How to Migrate Contacts from Google to Microsoft Outlook?

Migrating your contacts from Google Contacts to Outlook is straightforward, following these steps:

Part 1. Export Contacts from Google

1. Go to Google Contacts > Export

2. Choose contacts to export (all contacts or just certain labels).

3. Select ‘CSV for Outlook only‘.

4. Click ‘Export‘. A .csv file will download.

Part 2. Import Contacts into Outlook (Web or Desktop)

Outlook Web (Outlook.com or Microsoft 365):

1. Go to Outlook > People.

2. Select Manage > Import Contacts.

 If your contact list is empty, you may also see an ‘Import Contacts‘ option near the bottom of the screen.


3. Upload the .csv file you downloaded from Google, then click ‘Import‘.


4. Review the contact list, then click ‘Looks OK, continue’.


5. A confirmation message will appear when the import is complete.

Outlook Desktop (Windows):

1. Open Outlook.

2. Go to File.

3. Click Open & Export.

4. Next,  Import/Export.

5. Choose ‘Import from another program or file‘, then click Next.

6. Select Comma Separated Values > Locate your .csv file.

Pick Comma Separated Values, then locate your .csv file.


7.  Choose what to do with duplicate contacts.

Choose what to do with duplicate contacts.

8. Select the destination folder (typically Contacts).

Select the folder called Contacts.

9. Click Finish.

Click Finish.

FAQ

1. Will contact labels from Google Contacts be preserved when importing to Outlook?

 No. Labels from Google Contacts (used to group contacts) won’t be carried over. All contacts will be added individually. After import, you can group them using Outlook’s Contact Groups or Categories.

2. What happens if I export contacts using the wrong CSV format (not Outlook CSV)?

If you export contacts using the Google CSV format instead of the Outlook CSV, the import might still work, but field mappings may not align correctly. This could lead to data being placed in the wrong fields or ignored altogether. For best results, always select the Outlook CSV option to ensure compatibility and minimize manual field mapping.

3. Can I manually edit the CSV file before importing it into Outlook?

Yes. You can open the CSV file using Excel or Google Sheets to review and fill in missing data- such as phone numbers, job titles, or custom fields. Just be sure to keep the column headers unchanged and save the file in CSV format after editing. This allows you to enrich your contact data before completing the import into Outlook.