Microsoft 365 contact sync for iPhone and Android
Contactzilla imports your Microsoft Entra ID users into a managed address book and puts it in the native Contacts app on every staff phone, with caller ID and automatic updates.
See Microsoft 365 contact sync in action
From the Entra ID import to contacts on iPhone and Android, end to end.
What your team gets on their phones
The company directory where people actually look for it: the Contacts app, the Phone app and Messages.
In the native Contacts app
On iPhone there's no extra app to open. The directory sits in Contacts, alongside personal contacts.
Caller ID for colleagues
Mobile numbers from Entra ID match incoming calls, so staff can see who's ringing.
Organised by department
Department lists come through from Entra ID, so staff can browse a team as well as search.
Leavers drop off
Disable someone in Entra ID and their contact can be removed from every phone on the next import.
How Microsoft 365 contact sync works
Connect Microsoft Entra ID
Contactzilla reads your directory through Microsoft's own admin consent, with read-only access. Nothing is written to individual mailboxes.
- Whole tenant or a single Entra group
- Import manually, hourly, daily, weekly or monthly
Choose who and what reaches the phone
Map Entra fields to contact fields, filter out service and shared-mailbox accounts, and decide how leavers and duplicates are handled.
- Require a mobile number before import
- Exclude specific Entra groups
- A hidden Entra ID field stops duplicates on every sync
Deploy to phones through your MDM
Create a read-only device connection and upload it to your MDM. Contacts appear in the native Contacts app on the next check-in.
- iPhone: a standard iOS configuration profile
- Android: the Contactzilla Sync app from Managed Google Play
See it working with your own Microsoft 365 directory
Start your free 14-day trialNo credit card required ✦ Test with your existing MDM
Prefer the walkthrough first? Read How to Sync the Global Address List (GAL) to iPhone Contacts →
Why the Global Address List alone doesn't put contacts on phones
Microsoft 365 keeps the GAL as a directory you search, not a contacts account the phone stores. The usual workarounds each leave a gap.
- GAL search only: Outlook can look colleagues up, but the Contacts app stays empty and calls show a number, not a name.
- Outlook "Save Contacts": Copies one mailbox's contacts to the phone, with mixed results and duplicates across a fleet.
- Scripts and Graph exports: Someone has to build, schedule and maintain them, and they write to mailboxes rather than phones.
How the options compare
Ways to get Microsoft 365 colleagues onto staff phones, and what each one leaves you with.
| Option | In the phone's Contacts app | Caller ID | Stays up to date | Upkeep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GAL search in Outlook | No, search only | No | Yes | None, but nothing reaches Contacts |
| Outlook "Save Contacts" | Mailbox contacts only, not the GAL | Yes, for saved contacts | Per mailbox | Per user; duplicates are common |
| Scripts or Graph exports | Only through each mailbox | Only with Save Contacts on | Only if scheduled and maintained | High |
| Manual CSV or vCard export | Yes, once imported | Yes | No | Repeat by hand |
| Contactzilla | Yes, read-only | Yes | Yes, on your schedule | Low after setup |
Works with the MDM you already run
Contactzilla gives you the deployment file for each platform. Your MDM decides which phones receive it.
iOS profile deployment
Generate a Contactzilla .mobileconfig profile for CardDAV deployment and upload it to your MDM.
Android Enterprise deployment
Deploy Contactzilla Sync from Managed Google Play. Your MDM applies the managed configuration, and contacts sync into the native Android Contacts app.
Designed for your existing MDM
Use Contactzilla with Intune, Jamf, Mosyle, Workspace ONE, MaaS360, Hexnode, NinjaOne, SOTI and ManageEngine.
No MDM? Still covered
Small teams can set phones up by hand, without Intune or any other MDM.
The right contacts, delivered securely to the teams that need them
“Contactzilla has made it super easy for us to deploy and update critical team contacts automatically via MDM or manually via email — and locking the lists means crews in the field always have the right information without risk of accidental changes.”
Sam Simanjuntak
Central Pierce Fire & Rescue
““Contactzilla has added the ability to synchronize and share critical contacts across our field devices - ensuring consistent access for those delivering care in fast-moving situations. It's been a perfect addition to our MDM setup.””
Sean Skaugen
North Hayes County EMS
Security and data protection
Contactzilla protects shared contact data with security controls, privacy safeguards and managed access.
Questions IT teams ask
Does it work without Intune?
Yes. The same Contactzilla profile deploys through Jamf Pro, Mosyle, Workspace ONE, MaaS360 and other MDMs, and small teams can set phones up without an MDM. How to Sync the GAL to iPhone and Android Without Intune covers each route.
Do staff need to install anything?
Not on iPhone. The contacts arrive as an account in the built-in Contacts app, pushed by your MDM. Android phones use the Contactzilla Sync app, which your MDM can install from Managed Google Play.
Can staff edit or delete the company contacts?
Not with a read-only connection. Staff can call, message and search, while changes are made centrally in Contactzilla or come through from Entra ID.
How often do the contacts update?
As often as you set the import to run: manually, hourly, daily, weekly or monthly. Phones pick up the changes on their next sync.
Does it cover Android as well as iPhone?
Yes. The same address book reaches Android phones through the Contactzilla Sync app. How to Sync the Global Address List (GAL) to Android Phones explains the Android side.
Is there a step-by-step guide?
Yes. How to Sync the Global Address List (GAL) to iPhone Contacts walks through every stage with screenshots, and the help article Import contacts from Microsoft Entra ID to Contactzilla has every click.
Put your Microsoft 365 directory on every staff phone
Start your free 14-day trialNo credit card required ✦ Test with your existing MDM
