How to Export and Import Contacts in Outlook?

If you’re setting up Outlook on a new device, switching to another Outlook account, or trying to fix missing contacts, this guide shows you how to export and import your contacts so you don’t lose your address book.

Note: The web version does not offer the same level of customization for formats and mapping fields as the Windows app, but it is faster and works well when your contact information is straightforward.

Step 1. Export Contacts

Outlook for Windows (CSV File)

1. Open Outlook on your computer.
2. Select File.
3. Click Open & Export > Import/Export. This opens the Import and Export Wizard.
4. Select Export to a file, then click Next.
5. In the file type section, choose Comma Separated Values (CSV), then click Next. This creates a simple CSV text file that stores your contacts in a table format and can be imported into other accounts or apps.
6. You will now see all available contact folders. Select the Contacts folder you want to export and click Next.
7. Choose where you want to save the exported file by clicking Browse, and name the file clearly so you can recognize it later.
8. Click Next to confirm your choices. When ready, click Finish to complete the export. Your contacts are now saved in a CSV file on your computer.

Outlook on the Web (CSV Download)

1. Open Outlook on the web in your browser and sign in to your account.
2. From the homepage, click the People icon on the left sidebar.
3. At the top, click Manage Contacts and select Export Contacts.
4. Select the folders you want to export, then click Export.
5. Your CSV file will be downloaded to your computer. You can use this file to import your contacts into Outlook or another email service.

Step 2. Import Contacts

Outlook for Windows (CSV File)

1. Open Outlook on your computer.
2. Select File > Open & Export.
3. Click Import/Export.
4. Select Import from another program or file, then click Next.
5. Choose Comma Separated Values (CSV), then click Next.
6. Click Browse to locate the CSV file on your computer, select it, and click Open.
7. Select how you want Outlook to handle duplicates, then click Next. If you’re unsure, choosing Allow duplicates to be created is the safest option and you can clean up duplicates later.
8. On the next screen, select the destination Contacts folder where you want the imported contacts to be stored, then click Next.
9. If Outlook shows the Map Custom Fields window, make sure the columns from your CSV file (such as Name, Email, Phone) are correctly matched to the corresponding Outlook fields, then click OK.
10. Click Finish to start the import. Once complete, your imported contacts will appear under the Contacts section in Outlook.

Outlook on the Web (CSV File)

1. Open Outlook on the web in your browser and sign in to your account.
2. Click the People icon on the left sidebar of the homepage.
3. At the top, click Manage Contacts and choose Import Contacts.
4. Select the CSV file from your device and click Import.
5. After the import finishes, your contacts will appear under the People section in Outlook on the web and be available in your address book.