How to Sync Global Address List (GAL) to iPhones
Syncing the Global Address List to iPhones is a common requirement in Microsoft 365 environments – and yet ont that isn’t handled automatically.
In Microsoft 365, contact information usually lives in the Global Address List (GAL), Entra ID directory users, or mail contacts backed by Microsoft Exchange. That data is maintained centrally and kept accurate. The problem is not where the data lives. It’s how to make that same data available on iPhones as real device contacts.
By default, Microsoft’s directory and Exchange services do not publish the Global Address List into the iPhone Contacts app. Directory access and contact deployment are separate concerns. As a result, company contacts may be searchable, but they are not always present on the device in a way that supports native calling, messaging, and reliable caller ID.
What most teams are trying to achieve is straightforward: one shared company contact list, visible in the iPhone Contacts app, kept in sync as people join, leave, or change roles, and managed centrally without relying on manual steps on each device.
This article explains a practical way to do that. It focuses on using Microsoft Entra ID as the source of truth and delivering those contacts to iPhones in a controlled, repeatable way that fits alongside common MDM platforms such as Intune, Jamf, MaaS360, and Mosyle.
Tip 💡Prefer a walkthrough? Watch our Microsoft Entra ID contact sync video to see how the Global Address List is imported and deployed to iPhones step by step.
What we mean by syncing the Global Address List to iPhones
In a typical Microsoft 365 environment, contact data can exist in a few different places:
Global Address List (GAL)
This is the organisation-wide directory exposed by Exchange. It includes users, mail contacts, and distribution lists. It’s primarily designed for email addressing and directory lookups.
Entra ID directory users
These are the identity objects that represent people in your tenant. They hold attributes such as name, phone numbers, job title, and department, and are often the underlying source for GAL entries.
User mailbox contacts (Exchange contacts folder)
These live inside an individual user’s mailbox. They behave like personal contacts and are synced to devices through Outlook or ActiveSync.
All of these contain useful contact information. None of them, by default, represent a shared contact list that is deployed to iPhones as device contacts.
In this article, syncing the Global Address List means:
- A single, managed contact list based on Microsoft directory data
- Maintained centrally and kept up to date
- Delivered to iPhones as a contacts account, not just a searchable directory
- Visible in the native iOS Contacts app
- Managed independently of individual user mailboxes
Why the Microsoft Global Address List is not deployed to iPhones by default
Microsoft 365 separates directory data from device contact sync by design which is why GAL synchronization to iPhones does not happen by default.
The Global Address List is generated from directory and mail-enabled objects on the Exchange server. Its primary role is to support email addressing and directory lookups inside Microsoft services. It is not a contacts database that devices subscribe to or sync from.
On mobile devices, Microsoft relies on a mailbox-centric sync model. Exchange ActiveSync and Outlook sync the contents of a user’s mailbox, including the mailbox Contacts folder. They do not sync directory objects directly. If a contact does not exist inside a mailbox, it is not pushed to the device as a contact record.
iOS follows the same distinction. The Contacts app only displays contacts that belong to a configured account, such as iCloud, a CardDAV account, or an Exchange mailbox. Directory data on its own typically does not create contact entries on the device.
Because of this separation, delivering the Global Address List to iPhones as real device contacts requires additional tooling or a different sync model.
