2 Ways to Import VCF to Google Contacts without Hassle

Google Contacts, formerly the contact manager built in to Gmail, is a contact management app by Google. vCard (with the extension .vcf) is a file format standard for storing contact information, and a vCard is also called a VCF file.

This article will show you how to import VCF to Google Contacts in two ways, including the native one and an alternative one.

 

Method 1. How to import VCF to Google Contacts directly

Applies to: Windows PC, Mac

A single VCF file can contain one or multiple contacts. To import the contact(s) in the file to Google Contacts, follow the steps below.

Steps

1. Open contacts.google.com in your browser.

2. Click Import on the left.

3. In the Import contacts dialog, click the Select file button to upload the VCF file you want to import from your computer, and then click Import.

 

FAQs

Why can’t I import vCard to Google Contacts?

When importing VCF into Google Contacts, you might receive one of these error messages: “Gmail is temporarily unable to access your contacts”, “Can’t import contacts”, and “Select a CSV or vCard file under 20 MB”. Why?

Here are some reasons.

• Import too many contacts at a time. Google Contacts allows you to import up to 3,000 vCard contacts at once.
• Reach the limit. You can import up to 25,000 contacts or 20 MB (images not included). Each contact is not allowed to exceed 128 KB, 500 fields, and 1,024 characters per field (except for Notes). For example, if your vCard is larger than 20 MB, you will see a Your file is too large error message.
• Incompatible formats. Make sure the contacts you intend to import to Google Contacts are in a valid VCF file.
• The network is down.

Here are some fixes.

• Use Method 2 to do the import without limits.
• If your VCF file contains over 3,000 contacts or is larger than 20 MB, try splitting it.
• Pay attention to limits on files.
• Check and verify the VCF file.
• Try importing the vCard to Google Contacts again a few minutes later.

 

How do I import multiple VCF to Google Contacts?

Google Contacts can only import contacts from one file at a time. What if you want to import dozens or even hundreds of vCards? In such a case, use Method 2.

If you want to stick with the first method, there are two workarounds.

Workaround 1. Merge multiple VCF files into one

You can use a vCard merger to merge files before import.

1. On your Mac or Windows PC, access such a merger. The one I use is thewebvendor.com.

2. Click Choose Files.

3. Select your vCard files to add.

4. Click Submit.

5. Download the merged vCard.

After the combination, you can start to import the vCard to Google Contacts.

Workaround 2. Manually create multiple contacts

1. Open contacts.google.com.

2. Click Import on the left.

3. Click the hyperlinked text Create multiple contacts.

4. Manually add the names, emails, or both (for example, Florence B. Gomez, FlorenceBGomez@armyspy.com) you desire to add to Google Contacts.

 

Will the imported vCard contacts be added to Other contacts in Google Contacts?

No, they won’t.

The Other contacts tab is different from the Contacts tab. The former contains the contacts that you’ve sent email messages to. The latter collects the contacts you have imported, saved, or created. After you import VCF into Google Contacts, the vCard contacts are displayed only in the Contacts tab and Labels.

 

Method 2. How to (bulk) import VCF to Google Contacts easily

The most effective import method is to use Cisdem ContactsMate, an easy-to-use and powerful contact manager app for Mac and Windows.

When it comes to importing contacts from VCF files to Google Contacts, it provides the following benefits.

• Import one or multiple vCards at a time
• Support importing vCards containing more than 3,000 contacts or exceed 20 MB
• Help you back up your current contacts list with a click before import (if needed)
• Help you find and delete or merge duplicate contacts with a click after import (if any)

Below are detailed steps to import VCF files to Google Contacts on Mac and Windows PC respectively.

Steps on Mac

1. Download and install ContactsMate.

Free Download macOS 10.11 or later

2. When you first open the app, click OK to allow access.

3. Click Add Account in the toolbar, which will open the Internet Accounts window.

4. Choose Google from the right panel and sign in to it.

5. Make sure that you check the Contacts option. Click the button next to the Updated contacts detected message.

6. In the left sidebar, you will see Google (with all your Google contacts in it).

7. To import VCF to Google Contacts, click Import to import one or multiple VCF files and then drag the imported contacts from Latest Import into Google in the left sidebar.

When you check the contacts on contacts.google.com, you will find the contacts in your VCF files are added to Google Contacts.

 

Steps on Windows PC

ContactsMate also can helps you import VCF to Google Contacts with ease. Below are the steps:

1. Download and install it on your Windows.

Free Download Windows 10 or later

2. Open it. Sign in with your Google account.

3. Click your Google account in the sidebar. To import VCF to your Google contacts, click the Manage contacts button. Click Import contacts.

4. Click Browse. Upload the vCard file. (This tool supports importing both VCF and CSV file.) Click Import.

Now those contacts are all imported to Google Contacts.

 

Method 3. How to import vCard to Google Contacts on Android

Applies to: Android

In addition to being available as a web app, Google Contacts is available as an Android app. This part will show you how to import contacts from a VCF file to the Google Contacts app on your Android phone or tablet.

1. On your Android device, open Google Contacts.

2. In the top left corner, tap the 3-line icon.

3. Select Settings > Import.

4. In the Import contacts from dialog box, select the .vcf file option.

5. Import the VCF file that contains the contacts you’d like to import.

 

Closing thoughts

After importing contacts from VCF to Google Contacts, you can easily access and use these contacts. For example, you can directly choose them as email recipients and quickly send messages to groups of people.

This article talks about how to import VCF to Google Contacts in different ways. Although Google allows you to import vCard files straightway, it might encounter unexpected problems and make your procedure unsuccessful. Hence, I’m more inclined to an all-in-one third-party contacts management tool like Cisdem ContactsMate. Not only can it import, sync, export contacts, but also keep your address book well organized, preventing it from being messed up.