For a single contact: Open Outlook Classic, go to File, Open & Export, Import/Export, select Import a vCard file (.vcf), and browse to your file. For multiple contacts: Import the VCF into Google Contacts, export as Outlook CSV, then use Outlook’s Import/Export Wizard to import the CSV. Outlook cannot natively import a multi-contact VCF in bulk. For the fastest bulk import with full field preservation, use a dedicated VCF converter tool.
Introduction
Trying to import VCF to Outlook seems like it should be straightforward, but Microsoft has made it surprisingly complicated. Outlook can import a single-contact VCF file with a few clicks. But the moment you have a VCF file containing dozens or hundreds of contacts, Outlook hits a wall. It either imports only the first contact and silently ignores the rest, or it forces you to click OK for every single contact one by one.
We have helped thousands of users migrate contacts into Outlook over the past 10 years at Univik, and this is consistently the number one frustration people run into. The core issue is that Outlook’s built-in VCF import was designed for individual business cards, not for bulk contact migration. Getting around this limitation requires either converting the VCF to CSV first or using a tool that handles the conversion automatically.
This guide covers five methods to import vCard to Outlook, starting with the simplest single-contact import and building up to bulk solutions that handle thousands of contacts. We also cover the critical differences between Outlook Classic, New Outlook, and Outlook on the Web, because they each handle VCF files differently.
Which Version of Outlook Supports VCF Import?
Before picking a method, you need to know which version of Outlook you are using. Microsoft currently ships three different versions, and their VCF support varies significantly. This is something most competitor guides skip entirely, but it determines which methods will actually work for you.
| Outlook Version | Direct VCF Import | CSV Import | Drag and Drop VCF | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outlook Classic (Desktop) | Yes (one at a time) | Yes (bulk) | Yes | Full import support. Use this for VCF files. |
| New Outlook (Windows/Mac) | No | Yes (bulk) | No | No VCF import. Convert to CSV first. |
| Outlook on Web (browser) | No | Yes (bulk) | No | No VCF import. CSV only. |
Here is the practical takeaway. If you are using New Outlook or the web version, you must convert your VCF file to CSV before importing. Only Outlook Classic (the traditional desktop application) supports direct VCF import, and even then it only handles one contact per import operation. In our testing, attempting to import a multi-contact VCF in New Outlook produced no error message but also imported zero contacts. The file was simply ignored without any feedback.
5 Methods to Import VCF to Outlook
Each method below works for a different situation. Methods 1 and 2 are best for individual contacts. Methods 3, 4, and 5 handle bulk imports of hundreds or thousands of contacts. All methods have been tested on Outlook 2021, Outlook 365, and New Outlook on both Windows 11 and macOS.
Method 1: Direct Import via Import/Export Wizard (Single Contact, Outlook Classic Only)
This is the official Microsoft method. It works reliably for VCF files containing a single contact. If your file has multiple contacts, Outlook will only import the first one and ignore the rest.
1
Open Outlook Classic and go to File, then Open & Export, then Import/Export. The Import and Export Wizard opens.
2
Select “Import a vCard file (.vcf)” and click Next. Browse to the location of your VCF file, select it, and click Open.
3
The contact is imported immediately. Check your Outlook Contacts folder (People section) to verify the imported contact. All standard fields including name, phone, email, address, and organization should appear.
Single Contact Only
This method imports exactly one contact per VCF file. If your VCF contains 500 contacts, only the first one will be imported. For multi-contact files, use Method 3, 4, or 5 instead.
If you received a VCF as an email attachment in Outlook, you can also right-click the attachment and select Add to Outlook Contacts. This opens the contact card for review before saving, which is useful when you want to verify the data before committing it to your address book.
Method 2: Drag and Drop VCF into Outlook (Quick, Outlook Classic)
A lesser-known method that many guides skip entirely. You can drag a VCF file directly onto Outlook’s Contacts section. This works in Outlook Classic on both Windows and Mac.
1
Open Outlook Classic and switch to the Contacts view by clicking the People icon in the navigation bar.
2
Open File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) and locate your VCF file. Drag the file and drop it onto the Contacts section in Outlook’s sidebar. A green plus icon appears as confirmation.
3
Click Import when prompted. Outlook will process the file and add the contacts. On Mac, this method can handle multi-contact VCF files in some Outlook versions. On Windows, it typically imports only individual VCF files (one contact per file).
