Backing up your iOS contacts is very easy thanks to iCloud. But what if you change devices or share your contacts with other devices? This is also very easy. There are multiple ways to export iPhone contacts from iCloud.
You can export your contacts in VCard (VCF) format or Excel / CSV format as needed. This guide shares a detailed guide on both methods.
However, before proceeding, make sure your contacts are properly backed up to your iCloud account.
What is a vCard or VCF?
vCard or VCF (Virtual Contact File) is the standard file format for electronic business cards. You can include names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, URLs, photos, and audio clips.
iOS devices, Android devices, Google Contacts, email apps, etc. support vCard as the default format. Here’s how to export contacts from iCloud to vCard:
- Launch any web browser on your computer and go to iCloud.
- The next screen will list all your contacts.click Setting The icon in the lower left corner.
- Then you will see a menu with some options.click select all Export the entire contact list.
- click Setting Select the icon again to select Export vCard..
- The contact vCard file will be downloaded to download Mac folder.
Note: Download vCard to easily import your contacts to another device or platform. You can also use this method if you need a local backup of your iCloud contacts for added security.
Convert iPhone contacts from VCF to Excel / CSV format
The application that imports contacts may not support the VCF format. Alternatively, you may want to export iPhone contacts to Apple Numbers, Microsoft Excel, or other Office alternatives.
The latter is especially useful when dealing with hundreds of customers every day. CSV format is a little more efficient. CSV format is required for such scenarios.
However, there is no official way to copy contacts from iPhone to Excel. However, there are some workarounds to work around this issue. You need to use some third party tools to convert vCard to Excel format.
Web applications such as OnlinevCardConverter and VCFtoXLS can help with the conversion.
In this article, let’s go to the vCard to LDIF / CSV converter using a web browser.
- Then click Browse..
- Select the vCard file you downloaded a while ago.click Open Upload the file. Now we need to make some changes.
- Click the dropdown button next to it format Choose CSV..
- Click the dropdown button next to it tab Choose comma..
- Select the check box Add header line..
- Click the drop-down menu next to it encoding Choose Unicode (UTF-8) If not already selected.
Note: Do not select change Also filter..
Once you have fully configured your options, conversion option.
Contact export is a great option for backing up and transferring contacts. Some of these apps can export contacts in different file types such as Excel (.xlsx), CSV (.csv), vCard (.vcf).
In addition, you can also choose export How to export contacts using email, SMS, iMessage, Dropbox, Google Drive, iCloud Drive, Slack, Evernote and more.
price: $ 2.99
You can also select the data to export. For example, you can choose to add or remove emails, addresses, and so on. Finally, you’ll get a clean, customized spreadsheet that you can export via email or Dropbox.
price: free
sign off…
Contacts have become an integral part of using your smartphone. From friends we happen to make to electricians we sometimes need, our contactbooks contain everything more. So it’s only natural that you need to properly protect them, back them up, and transfer them to your current device.
Hopefully one of the solutions outlined in this guide worked for you. Did you run into trouble on the way? Please leave a comment about what happened. We may be able to help you.
Are there any other Apple related questions that are rolling in your head? We want to hear them. Please comment!
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