How to Import Contact to iPhone from CSV [Guide 2026]
An iPhone can store up to 50,000 contacts, which makes it incredibly convenient to keep all your contacts in one place, such as on your phone. This way, you can make calls and send text messages anytime, anywhere. However, transferring contacts from various sources to an iPhone can be tricky. For example, some users may wonder how to import CSV contacts to an iPhone.
If your contact list is saved in CSV format and you're struggling with how to import it to your iPhone, you've come to the right place. This guide will show you four practical methods to import contacts to your iPhone from CSV files.
Part 1: What Are CSV Files and Contacts?
CSV stands for "Comma Separated Values," which is a simple text file that stores a list of information (or data). Typically, CSV files are used to transfer data between different types of applications. For example, contact managers and databases commonly support these files.
Sometimes, CSV files are referred to as "Character Separated Values," since a character is used to separate the data. While commas are the most common delimiter, other characters like semicolons can also be used.
The connection between contacts and CSV files is strong. CSV files are often used to organize contact information. This allows you to export contact data from one application and import it into another. The main purpose of CSV files is to facilitate data transfer between applications.
CSV files can be opened with various applications, such as Notepad. They can also be opened with spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets. On macOS, third-party applications can be used to open and edit these files as well.
Part 2: 3 Common Ways to Import Contact to iPhone from CSV
To transfer CSV contacts to your iPhone, you'll need an additional tool to read or convert the CSV file. While iOS doesn't support CSV files directly, it works seamlessly with major email providers like Outlook, Gmail, and others.
Way 1: Add CSV Contacts to iPhone with iTunes and Outlook
- Open your Outlook client, go to the "File" menu, select "Open & Export," and choose "Import/Export."
- Choose "Import from another program or file," then click "Next."
- Click the "Browse" button, select the desired CSV file, open it, and click "Next." Set "Contacts" as the destination folder, then click "Next" and "Finish." Check your Outlook address book to confirm the import.
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes. Click the "Phone" button, then navigate to the "Info" tab.
- Check "Sync Contacts with," then choose "Outlook" from the drop-down list. You can either import all contacts to your iPhone or select specific groups.
- Click the "Apply" button and wait for the process to complete. (How to Sync Outlook Contacts with iPhone?)
Way 2: Transfer CSV Contacts to iPhone with iCloud & Google Contacts
- Open your browser and go to contact.google.com. Sign in to your Google account.
- In the More menu, select "Import" and click "Select file" in the pop-up window.
- Choose the CSV file from your computer and click the "Import" button.
- Next, go back to the More menu and select "Export." Choose vCard as the output format and save the file to your desktop.
- Go to the iCloud website, sign in to your iCloud account, and select "Contacts."
- Click the Settings button in the lower-left corner and choose "Import vCard." Select the contact file from your desktop.
- Once your iCloud contacts sync, your Google contacts will be imported to your iPhone. (How to Get Contacts from iCloud to iPhone?)
Way 3: Import CSV Files to iPhone with a CSV to VCF Converter
There are several online CSV to VCF converters available, such as TextCompare, AnyConv CSV to VCF Converter Online, Aconvert CSV to VCF, and more. We'll use TextCompare as an example to show you how to import CSV contacts to your iPhone.
- Open the online CSV to vCard converter in your browser.
- Click the "CHOOSE CSV FILE" button and select the CSV file from your computer.
- Click the "Process" button, and once the conversion is complete, hit the "Save" button. Download the VCF file to your desktop and then add it to your iPhone using iCloud or iTunes.
Part 3. The Easiest Way to Import CSV Contacts into iPhone
As mentioned earlier, there's no built-in method to directly import CSV contacts to your iPhone. Luckily, iPhone Data Transfer simplifies this process. It can open CSV files, extract the contacts, and transfer them to your iOS device. Beyond CSV files, it also supports importing contacts, music, photos, videos, and more from your computer or other external drives to your device. Additionally, it can help you export all data from your iPhone or iPad for backup purposes.
iPhone Data Transfer - The Best Contact Manager
- Import contacts to your iPhone from a CSV file.
- Automatically transcode contacts for the target device.
- Preview contacts before adding them to your iOS device.
- Easily manage your contacts, including creating contact groups, deleting duplicates, and backing them up.
- Compatible with the latest iPhone and iPad models.
Follow the steps below to transfer CSV files from PC to iPhone using iPhone Data Transfer:
Step 1. Connect your iPhone to computer
Use USB cable to link your device to PC and launch the program. Then the tool will detect your iPhone automatically.
Step 2. Import CSV contacts from PC to iPhone
After the successful detection, you will see several categories listed on the interface. Tap on the Contacts folder and you will enter it and preview the whole contents of it. Finally, click on "Import" button and you can select the CSV on your computer and copy them to your iPhone.
Part 4: FAQs about Importing CSV Contacts to iPhone
Q1: Can I import a CSV file into iCloud Contacts?
No, iCloud and Apple products only support one contact file format: vCard (VCF). To add a CSV file to iCloud Contacts, you'll need to convert it into vCard format using a third-party tool and then save contacts to iCloud.
Q2: Is it possible to import contacts in bulk to an iPhone?
Yes, you can import contacts in bulk to your iPhone from a vCard or other contact files. However, keep in mind that iOS only supports contact files in vCard format. If your contacts are stored in CSV format, you can use "Apeaksoft iPhone Transfer" to easily add them to your iPhone without any trouble.
Q3: Why can't I import contacts to my iPhone?
Your iPhone can only read contacts in vCard format. If you try to transfer CSV contacts to your iPhone, they won't show up.
Conclusion
This guide has explained how to add contacts in CSV format to your iPhone. Since CSV files are not natively compatible with iOS or Mac, you'll need a powerful tool to convert the contacts for your iPhone, such as iPhone Data Transfer. Alternatively, you can convert CSV files to vCard using Google Contacts or other methods. If you have any other questions or suggestions, feel free to leave a comment below!
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Top 5 Methods on How to Access iCloud Contacts
How to Export iCloud Contacts to CSV format?
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