How to Add Google Contacts Using a CSV File

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Import contacts to Google or Gmail in bulk

Co-authored by Tyrone Showers and Travis Boylls

Last Updated: September 9, 2025 Fact Checked

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Creating a CSV File

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Importing to Google Contacts

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Do you want to import multiple contacts into Gmail? You can add email contacts to your Google account by importing them from a “.CSV” file (comma-separated value). Contact CSV files can be created from scratch or exported from your preferred email client. You can use a blank Gmail CSV file as a template to see the acceptable fields, then add your own contacts. Once complete, sign in to your Google Contacts and import the CSV file. Read on to learn how to import contacts into Gmail using a CSV file, with expert tips from technologist Tyrone Showers.

Quickly Import a CSV File

Use a spreadsheet program to create a CSV file in Google’s format.
Go to contacts.google.com in a web browser and sign in.
Click Import in the menu to the left.
Click Select file.
Select your CSV file and click Open.
Click Import.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Creating a CSV File

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1
Export a CSV file from Gmail. According to Showers, exporting a CSV from Gmail can provide a template that you can use to import contacts into Google.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Tyrone Showers
Technologist

Expert Interview} Use the following steps to export a CSV file from Google Contacts:^{[2]
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- Go to contacts.google.com in a web browser and sign in.
- Select a contact(s).
- Click the icon with three dots (⋮) next to a contact.
- Click Export.
- Select “Google CSV.”
- Click Export.
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Open the CSV file with a spreadsheet or text program. Showers explains that the first line of the CSV will display the different categories for data entry (e.g., First Name, Last Name, email, etc.).^{[3]
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Expert Source

Tyrone Showers
Technologist

Expert Interview} Spreadsheets will separate these categories into different cells, while text editors will list these values on the first line, separated by commas. Use one of the following steps to import a CSV into your spreadsheet application:
- Excel: Click the Data tab at the top, select From text/csv in the “Get & Transform Data” menu, select your CSV file, and click Import.
- Google Sheets: Sign in to Google Sheets and click the folder icon in the upper-right corner. Click the Upload tab, then drag and drop the CSV file into the window.
- A text editor: Right-click the CSV file, select Open with…, and choose a text editor like Notepad or TextEdit.
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Add contacts to the CSV. Enter information into the related cell or list values in order. If no value is needed for a certain area, the cell can be left blank, or, in the case of a text file, filled with a “,”.
- For example, if you only know a contact's first name and email address, you could enter “John,,,john@email.com”. This way, "John" and the email address will be in the correct locations, and the missing values will remain blank.
- Make sure not to remove any fields or to include a comma in place of a blank field in the case of a text file. Gmail will scan for all fields, so missing fields will cause problems with the import.
- According to Showers, you should at least include a first name, last name, and an email address.^{[4]
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  Tyrone Showers
  Technologist
  
  Expert Interview}
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Export the CSV file. Use one of the following steps to export the spreadsheet as a CSV file:^{[5]
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- Excel: Click File > Save as, enter a filename, select CSV (Comma delimited) in the drop-down menu next to “Save as type,” and click Save.^{[6]
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  Microsoft Support
  Technical support and product information from Microsoft.
  
  Go to source}
- Google Sheets: Click File, followed by Download. Select Comma Separated Values (.csv).

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Importing a CSV to Google Contacts

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1
Navigate to Google Contacts in your web browser. This website allows you to manage your Google/Gmail contacts online.
- If you're not already signed in to your Google account, click Sign In to do so now.
It’s in the menu to the left. This option allows you to import contacts from a CSV or vCard file.
It’s the blue button in the middle of the window.
Navigate to where you saved your CSV file and click it to select it. Then, click Open in the window.
This imports all the contacts in the CSV file into your Google Contacts. You can access your contacts on Gmail, in your Android's contacts app, and in other Google applications.

Community Q&A

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Can I import a CVS file from AOL mail?

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Yes, follow these steps: (1) Once logged into AOL Mail, click on "Contacts" on the left. (2) Click on the Tools menu and choose "Import." (3) Pick a CSV file on your computer. (4) Select an import format (CSV, TXT, or LDIF). (5) Click on the "Import" button.

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How do I import my contacts to a specific group?

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Each imported contact features a flag (group) that you can select and rename as desired.

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How can I see the contacts that are imported to a Gmail account?

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A list of your contacts can be viewed at contacts.google.com or in the Contacts app of your mobile device (if it has been linked to your Gmail account).

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CSV files currently cannot be imported using mobile devices.

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CSV is likely to be one of the options when exporting your contacts from another email service. These files will be preformatted with your contacts’ information and ready to import into your Google account.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

I found an odd solution to a bug. Google seems to want a specific format that I couldn't figure out, but this worked. Go to Google, select Contacts, and pick one contact to export. Copy and paste that format into the new file before you transfer multiple contacts and it should resolve any formatting issues.
To keep the "phone" field from showing up under the notes, try renaming the field to "mobile" in the CSV before you import it.

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Warnings

If you created your own CSV file, it is a good idea to double-check that the information is imported to the correct fields. For example, make sure names and emails appear in the correct space and are associated with the correct contacts.

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