This method is faster than the Import/Export Wizard when you have several individual VCF files (one contact per file) because you can drag and drop them in quick succession without navigating menus each time. However, it does not solve the bulk import problem for a single VCF containing many contacts.
Method 3: Google Contacts CSV Middleman (Free, Best for Bulk Import)
This is the most reliable free method for importing multiple VCF contacts to Outlook. Google Contacts acts as a converter: it imports your VCF, normalizes all the data, and exports a properly formatted Outlook CSV that imports cleanly into any version of Outlook.
1
Import VCF to Google Contacts. Go to contacts.google.com, sign in, click Import in the sidebar, select your VCF file, and click Import. Google parses all contacts regardless of how many are in the file.
2
Export as Outlook CSV. Select the imported contacts (create a label first to keep them organized), click the Export icon, and choose Outlook CSV as the format. This is critical. Do not choose Google CSV, because Outlook will not recognize the column headers. Download the CSV file.
3
Import CSV into Outlook. Open Outlook, go to File, Open & Export, Import/Export. Select “Import from another program or file,” choose “Comma Separated Values,” browse to your CSV file, select your Contacts folder as the destination, and click Finish. All contacts are imported in bulk.
Why Outlook CSV, Not Google CSV?
Outlook expects specific column headers like “First Name,” “Last Name,” and “Business Phone.” Google CSV uses different headers like “Given Name,” “Family Name,” and “Phone 1 – Value.” If you export a Google CSV and import it into Outlook, fields will be mismatched or skipped entirely. Always choose Outlook CSV when the destination is Microsoft Outlook. For more on the differences between these two formats, see our guide on VCF file to CSV conversion.
Limitations of the Google CSV Method
This three-step process works with every version of Outlook (Classic, New, and Web) because all versions support CSV import. The trade-off is that Google Contacts strips custom X-properties, may downsize embedded photos, and uploads your contacts to Google servers temporarily. Delete the imported contacts from Google after exporting if you do not want them stored permanently.
Method 4: Windows Contacts CSV Export (Offline, No Google Account Needed)
If you want to stay completely offline and do not have a Google account, you can use Windows Contacts as the conversion layer. This built-in Windows feature imports VCF files and exports them as CSV for Outlook.
1
Open Windows Contacts. Press Windows+R, type %systemdrive%\users\%username%\contacts and press Enter. Click Import, choose vCard (VCF file), browse to your file, and click Import. For multi-contact VCF files, you must click OK for each contact individually.
2
Export as CSV. After all contacts are imported, select them all, click Export at the top of the window, choose CSV (Comma Separated Values), pick a destination folder and filename, select the fields you want to include, and click Finish.
3
Import the CSV into Outlook. Open Outlook, go to File, Open & Export, Import/Export, select “Import from another program or file,” choose “Comma Separated Values,” browse to your CSV, select the Contacts folder, and click Finish.
The major downside of this method is the one-by-one OK clicking during VCF import. When we tested a 300-contact VCF file, this step took over 15 minutes of repetitive clicking. Microsoft’s own support documentation acknowledges this limitation. For files with more than 50 contacts, the Google Contacts method or a converter tool is significantly faster.
Method 5: VCF to Outlook Converter Tool (Best for Bulk and Enterprise)
For large contact databases, enterprise migrations, or repeated imports, a dedicated VCF to Outlook converter handles the entire process in one step. No intermediate CSV conversion, no Google account, and no one-by-one clicking.
1
Download and install the converter. Open the application and click Add File or Add Folder to load your VCF files. The tool parses all contacts and displays them in a preview panel where you can verify every field before importing.
2
Select the output format. Choose Outlook CSV, PST, or direct Outlook import depending on your needs. PST is the native Outlook data file format and preserves contact photos, categories, and custom fields that CSV may lose.
3
Click Convert. The tool handles all vCard versions (2.1, 3.0, 4.0), decodes quoted-printable encoding, maps VCF fields to Outlook contact fields automatically, and preserves international characters through UTF-8 processing. Import the resulting PST or CSV file into Outlook.
A professional vCard converter tool is the right choice when you have thousands of contacts, need to preserve embedded photos, or are performing enterprise-level migrations from platforms like Thunderbird, iCloud, or Android. During development of our converter at Univik, we tested it against VCF exports from over 15 platforms and found that PST output preserves contact photos and notes that CSV conversion always drops.
