How to import contacts from Excel to Outlook?

Author: Sun Last Modified: 2025-04-18

If you have a list of contacts information in Excel, and now you want to import these contacts from Excel to Outlook, do you have any ideas? Here I introduce the method to import contacts from Excel to Outlook.

the screenshot of importing contacts from excel to outlook

Import contacts from Excel to Outlook

Import contacts from Excel to Outlook

To import the contacts from Excel list, you need to save the Excel file as CSV file first.

1. Enable the Excel file which contains the contact list, and click "File" > "Save As" > "Browse", and select a folder to save it，the in Save as type drop down list, select "CSV(Comma delimited)", and click the "Save" button.

2. Now warning "Microsoft Excel" dialog boxes may come out. Please click the "OK" or "Yes" to go ahead, and then close the new CSV file without saving changes.

3. Then enable Outlook, click "File" > "Open & Export" > "Import/Export" in Outlook 2013 and 2016. See screenshot:

Note: If you are using Outlook 2010, please click "File" > "Open" > "Import".

4. Then in "Import and Export Wizard", select" Import from another program or file". Click "Next".

5. Then in the "Import a File" dialog, select "Comma Separated Values". Click "Next".

6. Then select the CSV file you have saved in the first step by clicking "Browse", and check one option you need in the "Options" section. Click "Next".

7. Select a contact folder you want to import the contacts to. Click "Next".

8. Then check "Import “contacts.csv” into folder:Contacts.."option.

9. Click "Map Custom Fields" option if you want to do some manual mapping. For example, you want to adjust the Phone Number to the Business Phone, you just need to click on the "Phone number", and drag it to the "Business Phone".

You can drag Full Name, Email to the fields as you need.

10. After adjusting fields, click "OK", and then click the "Finish" button. Now the contacts have been imported to the specified contact folder of Outlook.