How to Transfer Google Contacts to Your iPhone: Easy Guide

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Import your contacts from Gmail to your iPhone in seconds

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: April 28, 2025 Fact Checked

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Using a New Account

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Using an Existing Account

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Troubleshooting

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FAQ

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Video

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Q&A

Do you need to import Google contacts to your iPhone? You can easily sync and upload your contacts by linking your Gmail account to the iPhone Mail app. This can be done with a new Gmail account or one that you have already added to your phone. Here's how to import contacts from Gmail to your iPhone 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, and on.

Quick Steps

Open Settings > Mail > Mail Accounts.
Tap Add Account.
Tap Google.
Enter your Gmail account information.
Toggle on Contacts.
Tap Save.

Section 1 of 4:

Adding a Gmail Account to Contacts

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1
Open the Settings app
. This looks like a grey box with gears on it.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- You can import your Gmail contacts by adding your Gmail account to the Mail app. You can also choose to sync your mail, calendar, and more.
- Use this method if you haven't yet added your Gmail account to your iPhone.
If you have an older version of iOS, you can skip this step.

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You may need to scroll down to find this. It's next to an icon of a white envelope with a blue background.
This is near the top of the page.
If you have any other emails linked to the Mail app, you'll see them listed under the Accounts header.
This is in the middle of the page. Google's Sign In page will open within the app.
In the text field that appears, type in the email address for your Gmail account.
8
Enter your Gmail account password and tap Next. Type in the password you use to log into Gmail.
- You can check the Show password box to toggle the password's visibility.
- If you have two-factor authentication turned on, you'll need to follow the on-screen instructions to verify your device.
- If you forgot your password, you'll need to reset it.
9
Toggle on "Contacts". The switch will turn green. This ensures your Gmail contacts will be imported to your iPhone.
- By default, Mail will also be toggled on. If you only want to import your Gmail contacts and not your email or anything else, toggle off the other options. Otherwise, tap it to sync it with your contacts.
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Tap Save. It's in the top-right corner of the screen. Doing so will save your changes and add the Gmail account to your iPhone's Mail app.
- You can now find your Gmail contacts in the Contacts app.
- If you don't see your contacts, you can try troubleshooting your device.

Section 2 of 4:

Enabling Contacts for an Existing Gmail Account

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1
Open your iPhone's Settings
. Tap the Settings app icon, which resembles a grey box with gears on it.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Use this method if you already have your Gmail account synced to your Mail app but need to sync your contacts.
If you have an older version of iOS, you can skip this step.
You may need to scroll down to find this. It's next to an icon of a white envelope with a blue background.
This is near the top of the page.
You should see it listed underneath the Accounts header.
6
Toggle on "Contacts"
. The switch will turn green, signifying that the selected Gmail account's contacts are being added to your iPhone's Contacts app.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- If this switch is already green, your Gmail contacts are enabled on your iPhone.

Section 3 of 4:

Troubleshooting

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If your contacts aren't syncing, you may need to enable SSL. Follow these steps to set up a secure connection to sync your contacts to your iPhone:^{[4]
X
Research source}
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
- Tap Contacts.
- Tap Accounts.
- Select the Google account with the contacts you want to import.
- Turn on the "Contacts" switch if disabled.
- Select Account and then Advanced.
- Tap the "Use SSL" switch to turn on SSL.
- Tap Account and select Done.
- Re-add your Gmail account.

Section 4 of 4:

Frequently Asked Questions

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1
Why can't I see my contacts? If you can't see your contacts, you may need to resync your account. Navigate to your Mail account settings, and tap Delete Account below the sync options. Then, add it again.
- Alternatively, it's possible Google blocked your device from accessing your contacts. Log in to your Gmail account on your computer or usual device. You might need to acknowledge an "Unusual sign-in location" prompt before you can continue importing.
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Can I export contacts from my iPhone? You can export existing contacts on your phone by doing the following:
- Open the Contacts app.
- Tap the back arrow to see your Lists.
- Tap and hold the list you want to export.
- Tap Export.
- Set your export options.
- Select where to export.
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How do you import Gmail contacts to iCloud? When you add your Gmail account to your iPhone, your contacts will sync to your iPhone. To make sure your contacts are also stored in iCloud, you will need to enable syncing for the Contacts app in Settings > your name > iCloud > See all.

Community Q&A

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Question

Will importing Gmail contacts create duplicate contacts, or it will merge/replace the existing contacts?

Community Answer

In some cases, importing Gmail contacts creates duplicates. If you added a contact and included their email address, however, Gmail will likely skip duplicating the contact in question.

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Question

How do I transfer the contacts from my old iPhone to my new iPhone?

Community Answer

You can do this quite easily by connecting via iCloud.

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Question

I was using an iPhone 5, which is not upgrade-able to iOS 11, and now I am using a 5s with iOS 11.03. I need help on how to transfer contacts from Gmail, any suggestions?

The Octopussy

Community Answer

I recommend creating VCards of your contacts, importing them to your iCloud account and then that way you never run into this matter in the future as these contacts will then be stored on your iCloud email account if you have one available.

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