How to Use Google Sync

Google Sync synchronizes Calendar and Contact information between Google and a user's desktop.

Google offers a free Contacts and Calendar service for its users. Google Sync synchronizes these services with desktops and portable devices. Windows users can use Google Sync to synchronize Google Calendar events with Outlook. Mac users can sync Google Calendar events with iCal and your Google Contacts with Address Book via iTunes. Google Contacts synchronization for the Mac Address Book requires a compatible iPod or iPhone.

Things You'll Need

• PC running Windows or Mac running OS X
• Google Account
• Outlook (Windows)
• iCal and Address Book (Mac)
• iTunes 7.7 (or later) and iPod/iPhone (Mac)

Instructions

1. Check your compatibility before starting. The Google Sync application will run Windows XP and Vista with Microsoft Outlook 2003 and 2007. It is not compatible with 64 bit Windows XP. For Mac OS X, you will need iCal, iTunes and an iPod or iPhone to use Google Sync services.

2. Download the Google Sync application from the Google website for Windows. Double-click the installation file to install it on your Windows machine. Open the Google Sync application and enter your Google username and password. Choose your Google Sync options. A two-way sync will sync your Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar together. Also choose to have your Outlook Calendar update to your Google calendar only, and vice versa.

3. Open iCal to set up Google Sync on your Mac.

   Navigate to Preferences -- Accounts and click the "+" button to add an account. Choose a descriptive name for the account and enter your Google credentials. Under Server Options, enter "https://www.google.com/calendar/dav/[e-mail]/user" (no quotes), replacing your Google email address where appropriate. Click "Add." Go to Delegation and select the Google calendars you wish to add to iCal.

4. Open iTunes to sync your Mac Address Book with your Google Account. Connect your iPod/iPhone and select it from the device list. From the Info tab select "Sync Address Book" and "Sync Google Address Contacts" check boxes. Click "Configure" and enter your Google credentials when prompted. Sync your device. This will sync your Google and Address Book contacts.

Tips & Warnings

• Perform backups on Outlook, iCal and Address Book before installing Google Sync. This will prevent any loss of data in case something goes wrong during installation.

• Disable and uninstall any third-party sync applications between Google and Outlook that may be running on your Windows machine. Google Sync will not work if another sync software is installed.

• When syncing your Mac Address Book to Google Contacts, all contacts will be copied over. As of August 2010, there is no way to exclude contacts.

References

• Google Sync Services
• iTunes: Syncing Address Book Contacts With Google