How to Backup Outlook Contacts to Gmail via Export and Import

Want to sync Outlook contacts to Gmail? Scroll down to get a stepwise guide to transfer contacts from Outlook to Gmail and the best Outlook backup software to protect Outlook data here.

By @Lily Last Updated March 3, 2023

Need to backup Outlook contacts to Gmail

Outlook and Gmail are two widely-used email apps. It is quite common that you have both Outlook and Gmail account. In our email account, contacts are an important part. You may want to backup Outlook contacts to Gmail in the following situations:

  • Prevent losing contact information in the event of Outlook errors, such as Outlook folders missing problem. 
  • Use the Outlook contacts in Google Gmail without adding them manually.

How to transfer contacts from Outlook to Gmail

Before you export contacts from Outlook, it is helpful to understand the difference between the Outlook Address Book and Outlook Contacts.

  • The Address Book is a compilation of the different address lists that you might store in Outlook, such as LDAP Internet directories, the global address list (GAL), or other third-party address books.
  • Contacts is only one of the address lists included in an Address Book. Only contacts can be exported directly from Outlook to Google Gmail.

I’ll show you how to export contacts from Outlook and import them to Gmail step by step below.

Export Outlook contacts to a CSV file

  1. In Outlook, click File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
  2. Click Export to a file, and then click Next.

  1. Select Comma Separate Values and click Next.

  1. Select the Contacts folder under the target account and click Next. If you have several accounts, you may need to scroll up or down to find the needed one.

  1. Choose Browse, name your file, and click OK.

  1. Confirm where your new contacts file will be saved on your computer, and click Next.
  2. Click Finish to start exporting your contacts immediately. 

Import Outlook contacts to Gmail

  1. Log on to Google Contacts.
  2. On the left side panel, click Import.

  1. In the pop-up window, click Select file and navigate to the file you exported above, and then click Open.

  1. Click Import to begin importing contact information to Gmail.

  1. After Outlook contacts are imported successfully, you’ll see the contact information under Gmail Contacts list. Also, a new label named “Imported on (month/day)” is created automatically, you can rename the label or delete it as per your need.

Always backup Outlook data to prevent data loss

You never know when Outlook errors will occur. Besides contacts, there is still other important Outlook data you should backup, such as emails, calendars, notes and tasks. How to set up comprehensive data protection for Outlook? The best Outlook backup software – AOMEI Backupper Professional can give you a hand.

  • It enables you to backup all data in Outlook, including emails, contacts, notes, calendars, and tasks.
  • You can choose different devices as the backup location, such as backup Outlook emails to external hard drive, local disk, USB flash drive, and NAS device, etc.
  • You are allowed to backup your Outlook data daily, weekly or monthly using the “Schedule Backup” feature.
  • It supports Windows 11, 10, 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, XP, Outlook for Microsoft 365 and Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007.

Download AOMEI Backupper now to have a try.

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Then follow the guidance below to backup Outlook data regularly:

Step 1. Add the email account you want to backup to Outlook.

  • If you're adding your first email account, go to Start > Outlook, enter your email address and click Connect.

  • If you’re adding an additional email account, go to Start > Outlook > File > Add Account. The rest steps are the same as you add the first email account.

Step 2. Install and launch AOMEI Backupper. Then click Backup and select Outlook Backup.

Step 3. Click Add Outlook Data. In the popup window, select the items to be backed up. You can choose the whole email account or several subfolders under it.

Step 4. Select a destination path to save the backup image.

Step 5. To have the backup task run automatically, click Schedule Backup and choose a suitable backup frequency.

Step 6. Click Start Backup > Add the schedule and start backup now to begin backing up your Outlook data immediately. You can also choose Only add the schedule to run it later.

Conclusion

Now you know how to backup Outlook contacts to Gmail via the export and import method. To set up comprehensive data protection for Outlook, you can try the best Outlook backup software AOMEI Backupper. Actually, it can do far more than that. If you want to recycle your computer, you can use the Disk Wipe feature to permanently delete files from computer. Try it now to discover more!