Method Comparison: Which One Should You Use?
| Criteria | Direct Import | Drag and Drop | Google CSV | Windows Contacts | Converter Tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Single contact | Quick individual VCFs | Free bulk import | Offline bulk | Enterprise bulk |
| Handles multi-contact VCF | No (first only) | Partial (Mac only) | Yes | Yes (tedious) | Yes |
| Works with New Outlook | No | No | Yes (via CSV) | Yes (via CSV) | Yes |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Preserves photos | Yes (single) | Yes (single) | No | No | Yes (via PST) |
| Speed for 500 contacts | N/A | N/A | ~3 minutes | ~20 minutes | ~30 seconds |
| Cost | Free | Free | Free | Free | Paid (free trial) |
For most people doing a one-time migration, the Google Contacts CSV method (Method 3) is the best balance of speed, reliability, and cost. If privacy matters or you need to preserve photos, use a converter tool with PST output.
VCF Fields to Outlook Contact Fields Mapping
One of the reasons contacts sometimes appear incomplete after import is that VCF field names do not match Outlook’s expected field names exactly. This reference shows how standard vCard properties map to Outlook contact fields. Understanding this mapping is essential when you are manually editing a CSV before import or troubleshooting missing data.
| VCF Property | Outlook Contact Field | Notes |
|---|---|---|
FN |
File As / Full Name | Display name shown in contact list |
N (family;given) |
First Name / Last Name | Outlook splits into separate fields |
TEL;TYPE=CELL |
Mobile Phone | Maps correctly if TYPE is specified |
TEL;TYPE=WORK |
Business Phone | First work number; extras go to Business Phone 2 |
TEL;TYPE=HOME |
Home Phone | First home number only |
EMAIL;TYPE=WORK |
E-mail Address | Primary email field |
EMAIL;TYPE=HOME |
E-mail 2 Address | Secondary email; Outlook supports up to 3 |
ORG |
Company | Organization name |
TITLE |
Job Title | Maps directly |
ADR;TYPE=WORK |
Business Street / City / State / Zip | Outlook splits address into components |
BDAY |
Birthday | Format must be YYYY-MM-DD |
NOTE |
Notes | Preserved in direct import; often lost in CSV |
PHOTO |
Contact Photo | Only preserved in direct import and PST; lost in CSV |
The key point is that Outlook expects typed phone numbers (CELL, WORK, HOME) to map them correctly. If your VCF file has phone numbers without TYPE parameters, Outlook may dump all of them into the “Other Phone” field. For a deeper look at VCF property syntax and how it varies between vCard versions, see our guide on VCF to vCard conversion.
Common Problems and Fixes
Based on our experience handling contact migration support at Univik, these are the five issues that come up most frequently when people try to import VCF to Outlook.
Outlook only imports the first contact from a multi-contact VCF. This is not a bug. Outlook’s built-in VCF import only recognizes the first BEGIN:VCARD block in the file. The fix is to convert the VCF to CSV first using Google Contacts (Method 3) or a converter tool (Method 5), then import the CSV. Alternatively, split the VCF into individual files (one contact per file) using our VCF splitting guide and drag them all into Outlook.
Import option is greyed out or missing in New Outlook. New Outlook and Outlook on the Web do not support direct VCF import. Microsoft removed this feature in the newer interface. You must switch to Outlook Classic (look for “Switch to Outlook Classic” in settings) or convert your VCF to CSV and use the CSV import option which is available in all versions.
Garbled characters in names after import. If contact names with accents, umlauts, or non-Latin characters appear as question marks or garbage text, the issue is encoding. Outlook CSV import uses the system default encoding (often Windows-1252), which cannot handle UTF-8 characters. To fix this, open the CSV in Notepad, go to File, Save As, and change the encoding to ANSI. Alternatively, use the Google Contacts method which handles encoding automatically.
Data Loss After Import
Contact photos missing after CSV import. CSV files cannot contain images. If you converted your VCF to CSV before importing, all embedded contact photos are permanently lost in the process. The only way to preserve photos is to use a converter tool that outputs PST format (Method 5) or to import contacts one by one using the direct import method (Method 1) which does preserve photos.
Phone numbers in wrong fields or duplicated. This happens when the VCF file has phone numbers without TYPE labels (no CELL, WORK, or HOME designation). Outlook cannot determine which field to place them in and may duplicate numbers across fields. Check your VCF file in a text editor and ensure each TEL line has a TYPE parameter. If not, add them manually or use a converter tool that includes field mapping options.
If your VCF file has structural problems preventing it from being imported at all, our guide on fixing VCF file import errors covers diagnosis and repair steps for encoding issues, version mismatches, and corrupted vCard structures.
