Problem: When you use Windows 64-bit Fax and Scan application, Outlook's contacts are not available.

This happens because Outlook is a 32-bit application and runs on a WOW layer on the 64-bit operating system.

Outlook 2010 64-bit does not include Fax transport as its only supported in 32-bit Outlook. We do not expect Microsoft to release a 64-bit Fax transport for Outlook.

Outlook uses 32-bit MAPI while Fax and Scan is 64-bit. The 32-bit outlook.exe sets the registry key in 32-bit WOW registry (HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Clients\Mail) and it cannot be used by the 64-bit Fax and Scan. Because of this, you cannot view the Outlook Contact list in Windows Fax in Windows 64 bit operating systems.

To use Outlook Contacts with Fax and Scan, you need to export the contact list from Outlook and into Windows Address Book.

Export contacts from Outlook

1. File menu, Import and Export menu
2. Export to a file
3. Select CSV – Comma Separated Values (Windows) format, click Next
4. Select Contacts folder, click Next
5. Enter a name for your file and finish the export wizard.

Import Contacts into WAB

1. Open the Windows Address Book by typing wab in the Start menu's Search field
2. Click on the Import button
3. Select the CSV file you just exported and complete the wizard.

Outlook 2010 64-bit

While this will not be an issue if you use Outlook 2010 64-bit, other add-ins may not work with Outlook 2010 64-bit.

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Last reviewed on Sep 18, 2011