMO, messages might not appear in Outlook. Check your trace log files for relevant information.

Outlook indexing issues might prevent messages from appearing in your searches, and these issues won't appear in GWSMO's trace log files. For more information on Outlook search issues, consult this Microsoft article. You can try to resolve indexing issues by clearing your local storage and downloading all your mail using the Delete and re-sync option.

Related topics

• View & manage your calendars
• Set a local mailbox size
• Synchronization issues

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