How to fix the iCloud Outlook plugin after Win10 update

Even though I’m a Microsoft fanatic, I do love my Apple devices, like iPhone or iPad. That’s why I have an iCloud account. One of the benefits of an iCloud account is that you can easily share a calendar with other iCloud users. To make sure I don’t make any double booking in my planning, I use the iCloud software which integrates in my Microsoft Office Outlook Client.

As a Microsoft fanatic I’m a member of the Windows Insider Program and since 2015 running the fast ring releases. This results in often new builds / reinstallations of Windows 10. Which is not a problem if I can give feedback on the new builds and new features. But after every reinstallation of Windows 10 the local installed iCloud add-in in Outlook didn’t work anymore.  The add-in disappeared from the Outlook Ribbon and although my iCloud calendars were still available, I couldn’t update them anymore… To fix it (quick and dirty), I removed the iCloud for Windows software and reinstalled iCloud for Windows again…. But unfortunately after several reinstallations even that didn’t work anymore…. So now what?
When troubleshooting this issue I found out that the iCloud add-in in Outlook was still in my add-in list, but it was inactive. Normally the iCloud add-in would show the load behavior, but in my case it showed ‘Deleted’ (verwijderd in Dutch).

So how to fix it?
The solution is pretty straight forward, but with a small twist: Elevated permissions.  Below a step-by-step actionlist on how to fix this issue:

1. Shutdown Outlook

2. Start Outlook as Administrator

3. Go to File > Options > Add-ins

4. Click GO next to COM Add-ins

5. Select the iCloud Outlook Add-in and REMOVE it

(The iCloud add-in has been removed)

6. Close and restart Outlook as Administrator

7. Go back to File > Options > Add-ins

8. Click GO next the COM Add-ins

9. Click Add and find APLZOD32.DLL on your machine.

Default location of the DLL:> C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Internet Services\APLZOD32.dll

10. Close Outlook and then start Outlook normally (NOT as administrator).

You will notice that the iCloud add-in in Outlook works again 🙂 Even after a reboot, the add-in is still available and functioning.

31 comments

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    • Scott on 6 November 2018 at 03:42
    • Reply

    This worked for me perfectly. Thanks so so much. I have been trying to repair my iCloud and Outlook syncing for over a year following multiple recommendations from internet professionals.

    1. Glad to hear that Scott!

        • Jonathan on 24 April 2019 at 15:44
        • Reply

        Wow! This is the magic bullet! Thank you Ruben!

  1. I have tried this along with uninstalling icloud for windows, outlook, running restore point back two weeks, sfc, and dism. When outlook starts and the icloud add-in is enabled Outlook ends on my PC running Windows 10. I am out of ideas? when icloud runs setup after I delete the files on my PC it appears it may not be downloading the 1490 items. It does not show the green progress bar or completion. I am wondering if it may be a corrupt file in icloud. When I try to run recover on the iCloud web site it say it is unable to run. I don’t know how to delete the icloud calendar file and restore it from ipad or iPhone. Tom

    1. I have to say, I had the same issue when running a specific Insider Build (Fast Ring). It took hours before the setup completed. With the new update, it just worked again. I don’t know which build it was, I only know it wasn’t a stable build and received a new one within days 🙂
      Hope in the meantime your issue is solved, else you might want to try a reset of Win10? That solved my issue too and sometimes it’s just good to start all over.

    • Carol on 29 January 2019 at 11:59
    • Reply

    Did the manual DLL add-in but iCloud still does not show up on O365 Outlook. The Outlook option in iClould is also greyed out.

    Starting a new job and haven’t used Windows for awhile. Quit reminder why I switched to Mac…

    • Alice Brunton on 28 February 2019 at 16:56
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    Thank you so much! This has been driving me mad, until I saw your fix. So happy!

    • Bonnie on 11 March 2019 at 23:38
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    Thought i had it — but my Icloud is still grey out..
    Anyone out there have another suggestion..

    • James McGrew on 15 April 2019 at 19:10
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    Wow!!! Thanks a bunch. Done pulling my hair out. AAA+

    • Isabel on 6 June 2019 at 10:15
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    I have done the fix but it shows the following error message: “the APLZOD32.dll is not a valid office add-in”. Any ideas?

    • Andreas on 23 July 2019 at 12:33
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    Tried this and several other tricks found in the Inet – to no avail. 365 Pro edition, Win10Pro. iCloud imports calendars successfully when installing / toggling calendar/contact sync option, they show up in Outlook (with all dates correctly imported), but can’t execute / trigger any sync (any changes made in iCloud calenders are NOT synced in neither direction after this one-time import). iCloud sync button / section is NOT visible in menu (ribbon) band. iCloud add-in (APLZOD32.dll) is active. iCloud data file / account is NOT the primary accountin outlook (primary account is linked to an exchange server). Everything was just fine under Win7 / Office 2013… :-/

    • Edgar on 29 July 2019 at 23:46
    • Reply

    Hi Ruben
    This has worked perfectly for me up until the latest Windows 10 update (July 2019).
    I no longer see the Apple refresh button in Outlook and I get this message when I try to access my icloud contacts or calendar:
    The set of folders cannot be opened. An unexpected error has occurred.
    MAPI was unable to load the information service C:\PROGRA~2\COMMON~1\Apple\INTERN~1\APLZOD.dll. Be sure the service is correctly installed and configured.

