Import your contacts into Google Contacts

You can import your contacts into Google Contacts from other sources.

Import from an existing CSV or vCard file

  1. On your computer, go to Google Contacts.

  2. On the left, click Import and then Select file.

    1. If you don’t find the menu on the left, at the top left click Menu Menu.
    2. For CSV files, look for the .csv file extension. For vCard files, look for the .vcf file extension.
  3. Choose your file.
  4. Click Import.

Tip: If you can’t find a detail about a contact you imported once the import has finished, check the notes section for that contact.

Use a template spreadsheet to create a CSV file to import

You can use a template to make sure your contacts’ details are imported into the right fields in Google Contacts.

Step 1: Fill out the contacts template

Important: Do not delete the header row in the template. These headings help make sure your contacts’ info is saved to the right place in Google Contacts.

  1. Open the sample template.
  2. Click Make a copy.
    • If you want to download the template to another application, like Excel:
      1. Click File and then Download.
      2. Choose the application where you’d like it saved.
      3. Open the spreadsheet in that application.
        • If your cells are merged or formatted incorrectly in the opened file, check that application’s support channels.
    • If the option to make a copy doesn’t appear, click menu More and then Make a copy.
      1. If "Make a copy" is not an option, select Share & export and then Make a copy.
  3. Fill in the spreadsheet with the details for all contacts you want to import.
    • You can fill in the columns that you want to save to Google Contacts and delete the columns you don’t use.
    • A new contact is created for every row that has any entered data.
  4. Click File and then Download and then Comma Separated Values (.csv).
  5. Save your file.
    • Make sure to save it someplace you’ll remember, like your desktop.

Tip: If you’re not familiar with Google Sheets, learn more about how to use it.

Step 2: Upload your file to Google Contacts

  1. Open Google Contacts.
  2. On the left, click Import Download.
    • If you don’t find the menu on the left, at the top left click Menu Menu.
  3. Click Select file and then Select your new contacts file.
  4. Click Import.
    • When the import is done, Google Contacts will open your newly imported contacts.
Find descriptions for all template column headers and fields

To make sure your contacts’ info imports exactly where you want it to, use the headers from the template. You can learn about the template’s headers and how contact fields are formatted.

Header name Field description
Name Prefix Prefix for your contact. For example: "Dr" or "Prof."
First Name First or given name for your contact.
Middle Name Middle or additional name for your contact.
Last Name Last or family name for your contact.
Name Suffix Suffix for your contact. For example: "Sr" or "Jr."
Phonetic First Name Phonetic pronunciation for your contact’s first or given name.
Phonetic Middle Name Phonetic pronunciation for your contact’s middle or additional name.
Phonetic Last Name Phonetic pronunciation for your contact’s last or family name.
Nickname Nickname for your contact.
File as Name used to organize your contact.

Contact fields:

Header name Field description
Email <number> - Label Label of the email. For example: "Home" or "Work."
Email <number> - Value Email for your contact. For example: "contact@gmail.com."
Phone <number> - Label Label of the phone number. For example: "Home" or "Work."
Phone <number> - Value Phone number for your contact. Use a "+" to indicate a country code. For example: "+1 234 567 8901." Spaces, dashes, and parenthesis are optional.

Address fields:

Header name Field description
Address <number> - Label Label of the address. For example: "Home" or "Work."
Address <number> - Country The country of the address.
Address <number> - Street The street of the address.
Address <number> - Extended Address The secondary street of the address if it has one.
Address <number> - City The city of the address.
Address <number> - Region The state, province, prefecture, and more of the address.
Address <number> - Postal Code The postal code of the address.
Address <number> - PO Box The post office box of the address.

Organization fields:

Header name Field description
Organization Name The name of the contact’s organization, like a company or school.
Organization Title The contact’s title in their organization.
Organization Department The contact’s department in their organization.

Event fields:

Header name Field description
Birthday Birthday for your contact. Can be formatted as either YYYY-MM-DD or --MM-DD if there’s no year.
Event <number> - Label Label of the event. For example: "Anniversary."
Event <number> - Value Date for this contact’s event. Can be formatted as either YYYY-MM-DD or –MM-DD if there’s no year.

Other fields:

Header name Field description
Relation <number> - Label Label of the relation. For example: "Spouse" or "Cousin."
Relation <number> - Value Name of the relation. For example: "Alice Jones" or "Bob."
Website <number> - Label Label of the website. For example: "Profile" or "Blog."
Website <number> - Value Website address.
Custom Field <number> - Label Label for the custom field. Useful if you’d like to save contact data that doesn’t fit in one of the default fields offered above.
Custom Field <number> - Value Value for the custom field.
Notes Notes on your contact. Any text can be entered here.
Labels Names of the labels this contact is a part of. You can enter multiple values here separated by ":::". For example: "Work Friends ::: Family ::: Project11."

Tip: If you have contacts with multiple emails, phone numbers, and more, you can insert extra columns in the template to enter this data.

From a Google Account

Step 1: Export existing Google contacts

  1. On your computer, go to Google Contacts.
  2. At the top right, click Export .
  3. Select which contacts to export.
  4. Click Google CSV and then Export.
  5. Save the file someplace you’ll be able to find it easily.
  6. At the top right, click your profile picture and then Sign out.

Step 2: Import the file

  1. On your computer, go to Google Contacts.
  2. Sign in with your other Gmail Account.
  3. On the left, click Import Download and then Select File.
  4. Choose your file.
  5. Click Import.
Learn how to fix import problems

You can have problems when:

  • You import more than 3,000 contacts at a time. If you have more than 3,000 contacts, split them into multiple CSVs before you import them.
  • You reach the limit of 25,000 contacts. Learn about contact size limits.
  • The contacts aren't formatted to work with Google Contacts. Make sure to save your contacts as a vCard or CSV file.
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