Export Contacts from Gmail to Outlook in 2 Easiest Methods

There is no denying that transferring contacts is one of the most important aspects of migrating emails from Gmail to Outlook. But it is easier said than done. Challenges such as duplications, encoding problems, and format incompatibilities create complexities that can be tough to navigate through.

In this guide, we will be exploring two ways on how to transfer contacts from Gmail to Outlook: a manual CSV import method and migration tool solutions. This guide will be especially useful for IT administrators working on large-scale migrations and regular users transferring their contacts.

Key Takeaways

  • There are two ways to export contacts from Gmail to Outlook: a free manual CSV export/import method and a migration tool.
  • The manual method works best for small contact lists but may lead to duplicate contacts, missing fields, and formatting issues.
  • Migration tools like CloudFuze preserve contact groups, custom fields, metadata, and other contact information.
  • For enterprises migrating 100+ contacts, CloudFuze provides faster, more secure, and more accurate transfers than manual imports.

Method 1: Manual Method to Export Contacts from Gmail to Outlook (CSV Export & Import)

Here’s how to export contacts from Gmail to Outlook using a CSV file:

Step 1: Export Contacts from Gmail

Export Gmail contacts

  1. Go to Google Contacts: https://contacts.google.com
  2. Click Export (left sidebar)
  3. Select contacts to export:
    1. All contacts
    2. Specific contact group
  4. Choose export format: Outlook CSV
  5. Click Export and then Downloads .csv file

Step 2: Import CSV into Outlook

A) For Outlook Desktop App:

  1. Open Outlook (desktop app)
  2. Go to File, then Open & Export, and then Import/Export
  3. Select Import from another program or file. Click Next
  4. Choose Comma Separated Values. Click Next
  5. Browse to the CSV file from Gmail. Click Next
  6. Choose the destination folder (e.g., Contacts) and then Import

B) For Outlook on the Web (M365):

Import Outlook Contacts

  1. Log into your Outlook account online.
  2. Click the People icon on the left navigation bar.
  3. In the top right corner, click Manage contacts > Import contacts.
  4. Browse and select your Gmail .csv file, then click Import.

Common Issues When Importing Gmail Contacts to Outlook

  1. Import Issue with Large Contacts: If the number of contacts is above 2,000, then Outlook may show an error message. Hence, separate the contacts file into multiple smaller files using Excel and import them separately.
  2. No Contact Information Migrated: In case there are no contacts after migration, open the CSV file exported to Excel and ensure that there are contacts listed in it. If it does not contain any contacts, then try re-exporting the contacts from Gmail.
  3. Contact Information Missing: If the contact information is missing in the imported file, check the exported CSV file in Excel to ensure that the missing information is available or not. This information can be added later manually if necessary.
  4. Keep CSV Format Intact: When saving the CSV file in Excel, remember to click on Yes when it asks whether to maintain its format or not. It needs to be done since clicking No can corrupt the file and require a fresh export.
  5. Duplicate Contacts Merging: Select Replace duplicates with items imported during migration to update contact information correctly.

While the manual method is free and simple, it does come with a lot of limitations. One of the biggest limitations is the loss of certain data fields and metadata, such as labels, names, and more.

Other limitations of manually exporting contacts from Gmail to Outlook include:

  • Transferring contact groups is out of scope
  • Loss of formatting
  • Time-consuming for large sets of contacts
  • Duplication risks
  • No centralized transfer control

Note: Google does not export photos of your contacts.

Method 2: Tool-Based Method to Export Contacts from Gmail to Outlook

Compared to the manual method, tool-based methods offer advanced capabilities with full flexibility. For enterprise migrations or large contact lists (100+ contacts), use professional email migration tools like CloudFuze’s Gmail to Outlook migration solution.

With CloudFuze as your Gmail to Outlook migration partner, you can:

  • Migrate a large volume of contacts while preserving all data fields
  • Migrate a large contact group
  • Maintain enterprise-grade security when migrating contacts and emails
  • Retain timestamps
  • Preserve all email statuses, such as read, unread, flags, and more
  • Migrate attachments, calendar events, and more

Here is How CloudFuze Moves Contacts from Gmail to Outlook without Data Loss

We at CloudFuze securely transfer contacts from Gmail to Outlook while preserving names, email addresses, phone numbers, groups, and contact metadata with complete accuracy.

Gmail contact transfer to Outlook

Why Use the Migration Tool to Transfer Your Contacts from Gmail to Outlook?

Feature Manual CSV method Migration Tool
Speed Slow Fast (bulk transfer)
Field mapping Manual Automatic
Groups preservation Not always preserved Fully preserved
Duplicates handling Manual check Auto-detected
Custom fields migration May lose Fully migrated
Best for Small contact lists, <100 contacts 100+ contacts, Enterprise migrations

Quick Comparison: Which Method Should You Choose to Move Contacts from Gmail to Outlook?

Approach Useful For Cost
CSV Export/Import Personal users (<100 contacts) Free
Migration Tool Enterprise, 100+ contacts Paid (CloudFuze)

Migrate All Contacts from Gmail to Outlook with CloudFuze

For enterprise cloud migrations, our tool CloudFuze is an industry standards that preserve contact groups, custom fields, and handles duplicates automatically. Leverage our industry-leading email migration tool to transfer all contacts from Gmail to Outlook without any duplication errors or contact mismatches.

We offer you a free and no-obligation demo of our tool and help you explore the benefits our solutions can provide you with. Contact us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How to export contacts from Gmail to Outlook in the best way?

The best way to export contacts from Gmail to Outlook is to use a professional email migration tool that extensively supports contacts migration.

2. What is the best tool to migrate contact from Gmail to Outlook?

CloudFuze’s Gmail to Outlook migration tool is the best option to migrate contacts from Gmail to Outlook due to benefits like enterprise-grade security, high-performance dedicated servers, GDPR compliant, SOC 2 Type 2 certified, OAuth-based cloud authentication, and more.

3. How many Gmail contacts can I migrate to Outlook using an email migration tool?

With CloudFuze’s email migration tool, you can migrate an unlimited number of contacts from Gmail to Outlook.

4. Which are the two ways to transfer contacts from Gmail to Outlook?

There are two primary ways to do so: (1) Manual transfer: transferring contacts through exporting contacts from Google Contacts to a CSV file and then importing the data in Outlook, and (2) Using third-party solutions such as CloudFuze to make the migration easy, preserve contact data, and be more appropriate for bulk transfers.

5. How can I ensure that the contacts are imported from Gmail to Outlook?

Open Outlook and go to the People/Contacts tab to check the count of the contacts transferred. Compare the contact count in both accounts to see if there is any difference. Check out a few random contact names, email IDs, and phone numbers to confirm that the transfer is complete.

6. What should I do after exporting my contacts from Gmail to Outlook to manage them effectively?

Once the contacts have been transferred from Gmail to Outlook, the contacts can then be organized through removal of duplicates using the cleaning process in Outlook, as well as the creation of contact categories to replace Gmail labels for easier management of the contacts.

One should check the contacts to ensure that there is no missing information such as job titles and addresses, and update where necessary. Lastly, backup of the contacts should be done on a regular basis.

About the Author: Aayushi Raj

Aayushi at CloudFuze specialized in bringing technical concepts to life through clear, compelling and easy-to-understand resources. With expertise in cloud migration, SaaS, and enterprise solutions, committed to helping readers understand and leverage complex technologies.