The fastest way to transfer Outlook contacts depends on where they're going

If you're moving to a new email account, switching devices, or backing up your contacts, Outlook gives you several paths. The simplest is usually exporting your contacts as a file, then importing them into the new location — this takes about five minutes and works whether you're staying in Outlook or moving to Gmail, Apple Mail, or another service. If you're moving between Outlook accounts on the same device, you can sync directly. If you're moving to a new computer, you can back up your entire Outlook profile or just the contacts folder.

The method you choose depends on three things: whether you're staying in Outlook, what device you're moving to, and whether you want to keep a backup of the original file. All three paths preserve your contact information without losing phone numbers, email addresses, or notes you've added.

Key Takeaways

  • Exporting contacts as a CSV or VCF file works with any email service and takes about five minutes from start to finish.
  • Outlook on the web (Outlook.com) and Outlook desktop have slightly different export steps, so check which version you're using first.
  • Importing a contacts file into Gmail, Apple Mail, or another Outlook account requires only the exported file and a few clicks in the destination service.
  • If you're moving your entire Outlook setup to a new computer, backing up your PST file preserves contacts, email, and calendar in one step.

Exporting contacts from Outlook on the web

Outlook.com (the web version) exports contacts as a CSV file, which almost every email service can read. Open Outlook.com in your browser, select People from the left sidebar, then click the three-dot menu icon and choose Export contacts. Outlook will download a CSV file to your computer with all your contacts.

The file appears in your Downloads folder with a name like "contacts.csv". You can then import this file into Gmail, Apple Mail, another Outlook account, or any other service that accepts CSV imports. Keep the file somewhere safe if you want a backup — it contains all your contact information in plain text.

Exporting contacts from Outlook desktop (Windows or Mac)

Outlook desktop (the application you install on your computer) exports contacts differently depending on your version. Open Outlook, go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export. Select Export to a file, then choose Comma Separated Values (CSV) or vCard (.vcf) format. VCard format works better if you're moving to Apple Mail or iPhone; CSV works with almost everything.

Select your Contacts folder, choose where to save the file, and click Finish. Outlook will create the file on your computer. If you have multiple contact folders (like "Work Contacts" and "Personal"), you'll need to export each one separately — the export tool only handles one folder at a time.

Importing contacts into Gmail

Open Gmail in your browser and click the Google Apps menu (nine dots) in the top right, then select Contacts. On the left sidebar, click Import, then select your CSV or VCF file from your computer. Gmail will show you a preview of the contacts it found and ask you to confirm the import. Click Import again, and Gmail adds all the contacts to your account within a few seconds.

Gmail automatically detects duplicate contacts and can merge them if you ask it to. If you're importing contacts you've already added to Gmail manually, Gmail will flag the duplicates and let you choose which version to keep. This usually happens after the import finishes, so check your contacts list a few minutes later if you think you might have duplicates.

Importing contacts into another Outlook account

If you're moving to a different Outlook.com account, open the new account in your browser, go to People, click the three-dot menu, and select Import contacts. Choose your CSV file from your computer and click Import. Outlook will add all the contacts to your new account within a minute or two.

For Outlook desktop, open the new account, go to File > Open & Export > Import/Export, select Import from a file, choose your CSV file, and follow the prompts. Outlook will ask which folder to import into — select Contacts unless you want to organize them into a different folder first.

Importing contacts into Apple Mail or iPhone

On a Mac, open Contacts (the built-in app), go to File > Import, and select your VCF file. Contacts will add all the entries to your address book. On iPhone, you can't import directly, but you can email yourself the VCF file, open it on your iPhone, and tap Add All Contacts. The contacts will sync to your iPhone through iCloud if you have iCloud Contacts turned on in Settings.

If you're using an older version of macOS or iOS, the import steps may differ slightly — check Apple's support site for your specific version. VCard format (VCF) works most reliably with Apple devices, so export as VCF rather than CSV if you're moving to Apple Mail or iPhone.

Backing up your entire Outlook profile to a new computer

If you're moving to a new computer and want to preserve everything — contacts, email, calendar, and settings — you can back up your Outlook data file (called a PST file). On your old computer, open Outlook, go to File > Options > Advanced, scroll down to Export, and click Export. Choose Outlook Data File (.pst) and select where to save it. Outlook will create a complete backup of your account.

Move this PST file to your new computer (via external drive, cloud storage, or email), then open Outlook on the new computer, go to File > Open & Export > Open Outlook Data File, and select the PST file. Outlook will import everything — contacts, email folders, calendar events, and tasks — into your new installation. This method is faster than exporting and importing individual folders if you're moving your entire Outlook setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose any contact information when I export and import?

No. CSV and VCF files preserve names, email addresses, phone numbers, physical addresses, and notes. Some advanced fields (like custom categories or linked contacts) may not transfer depending on the destination service, but all standard contact information comes through intact.

Can I import the same contacts file into multiple accounts?

Yes. You can import the same CSV or VCF file into as many accounts or devices as you want. This is useful if you want the same contacts in both your personal and work email, or if you're setting up a new device and want to keep your old one.

What if my contacts file is very large?

Most email services handle large contact files without trouble, but if you have thousands of contacts, you may want to split the CSV file into smaller chunks before importing. Open the CSV file in a spreadsheet program, delete every other contact to create two files, and import them separately. This rarely causes problems, but it can make troubleshooting easier if something goes wrong.

Do I need to delete the original contacts after I import them?

No. Importing creates a copy in the new location — it doesn't remove the contacts from your original account. You can delete them from the old account whenever you're ready, or keep them as a backup. If you're moving to a new email service permanently, you can delete the old account's contacts once you've confirmed the import worked.

Can I sync Outlook contacts automatically instead of exporting?

Not directly between Outlook and other services. Outlook.com syncs automatically with other Microsoft services (like OneDrive or Teams), but moving contacts to Gmail, Apple Mail, or a different email provider requires exporting and importing. Once the contacts are in the new service, they'll sync automatically there.