Common approaches to syncing the Global Address List to iPhones
| Approach teams use | How it works (and what it implies) |
|---|---|
| Mailbox-based sync via Microsoft Exchange / ActiveSync | Directory contacts are copied into each user’s mailbox Contacts folder, then the iPhone syncs mailbox contacts via Exchange/ActiveSync (or Outlook contact sync). Depends on: A process/tool to write contacts into mailboxes and keep them updated; per-user mailbox management. Limitations: Creates many mailbox copies; user edits can cause drift; results can vary depending on client mix (native iOS Mail vs Outlook). |
| Outlook mobile app contact handling | Outlook for iOS is used as the contact experience, often by enabling its contact sync / “save contacts” behaviour so contacts appear in the device contact list. Depends on: Outlook app configuration, user sign-in state, and iOS contact permissions. Limitations: Can be inconsistent across environments; duplicates are common in mixed setups; hard to enforce a locked, centrally controlled “shared list” experience. |
| Manual export/import (CSV or vCard) | Export contacts from Microsoft 365 to CSV/VCF, distribute the file, and import into iOS Contacts. Depends on: A repeatable manual process and device/user participation. Limitations: Not continuous sync; updates and joiners/leavers require re-export and re-import; no central control once imported. |
| Shared mailboxes / public folders for contacts | Store contacts centrally in a shared mailbox contacts folder or public folders and grant access through Exchange/Outlook. Depends on: Exchange structure and permissions; Outlook clients for access. Limitations: Mobile behaviour is inconsistent; shared mailbox/public folder contacts often don’t land as clean native iPhone Contacts entries without additional mechanisms. |
These approaches all try to bridge the same gap: directory data is not a contacts account on iOS. The alternative is to publish directory contacts as a shared address book that iPhones can subscribe to.
A directory-driven approach: sync the Global Address List to iPhones without mailbox copies
A more reliable approach is to treat company contacts as a shared resource, not something tied to individual user mailboxes.
Instead of copying directory data into each user’s account, the directory remains the source of truth and publishes a single, shared address book that represents the organisation’s contacts.
This is the model used by Contactzilla.
Contactzilla connects directly to Microsoft Entra ID and imports directory contacts into a managed address book, which is then deployed to iPhones as a contacts account. From the device’s perspective, it behaves like a standard contacts source.
Contacts appear in the native iOS Contacts app and are available for calling, messaging, and caller ID.
Because contacts are managed centrally, updates flow from the directory to devices automatically. Joiners, leavers, and role changes are handled once and reflected across all devices without user involvement.
This approach aligns with how iOS expects contacts to be delivered. Treating the Global Address List as a shared contact list, rather than something tied to individual users, makes deployment and ongoing management much simpler.
Deploying the Global Address List to iPhones using MDM
Most organisations already manage iPhones through an MDM. Contact deployment needs to work the same way.
Contactzilla is designed to integrate with MDM platforms rather than bypass them. It generates a standard iOS configuration profile (.mobileconfig) that defines a managed contacts account on the device.
That profile can be deployed using tools such as Microsoft Intune, Jamf, MaaS360, Mosyle or Workspace One (Omnissa). From the MDM’s perspective, it’s a standard configuration payload. No app install is required and there is no per-user setup on the device.
Once deployed, iOS treats the address book as a managed contacts source. Contacts appear in the native Contacts app and are controlled centrally through MDM.
This model is designed to work at scale. Profiles can be assigned during enrollment, scoped to groups, and re-applied automatically when devices are replaced or reassigned.
Tip 💡 Contactzilla integrates with leading MDM platforms by generating standard iOS configuration profiles for deployment.
If you’re rolling out contacts at scale, follow our step-by-step MDM setup guides below:
Microsoft Intune | Mosyle MDM | Jamf Pro | IBM MaaS360
Sync shared company contacts to Android devices
If your organisation uses Android devices alongside iPhones, the same model applies. Contactzilla supports Android through the Contactzilla Sync app, which delivers shared contacts directly into the native Android Contacts app. The same controls are available: contacts can be read-only or read-write, and deployments can be limited to specific labels or groups where required.
How to sync the Global Address List to iPhones (4 Step Overview)
- Connect Contactzilla to Microsoft Entra ID
- Sync Entra directory contacts into a managed address book
- Map Entra fields and define update behaviour
- Deploy the address book to iPhones via MDM
Prefer step-by-step instructions? See the full Microsoft Entra ID contact list importer guide or watch our Microsoft importer Youtube video.
Step 1: Connect Contactzilla to Microsoft Entra ID
Start the Microsoft Entra ID importer from within the Contactzilla dashboard and create a secure connection to your Entra tenant.
