Export contacts from Outlook or Outlook Express (or any other application) to csv format and then import to gmail. That should do it for most users.
If you have your contacts on an old GSM phone, you could export them on to the SIM card and then import them to your new phone.
While you are there, try the “find duplicates” functionality. You can also add contacts into groups. The groups show up on your phone too after the sync.
Now on your android phone, browse to Contacts>Settings>Display options>Select “Only contacts with phones”, and also Google>Select all groups.
If you want to pull social contacts too, install the Facebook and Twitter apps and select to import data from all contacts. You should then see pictures and other address data added to your contacts auto magically.
Interested in more setup tips? Top 10 android setup tasks.
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42 Comments
Yes, like is described above, the best way is to use GMail to import the contacts and let the sync do its thing.
The best way is to open outlook, export all the contact in CSV then import them in Gmail…
15mn later you are done.
Or do it the easy way by using the Windows address book… No hassle there, plus you do not send your contacts on gmail
How about exporting contacts from Entourage, that’s the email client from MS for Mac? I’ve tried exporting .csv files from Entourage and importing to my Droid contacts, but only one or two fields are “delimited”. All the rest of the contact info shows up as a block in the notes field (or whatever that field is in Droid contacts.) Any clues?
Try the android app vcardio – nokia phones can export their entire contact list to a bunch of CSV files on your SD card.
If you concatenate all these CSVs into one big file, vcardio will import them.
well that’s really the easiest way to export the contacts from the outlook in csv format and then import it to another application.
I’ve imported my contacts from Office using a cvs file export. It imported to gmail fine with all my contacts separated into their respected groups but when I transferred the contacts to my Driod it did not transfer the groups just the individual contacts. Any suggestions?
Try looking at the contact settings and enable all groups. Android disables some groups by default.
How do I get the frickin phone numbers to come over? I imported a Vcard file to my Gmail contacts, but just the names and email addresses came over. WTF?
Alan,
The contacts should show up automatically. If not go into Contacts>Settings and select all folders.
Android Tips
How does one transfer contacts from an existing sim card to a droid phone without losing additional numbers of contacts? If I have a contact with a mobile , home and work number when I transfer over the contact via a sim card, the contact appears three times with the one same number. Do I need a special sim card for Droid phones?
Help. Did you ever answer how to get Entoruage contacts to gmail? I tried the CSV method but everything dumps to notes field. Pretty frustrating. Gotta be a better way.
Thanks….
@Alex, I never figured it out. I had about 500 contacts, I ended up using the csv file routine, got all the info in the notes field, then spent a rainy afternoon manually putting the info in the correct fields. Big pain in the a**!
Ugh. My wife and I are suffering the same indignity. We only have 700 contacts but still a huge mess. There has to be a solution out there. I tried Mobile Me but can’t seem to get through the process.
Thanks for shedding some light on the subject.
Alex
Try this
http://sorou.sh/2007/02/20/how-migrate-emails-and-contacts-entourage-outlook
How is this helpful? It’s not. System does not accept Entourage correctly. Frustrating and so is your out of tune response. Insensitive, too
The trick is to get the contacts in this format:
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=12119
Am sorry that exporting to Outlook and then exporting to a csv did not work.
Import in 3 simple steps
I assume the user had migrated from an old phone to a new Android phone
1. Somehow get the contacts from old phone to a CSV file. (Example: by using the software CD of the old phone)
2. Export it to Google Contacts http://www.google.com/contacts –> Import –> Browse to locate the CSV file –> Done !
Dont bother about header of the file, or get skeptical about how google will identify the phone numbers. Google will identify the phone numbers and put it against all names. So you get all contacts in google for life.
3. Activate GPRS in your phone or use WiFi
4. On your phone, go to Setting–>Data Synchronization–>Contacts (It says “Select to Sync Now”)
5. Voila ! It will take some time but relaxe !
6. Now, loose your phone happily, without worrying about Contacts.
Note: It will import all phone contacts as well as email ids that you ever interacted.
Nothing is impossible if you have the mood and patience…
so useful, you also can use Mozila Thunder to import (Gmail contact)
Guys, sorry to say. You are a little crazy…
As I don´t want to import ALL useless Gmail contacts but only those with fone numbers (There is a way with Gmail?), I thought that must have a better way to import my contacts without gmail.
