Problems with iCloud Control Panel 4.0 for Windows and Outlook 2013

Question

I've been having trouble with the iCloud Control Panel for Windows for some time. iCloud works great on my iOS devices and Mac, but on my work computer, the Photo Stream has never worked reliably. I just upgraded to version 4.0 in hopes that this would resolve the Photo Stream problem and instead lost the ability to sync with Outlook 2013 (on Windows 7).

My IT department had just deployed Outlook 2013 and had left Outlook 2010 installed. While iCloud had been working just fine with Outlook 2013, after upgrading to 4.0, it complained about the double install of Outlook. I called IT and asked them to uninstall 2010 (I don't have administrative privileges on the computer, sadly). After they did, instead of the Mail/Contact/Calendar sync option reappearing in the iCloud control panel, it now has just the other options and a message that says "You can access Mail, Contacts, Calendar and Reminders at iCloud.com." The Outlook add-in is active for iCloud (though I can't see its toolbar icons), but my calendar and contacts no longer sync.

I've had IT reinstall the iCloud control panel to no avail. Does anyone have any suggestions on what I could try (especially if they don't require administrative privileges)?

Answer 1

I fixed a friends computer who had a similar issue. After I uninstalled Office 2010 I had to go back in and repair Office 2013. (go to program and features > Microsoft Office 2013 > Change). Reboot. Then go back to Programs and features and repair iCloud. (again reboot). Now you should be able to go back to the icloud control panel and see the option to setup outlook. I think the file associations got mixed up after uninstalling 2010 which is causing the issue with the control panel.

Good luck!

Answer 2

I had a similar problem to @Timothy R Butler's. The check box for Mail/Contact/Calendar sync was missing from iCloud for Windows after installing iCFW version 4.0.2. Outlook 2013 calendar sync with iCloud had worked before, but now my iCloud calendars were completely missing from Outlook 2013.

My setup: PC running Windows 7, Office 2013 installed over Office 2010.

Part of the confusion came from the fact that Apple has apparently renamed "iCloud Control Panel for Windows" to be simply "iCloud for Windows." Most of the posts I found referenced the "Control Panel" app but all of the links sent you to an "iCloud for Windows" download page.

Here's what I did to fix the problem. It's very similar to @daverb65's solution.

1. Sign out of iCloud for Windows
2. Uninstall iCloud for Windows
3. Uninstall Ofiice 2010
4. Control Panel->Programs and Features->Microsoft Office Standard 2013->Change->Repair
5. Reboot Windows
6. Install latest iCloud for Windows
7. Sign in to iCloud for Windows

Voila, the check box is back, and iCloud for Windows prompts you to sync with Outlook.

Answer 3

While it is possible to use the uninstall iCloud and Office method, there are shorter ways to do this.

1. shut down Outlook
2. sign out of iCloud for Windows
3. in Control Panel -> Programs select Microsoft Office and instead of uninstall, select repair and then if the option presents itself online repair (Office 2013)
4. when done sign back into your office account (if necessary) but make sure outlook is not running
5. sign into iCloud

ps - when you cannot access the iCloud folder in Windows because it errors every time, you cannot get access to it's properties. Go to File -> Account Settings, and if there is none there, add the see data files option to your Outlook ribbon and access it there. I recommend deleting the old iCloud Outlook file (but no others, as they are for your email and calendars etc!) as iCloud will resync it anyway.