Contactzilla guides you through Microsoft’s OAuth consent flow to authorise read-only access to directory data. No credentials are stored, and the connection is created and managed entirely within Contactzilla.
Step 2: Sync Entra directory contacts into a managed address book
Choose the Contactzilla address book that will hold your imported contacts and configure how often it syncs with Entra ID.
Contacts are imported into a single, centrally managed address book that becomes the shared company contact list.
Step 3: Map Entra fields and define update behaviour
Map Microsoft Entra ID attributes to Contactzilla contact fields and assign a hidden unique identifier so future updates are matched correctly.
You also define how updates, duplicates, and disabled accounts are handled to keep the contact list accurate over time.
Step 4: Deploy the address book to iPhones via MDM
Create a device connection for the address book and generate an iOS configuration profile.
Deploy the profile using your MDM. Once installed, the shared contact list appears in the native iOS Contacts app with caller ID and automatic updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a native way to sync the Global Address List to iPhone contacts?
No. Microsoft 365 does not natively sync the Global Address List (GAL) into the iPhone Contacts app as device contacts. iPhones sync contacts from a contacts account (such as iCloud, an Exchange mailbox contacts folder, or CardDAV), not directly from the GAL.
How do you sync the Microsoft Global Address List to iPhone contacts?
Sync the Microsoft Global Address List to iPhone contacts by using a contact deployment tool such as Contactzilla. It connects to Microsoft Entra ID via OAuth, imports directory users into a shared address book, then publishes that list to iPhones as a managed CardDAV contacts account deployed through an iOS configuration profile (.mobileconfig) via MDM.
Will caller ID work when syncing the Global Address List to iPhones?
Yes, caller ID can work if the Global Address List is synced onto iPhones as real device contacts in the native Contacts app. Directory lookup alone is not enough. When contacts are deployed as a managed contacts account (for example via CardDAV/profile through MDM), iOS can match incoming calls to those contacts.
Why do I only see the GAL when I search in iOS but it doesn’t show up in Contacts?
Because the Global Address List is a directory lookup, not a contacts account. iOS can search the GAL through an Exchange or Outlook connection, but it does not create contact entries in the Contacts app. Only contacts stored in a synced contacts account (iCloud, Exchange mailbox contacts, or CardDAV) appear there.
Can Outlook for iOS sync Microsoft 365 contacts to the native Contacts app?
Outlook for iOS can copy your mailbox contacts into the iPhone Contacts app if you enable its “Save Contacts” setting. It does not sync the Microsoft 365 Global Address List (GAL) as a managed contact list, and results can vary or create duplicates in mixed setups.
Can I use an MDM policy to sync the Global Address List to iPhone contacts?
Not directly. Most MDMs cannot sync the Microsoft Global Address List (GAL) on their own. What they can do is deploy a managed contacts account to iPhones using an iOS configuration profile (.mobileconfig). If that account is backed by a shared address book, devices will receive the contacts.
Do I need special permissions to sync GAL to my iPhone?
Yes, in most organisations you need directory read permissions in Microsoft Entra ID. If you are deploying contacts at scale, an admin may need to grant tenant-wide consent during OAuth setup. On the iPhone side, no special user permissions are required if the contacts account is installed via MDM.
Is it possible to sync the GAL to both my iPhone and Android device at the same time?
Yes. If you publish your Microsoft directory contacts to a shared address book (rather than relying on GAL lookup), you can connect both iPhone and Android to that same contacts account. iPhone typically uses an iOS profile; Android uses a CardDAV client so updates stay in sync.
Can GAL contacts be used for caller ID purposes on iPhone?
Yes, but only if GAL entries are deployed onto the iPhone as real Contacts app entries. Directory lookup in Outlook or Exchange alone won’t reliably trigger caller ID. Use a synced contacts account (CardDAV or mailbox contacts) so iOS can match incoming numbers.
