How to Import CSV Contacts into Android

This guide walks you through importing contacts from a CSV file into your Android phone or tablet. You’ll learn how to prepare the file, use the built-in import tools in Google Contacts and the Contacts app, and handle common issues like encoding and duplicate entries. No special apps are required, but you’ll need a Google account if you want to sync contacts across devices.

What You’ll Need

An Android device with the Contacts app (most phones have one preinstalled).
A CSV file containing your contacts. If you don’t have one, you can export it from Gmail, Outlook, iCloud, or another phone.
A Google account if you plan to sync contacts to the cloud (optional but recommended).

Step-by-Step

Prepare your CSV file. Make sure the first row contains column headers like First Name, Last Name, Phone, and Email. If your file was exported from another service, it likely already has headers. If not, open it in a spreadsheet app (like Google Sheets or Excel) and add them. Save the file with a .csv extension.
Transfer the CSV to your Android device. You can email it to yourself, upload it to Google Drive, or connect your phone to a computer and copy the file to the Downloads folder. Any location is fine as long as you can find it later.
Open the Contacts app. Look for the app labeled “Contacts” or “People” on your home screen or in the app drawer. The icon usually shows a silhouette of a person or a book.
Access the import menu. Tap the three-line menu (hamburger icon) in the top-left corner, then select Settings or Manage contacts. The exact wording varies by phone model. Look for an option like Import/Export or Import.
Choose the import source. Tap Import and select the location where you saved the CSV file. If you uploaded it to Google Drive, choose “Google Drive” and navigate to the file. If it’s in your Downloads folder, pick “Storage” or “SD card” and browse to the file.
Select the CSV file. Tap the file name to select it. The app will show a preview of the contacts it found. If the preview looks correct, tap OK or Import.
Choose the destination account. You’ll be asked where to save the contacts. Select your Google account (if you want them synced) or choose “Phone” to store them locally. Tap Import again to start the process.
Wait for the import to finish. The time depends on the number of contacts. You’ll see a confirmation message when it’s done. Open your contact list to verify that the entries appear correctly.

Common Mistakes

Wrong file format: Some apps export contacts as a .vcf (vCard) file, not CSV. The import process is different for vCard files (see Troubleshooting below).
Missing headers: If your CSV doesn’t have a header row, the Contacts app may not recognize the columns, resulting in blank or mislabeled fields.
Encoding issues: CSV files with special characters (like é or ü) may show garbled text if the file is saved in a different character encoding. Save the file as UTF-8 to avoid this.
Duplicate contacts: Importing a file that already contains contacts you have will create duplicates. Use the “Merge duplicates” feature after importing.
Selecting the wrong account: If you import to “Phone” but later switch phones, those contacts won’t sync. Always choose your Google account for cloud backup.

Tips

Use Google Contacts on the web: You can import a CSV directly into Google Contacts from a computer. Go to contacts.google.com, click Import under the left sidebar, and upload the file. It will sync to your Android automatically.
Clean up your CSV first: Remove duplicate rows and fix any missing phone numbers before importing. This saves time later.
Back up before importing: Export your current contacts to a VCF file as a safety net. If something goes wrong, you can restore them.
Check the header names: Google Contacts expects specific column names like “First Name”, “Last Name”, “Phone 1 – Value”. If your file uses different names, the import may fail or map fields incorrectly.
Use a spreadsheet to edit: Open the CSV in Google Sheets to add or remove columns easily. You can also use the “Split text to columns” feature if your file has combined fields.

Troubleshooting

Import option is grayed out: Some phone manufacturers hide the import option. Try using Google Contacts instead—it’s available on all Android devices and always has an import button.
CSV file not showing in the picker: Make sure the file has a .csv extension. If you saved it as .txt, rename it. Also check that you’re looking in the right folder (Downloads vs. Documents).
Contacts appear with garbled text: This is an encoding problem. Open the CSV in a text editor (like Notepad++ or Google Sheets) and save it as UTF-8. Then re-import.
Import says “No valid contacts found”: Your CSV may have incorrect headers. Open the file and ensure the first row has recognizable column names. If you’re unsure, compare it to a sample CSV from Google Contacts.
Contacts import but phone numbers are missing: The column names for phone numbers must be exact. In Google Contacts, use “Phone 1 – Value”. If your file uses “Phone”, rename it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I import a CSV file directly from Gmail on my phone?
A: Yes, you can open the email attachment in the Gmail app, then tap the download icon to save it. Then follow the steps above to import from the Downloads folder.

Q: Will importing overwrite my existing contacts?
A: No, the import adds new contacts to your existing list. It won’t delete or replace anything.

Q: How do I merge duplicate contacts after importing?
A: Open the Contacts app, go to Settings, and look for “Merge duplicates” or “Suggest duplicates”. Follow the prompts to combine similar entries.

Q: What if my CSV has multiple phone numbers per contact?
A: You can include multiple columns like “Phone 1 – Value”, “Phone 2 – Value”, etc. The import will map them to the contact’s phone fields.

Q: Can I import a CSV file from iCloud?
A: Yes, iCloud lets you export contacts as a vCard (.vcf) file, not CSV. You can import the vCard directly via the Contacts app’s Import option, or convert the vCard to CSV using a tool.

Q: Is there a limit to the number of contacts I can import?
A: Google Contacts has a limit of 100,000 contacts, but most users won’t hit that. The Android app itself may slow down with very large files, so consider splitting the CSV into smaller chunks.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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