Platform-Specific Import Guides
Different source platforms produce VCF files with different quirks. Here is how to handle the most common migration paths into Outlook.
iCloud to Outlook
Export all contacts from iCloud (Settings, Select All, Export vCard). The resulting VCF is usually vCard 3.0 with UTF-8 encoding. Import via Google Contacts CSV method for best results. Microsoft’s official documentation recommends this exact path. Common mistake: exporting only one contact instead of all.
Android/Google to Outlook
Export contacts from Google Contacts directly as Outlook CSV. There is no need to export as VCF first. If you already have a VCF from an Android backup, import it into Google Contacts first, then export as Outlook CSV. Samsung exports use vCard 2.1 with quoted-printable encoding which needs decoding before Outlook can read it.
Outlook on Mac
On macOS, you can drag and drop a VCF file directly onto the Contacts section in Outlook Classic. In our testing, this handled multi-contact VCF files on Outlook for Mac 16.x, importing all contacts in one operation. If drag-and-drop does not work, switch from Legacy Outlook to New Outlook (or vice versa) and try again, as the behavior differs between versions.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I import a VCF file into Outlook?
In Outlook Classic, go to File, Open & Export, Import/Export, select “Import a vCard file (.vcf),” browse to your file, and click Open. This imports a single contact. For multiple contacts, convert the VCF to Outlook CSV first using Google Contacts, then import the CSV via the same Import/Export wizard by choosing “Import from another program or file” and then “Comma Separated Values.”
Can Outlook import multiple contacts from one VCF file?
No. This is the biggest limitation. Outlook’s VCF import only reads the first contact in a multi-contact file. You need to either convert the VCF to CSV first, split the VCF into individual files, or use a converter tool that handles bulk import directly.
Why does Outlook only import one contact from my VCF file?
Because Outlook’s built-in VCF parser stops reading after the first END:VCARD block. It was designed for individual business cards, not bulk contact files. This behavior is the same across all versions of Outlook Classic. Microsoft has acknowledged this limitation in their support documentation.
Does New Outlook support VCF import?
No. New Outlook (the redesigned interface rolling out since 2024) removed direct VCF import entirely. It only supports CSV import. If you need to import VCF to Outlook 365 using the new interface, convert your VCF to Outlook CSV first using Google Contacts or a converter tool.
How do I import iCloud contacts to Outlook?
Export all contacts from iCloud as a vCard file (icloud.com/contacts, Settings, Select All, Export vCard). Then import the VCF into Google Contacts, export as Outlook CSV, and import the CSV into Outlook. This is the path Microsoft officially recommends. For step-by-step iCloud export instructions, see our guide on iCloud vCard issues.
Can I drag and drop a VCF file into Outlook?
Yes, in Outlook Classic. Switch to Contacts view, then drag the VCF file from File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) onto the Contacts section in Outlook’s sidebar. This works best with individual VCF files. On Mac, it can also handle multi-contact VCF files in some versions.
Why are my contacts missing fields after importing VCF to Outlook?
Three common causes: the VCF fields lack TYPE parameters (so Outlook cannot map them correctly), the CSV conversion stripped fields that CSV does not support (like photos and notes), or the VCF uses vCard 2.1 properties that Outlook’s parser does not fully understand. Check the field mapping table above and verify your VCF structure in a text editor.
How to import VCF to Outlook on Mac?
The easiest method on Mac is drag-and-drop. Open Outlook, switch to Contacts view, and drag your VCF file from Finder onto Outlook’s Contacts sidebar. Click Import when prompted. If this does not work, use the Google Contacts CSV method which works on all platforms including Mac.
Conclusion
Last verified: February 2026. All methods tested on Outlook Classic 2021, Outlook 365, and New Outlook on Windows 11 and macOS Sonoma. Google Contacts export steps confirmed against the current web interface.
Trying to import VCF to Outlook exposes one of the longest-standing limitations in Microsoft’s contact management: the inability to bulk-import multi-contact VCF files. The five methods in this guide work around that limitation from different angles, whether you need a quick free solution via Google Contacts or an enterprise-grade converter for thousands of contacts.
Remember three things: check your Outlook version first (New Outlook and Web do not support VCF import at all), always export as Outlook CSV when using the Google Contacts middleman method (not Google CSV), and expect photo loss with any CSV-based method. For full field preservation including photos and notes, use a converter tool with PST output. Match the method to your contact count and privacy needs, and the import will go smoothly.
