How to use Google Calendar Sync with Microsoft Outlook on Windows 7

There is an urban legend that Google Calendar Sync would not run on Windows 7. Indeed, if you follow the installation instructions Google Calendar Sync will first ask you for your credentials and consequently fail to connect to Google Calendar. In the following you’ll find an solution how to use Google Calendar Sync with Microsoft Outlook 2007 on a Windows 7 system that that is provided under a works on my machine premise.

Google Calendar Sync 0.9.3.5

Once saved, Google Calendar Sync will try to connect but fail with error 2006. There is not many information about this error beside various frustrated users ranting about this and some statements that the current version of Google Calendar Sync (0.9.3.5) is not supported under Windows 7 yet.

Google Calendar Sync Error 2006

In the current case we will even run Google Calendar Sync on a Windows 7 64-bit system. Before you continue, make sure you exit Google Calendar Sync. First of all open a Explorer window and navigate to C:Program Files (x86)GoogleGoogle Calendar Sync or C:Program FilesGoogleGoogle Calendar Sync on a 32-bit Windows 7 system.

GoogleCalendarSync.exe

Right click on GoogleCalendarSync.exe and select Properties. Now select the Compatibility tab, check the Run this program in compatibility mode for and choose Windows Vista (Service Pack 2) from the drop down list. Click on OK and restart Google Calendar Sync either from your desktop icon or from the start menu entry.

GoogleCalndarSync.exe Properties - Compatibility Tab

Once restarted you can happily sync Google Calendar with Microsoft Outlook 2007 on (even a 64-bit) Windows 7 system.

Google Calendar Sync running on Windows 7

The Compatibility mode of Windows is a great feature to make usage of legacy programs that have not been or will never bee updated to the latest Windows version. Since Windows 7 even mode modes (including Windows Server) back to Windows 95 are supported. The number of supported versions might vary depending on the Windows 7 version you use, however, the Vista and XP mode should always be available.

21 Comments

  1. Maureen

    Reply

    I hoping this would solve my problem but it may be beyond your scope. I have the SAmsung Epic phone (new) and so I switched to Google calendar etc. Outlook and Google calendar are syncing. If I input something on my phone in the calendar, it does not sync with Google calendar. Any ideas?

  2. Jeff Frame

    Reply

    You ARE THE MAN!!! Google Calendar synced so fast with Outlook!! Not only that, but Google Calendar immediately updated my new Droid X. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

  3. Rabb

    Reply

    Thank you, fixed my sync problem on win7 ultimate 64bit, I was starting to get annoyed that I had to use lightning and thunderbird to sync.

  4. Kat

    Reply

    Thank you! Now do you know if running in compatibility mode also works for Win 7 64 bit/Outlook 2010?

    • andreas

      Reply

      Kathryn, I meanwhile switched to Outlook 2010. Unfortunately, it seems that there is a new issue. This might be caused by the fact, that the plug-in does not play well with the new Outlook version. I might write about this once I figured out.

    • andreas

      Reply

      Hi Charles, unfortunately there are no news regarding Outlook 2010. The Google software just provides error numbers I cannot find any information for. That’s very unfortunate. Considering the time I had to spend in getting the Google tools running, I meanwhile switched entirely to tungle.me as online solution.

  5. Lottie

    Reply

    @Maureen – my HTC Desire is doing the same thing. I have to
    manually refresh the calendar then events I added on my phone show
    up. @Andreas – I tried the above solution without success. My sync
    does not give the same error code, it says could not connect to
    Microsoft Outlook error 2146959355 and to see the error centre
    (which of course tells me nothing). I have spent several hours
    working on this to no end. To be honest I cannot seem to figure out
    whether I am running Office 2007 in 32 or 64 bit. My operating
    system is Windows 7 (64 bit). And I am also trying to set up a
    Windows 7 (starter version) on a netbook with Outlook 2010 and it
    won’t sync either. I can sync the private url but not the public
    one. Of course I cannot edit the private one it is just a
    snapshot… so frustrated.

  6. dan

    Reply

    Tried this on Window 7 X64 on my Dell laptop.. no luck getting it to work.

    Any additional suggestions would be welcome..

  7. paul

    Reply

    the images associated with this post are missing. i see from your July 2011 post that you’ve migrated to WordPress. i guess the images didn’t make the trip? i had to search your blog for this article as my old link was 404. i think yours is one of the best descriptions of the workaround for Google Calendar Sync on Win 7, i refer to it whenever i’m re-installing. thanks for posting, sure hope you can find those images.

    • Reply

      Paul, thanks for pointing this out. Indeed, The images went to the digital nirvana during the migration. I will try to invest some time I restoring the images over the next few days / weeks.

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  9. vijay

    Reply

    I have install google sync 0.9.3.5 version but the error code is 2016 my oulook verion 2010 please helpme

  10. morningd3w

    Reply

    i did instal and setup like you said above, but still the calendar didn’t synched. the error message still the error 2016. is it just because i have password in my outlook? any help would be appreciated 🙂 thanks!

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