For me, using Xperia X10 Mini, the best way is:
- in outlook, export vCard contacts;
- save vCards in phone´s memory card;
- in phone, Contacts-> import/export -> import from SD Card
Fabiano,
Yes theres a setting on you phone to show only contacts with phone numbers.
Android Tips
Thanks Droid!
But If I don´t want ALL contacts in my phone?
I want only one gmail contact group. There is a way?
regards
Sorry Fabiano, no.
But there is no harm in importing all your gmail contacts and displaying only the ones with phone numbers.
The Best Way to Keep Outlook Express Address Book Automatically Synchronized with Google Contacts
http://androidnaut.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-way-to-keep-outlook-express.html
Hey I checked it out and it’s working great! Sync is automatic with no import/export, and best of all it’s free!
>> STUPIDUSER wrote: The Best Way to Keep Outlook Express Address Book Automatically Synchronized with Google Contacts:
http://androidnaut.blogspot.com/2011/01/best-way-to-keep-outlook-express.html
i will try this one on my android phone..thanks
Thank you very much! Just got a new G2 through T-Mobile, which is my first Android device. Your tip saved me some pain–it worked flawlessly. All 140 contacts from my MS Outlook are now in Gmail–and that means my G2 as well.
Now if only I could copy text from an email on the Gmail website using my G2…
So out of all the good things said about the droid OS, there’s no way to sync my exchange contacts and my droid on a daily basis? All I need to do is keep them and my calendar in sync and my life is just that much more easier. Ah well, so much for that idea. Guess I’ll lump into the old ideas file folder alongside “Paperless Office”.
AND WHERE THE H*** ARE MY D*** ARROW KEYS??
sorry, think Will Smmith screaming “and what the HELL is that stench?”
Hello guys..
i got problem here.. all my contacts wiped by mistake.
i am having the contact list in .txt format i.e. text file.
so my question is how is how to import that contacts in to my android phone.
Mobile:HTC desire HD
OS: Android 2.2 froyo
please help me guys i am in big problem…
Chandru,
To restore your contacts, go to Gmail > Contacts > More actions > Restore contacts.
You can restore contacts to upto a month back.
Android Tips
I think this way is better?
http://www.justin.my/2011/04/how-to-transfer-contact-from-nokia-to-android/
Hi everybody, I imported my old phone contacts from a VCF file into my Galaxy 550 and everything is fine. But, when someone who I got in my contact list calls me, it says “unknown”, any ideas??
Thanks!
I just used myfunmabol to transfer my contacts from my wm 6.5 Touch Pro 2 to Android 2.1 Hero. You just have to install the apps on each phone, upload your contacts, etc, over wifi or data and you’re done to sync to any app. After hours of searching this was the best and simplest solution.
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Can anyone help me pls…. I have samsung galaxy s550 and I have installed Yahoo Mail application and the problem is that whenever I want to send a mail it can´t upload my contacts from address book…. does anyone know how to fix it plssssssssssss
how do i convert the contacts on my android phone to a CSV file and then transfer…..its a headache
I don’t understand why there is no app that allows Outlook to synch on demand with that android phone? for a hotbot system, it should be a no brainer.
My contacts is in spb format. Stored it using samsung kies. The problem is I am unable to import it into my phone using kies. The process of loading starts and stops at 58%. How do i convert it into csv and then sync with gmail? Please help.
I had a .csv file I had exported from my iPhone. I dont’ want my gmail contacts synched with my phone (WAY too many that I rarely use; but, don’t want to delete). I wanted a way to import the contacts from my CSV.
These instructions are for t-mobile; but, will work for any other service that lets you import Outlook CSV files.
I tried a couple of different apps, the free ones; but they either crashed or didn’t work. Here’s what *did* work.
Reformat your CSV to use these headers (the Outlook CSV format): http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4847596/what-are-the-csv-headers-in-outlook-contact-export
Then log into your T-Mobile account and import the contacts from your Outlook formatted CSV file. (Mobile Life>contacts>Add/Import Contacts>Import Contacts from Another Address Book>Browse and Upload CSV file)
Then use your phone to sync to “T-Mobile Contacts Backup”.
Done
I have Sony xperia mini, how can I import my old sim contacts in to the new xperia mini phone. I checked all options many times could not find a way out.
I have a problem. I tried all your ideas but nothing helps I have an galaxy mini phone with no contacts, I do have all my contacts on gmail but (I dont know why) I cant move them to my phone. what to do???
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