Before you start
The app only shows a directory to people who have access. Your administrator must therefore have given you access to the directory: assigned to the RingSync enterprise application in Entra ID (directly or through a group) for Microsoft, or within the authorized seats for Google.
Access is recognized by the email address of your sign-in account, which must be the one on your directory entry. You can sign in with Microsoft or with Google, whichever provider your directory uses.
Step 1: install the app
Search for RingSync on Google Play, or open ringsync.io/app from your phone: that link opens Google Play.
Step 2: sign in
- Open the app. The sign-in screen offers Sign in with Microsoft and Sign in with Google.
- Tap the button of your choice and sign in with your work account on the page that opens. The app only asks for your identity (
openid,profile,email). - Depending on your Android version, the system may ask for permission to send notifications. RingSync uses them to receive the order to remove the contacts of a directory you lose access to. If you refuse, that removal happens the next time you open the app or sync.
If you have no access, sign-in shows "Aucun annuaire ne t'a été partagé. Contacte ton administrateur." (this message is in French whatever the app's language).
Step 3: allow contacts
The One permission screen appears, with the Allow access to all contacts button. Tap it: Android then shows its own permission request for Contacts. The app declares read and write access to contacts. Accept.
Without this permission, the sync cannot write contacts: the error screen shows "Contacts permission". Tap Open settings → to land in the app's settings and allow Contacts, then return to the app and tap Try again.
Step 4: run the first sync
The first sync often starts by itself when the app opens. You can also tap Sync on the directory card. When it ends, Sync complete shows the number of contacts added, updated and removed.
Where the contacts appear
- In your phone's Contacts app, with your other contacts. On Android, RingSync writes them to the phone's local account: there is no folder or account dedicated to the directory.
- Each entry carries a "RingSync" web address (of the form
ringsync://…). It is the mark that lets RingSync find its own contacts, without touching yours. - If you reinstall the app, it finds its contacts again through that mark and does not create duplicates. Uninstalling the app does not delete the contacts.
Depending on your Google settings (for example contact backup), local-account contacts may also be copied elsewhere: see What data RingSync keeps, and where.
If the app is installed in the work profile, it writes the contacts there. For the caller's name to also show from the personal profile, your administrator must allow searching work contacts from the personal profile. See Deploy the app.
Background sync
Android decides when RingSync's background task runs: the frequency your administrator set is a minimum wait, not a guaranteed schedule. Each time the app opens, directories whose sync is due are synced. See Automatic sync: frequency and settings.
Troubleshooting
- "No directory has been shared with you": see Contacts are missing on a phone.
personal_account_not_supported: personal Microsoft account. Use your work or school account.email_not_verified: the Google account's address is not verified.- Contacts no longer update: see Run a manual sync from the app.