  2. Had the same trouble again after update Windows 10. I fixed the problem by:
    – NOT using the iCloud app from the Windows Store (as recommended on the Apple site, but installing from the download from the Apple site
    – NOT using APLZOD32.dll (hich worked previously) but APLZOD3264 which is NOT in program files (x86) but in program files

    1. thank-you nlman! I was close to giving up – the download from apple site worked for me too (after uninstalling the icloud previously from microsoft store – who’d have thought they were different!!)

      • Thebill on 15 March 2020 at 19:26
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      yes this is exactly what fixed mine..TY it was ok then gone couldn’t get the add in to stay checked..after trying the articles tips it kept saying it wasn’t valid until i used the aplz3264 file as nlman suggested..now it works!!! TY

        • Dan Castillo on 18 June 2021 at 07:07
        • Reply

        The aplz3264 file was the right one for me too…thx!

  3. Thank you!! This is the only article I could find that fixed my issue!!!

    • Teri Schoech on 5 December 2019 at 16:04
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    WOW! Thank you soooo much!

    • Ron on 17 January 2020 at 18:04
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    any idea how to get icloud to work in outlook 2019. add on is in outlook. I added a google account to get into outlook. I have searched everywhere without success so far. Thank you in advance.

    • Steve Carlson on 10 May 2020 at 16:33
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    I was very hopeful until I got to step 9 and couldn’t find the APLZ or read the location in the bar on your post. The microsoft tech support has been useless

    • Jelle on 16 May 2020 at 21:26
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    My problem starts when I check ‘Mail, contact etc for Outlook’, in iCloud for Windows. I just keep on getting errors, also repairing icloud for windows does not help.

    Any suggestion what to do?

  4. Make sure that in your iCloud on PC the Mail option is ticked otherwise the add on will not work

    • Bob on 12 August 2020 at 00:00
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    Thanks Ruben! This worked perfectly for me. I was going nuts trying to remember to add things to a second calendar, contact, etc.. If I might suggest for those of us who are very literal and hesitant to touch a key without specific instructions, after the instruction to find APLZOD32.DLL, mention to select it and click OK. Then after that to click the iCloud Addin box and click OK.

    • Gus on 22 August 2020 at 23:33
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    Thank you! Spot on. Although mine was in a different location.

    “C:\ProgramData\Apple Inc\iCloud\Outlook\aplzod32.dll”

    • Moshe Barel on 15 September 2020 at 08:55
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    I dont have the file needed – C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\Apple\Internet Services\APLZOD32.dll

    I have searched my C drive and I dont have any apple folder, although I have icloud for pc installed

    The sync between icloud and outlook worked fine for me untill I replaced my office 2016 to office 365. since then I am getting error notice that aplzod64 file is not accessible

    • ANDY on 12 November 2020 at 17:12
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    I couldn’t get this solution to work as the icloud add in would not remove itself. What I did to make it worked was rename the program(x86) version of APLZOD32.DLL as OLD, and paste the file called APLZOD32.DLL found under ProgramData/Apple Inc/iCloud/Outlook in the original Program (x86) location and it worked instantly. This pasted file has a newer date than the old file and seems to work.

    • Basil on 16 January 2021 at 19:52
    • Reply

    Hi Ruben. When I saw your post I was quite hopeful. I have followed your instructions carefully but still have no success. When I try to add the dll (from ProgramData/Apple Inc/iCloud/Outlook) it tells me that it is not a valid dll. Any suggestions?

    1. Hi Basil,

      Unfortunately I haven’t had this issue, mostly because I got rid of my iPhone (trying Samsung now…) and not using my iPad anymore (had a little accident trying to use a treadmill while playing on my iPad…haha…) and moved to O365 calendars. Have you tried reinstalling iCloud, maybe the dll got corrupted? As in the comments I can see others were more successful pointing to that DLL.

      Meantime I’ll reinstall iCloud on my Win10 devices to try to reproduce the issue, even though I’m not using my Apple devices at the moment. Hope I’ll get an answer for you soon! If you have solved it, please let me know!

    • John Barry Wright on 14 February 2021 at 20:44
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    For WIN10 use icloud for win7

    • Kevin on 21 August 2021 at 04:07
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    Thanks so much! Knowing WHERE to find the icloud add-in made recovery possible.

    • Scott Jeffries on 13 October 2021 at 21:38
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    Thanks for the fix. I actually was on the phone with Apple support for 40+ minutes as they tried to correct my syncing issue. I was doing a Google search while on hold and I found your article. It fixed my issue and I was able to end my support call… and educate Apple support in the meantime. THANKS!!!

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