Import VCF into Proton Mail Contacts: Encrypted Contact Import Guide

Introduction

Proton Mail is one of the few email platforms that imports VCF files directly, encrypts contact data at rest, and exports in VCF format. For privacy-conscious users migrating from Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail, this makes Proton an attractive destination for contact storage. The import process is simpler than most platforms because Proton’s contact system was built around the vCard standard rather than treating it as a secondary format.

This guide covers three import methods (direct VCF import, Easy Switch migration, and CSV import), explains which contact fields are encrypted and which are not, and addresses the specific issues users encounter when importing into Proton’s encrypted contact system.

How Proton Mail Handles Contact Data

Proton Contacts stores data differently from other email platforms. Contact detail fields (phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, notes, custom fields) are encrypted with your account keys before being stored on Proton’s servers. This means Proton cannot read these fields even if compelled by a court order. However, display names and email addresses are encrypted at rest but are not protected by zero-access encryption because Proton needs access to these fields for auto-complete, spam filtering, and search functionality.

This split encryption model affects how you search for contacts in Proton. You can search by name and email address, but you cannot search by phone number, address, or any other encrypted field. The search results only match against display names and email addresses. If you need to find a contact by phone number, you must browse manually or search for the contact’s name first.

Preparing Your VCF File for Proton

Proton Mail requires VCF files to be in UTF-8 encoding. If your file was exported from a platform that uses a different encoding (common with vCard 2.1 files from Samsung or legacy Outlook), convert it to UTF-8 before importing. Open the file in Notepad++ or VS Code, check the encoding in the status bar, and convert to UTF-8 if needed. For detailed encoding conversion steps, see our VCF encoding error guide.

The file size limit for Proton’s contact import is 10 MB. Most VCF files fall well under this limit unless they contain embedded photos. If your file exceeds 10 MB, remove embedded photos before importing (see our photo removal guide) or split the file into smaller chunks.

Proton handles all three vCard versions (2.1, 3.0, 4.0) and performs version normalization during import. You do not need to convert between versions before importing. However, quoted-printable encoded values in vCard 2.1 files occasionally cause issues if combined with non-UTF-8 character sets.

Method 1: Direct VCF Import (Contacts Panel)

Best for: Standard contact imports from any source.

Sign in to Proton Mail at mail.proton.me. Click the Contacts icon in the right side panel. If the side panel is hidden, click the left-facing arrow icon at the bottom right of the screen to show it. In the Contacts panel, click Import contacts, then select Import from .csv or vCard.

Drag your VCF file into the import window, or click “Choose a file or drag it here” to browse. Proton displays a preview showing the number of contacts detected in the file. Click Import to begin. The import runs in the browser, encrypting each contact’s detail fields with your account keys before uploading to the server.

After import, Proton shows a summary with the total imported, any contacts that failed, and any duplicates detected. If some contacts failed, the summary includes error details for each. Common failure reasons include invalid email format, missing required fields, or encoding issues in specific contacts.

Method 2: Easy Switch Migration Tool

Best for: Users migrating their entire email setup from another provider.

Easy Switch is Proton’s built-in migration tool for transferring emails, contacts, and calendars from other providers. For contact import: go to Proton Mail Settings (gear icon), then “All settings”, then “Import from Easy Switch”. Click “Import from other” and select “Contacts”.

Easy Switch accepts both VCF and CSV files with a 10 MB limit. Upload your file, and Easy Switch processes it in the background. You can continue using Proton Mail while the import runs. Easy Switch provides the same encryption treatment as Method 1 but includes additional error handling and retry logic for large files.

Easy Switch also supports direct account-to-account migration from Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo (for emails and calendars, though contact migration uses the file upload method). If you are moving your entire email setup to Proton, Easy Switch handles everything in one workflow.

Method 3: CSV Import (Alternative)

Best for: Users whose VCF file causes import errors in Proton.

If your VCF file fails to import (due to encoding issues, unsupported properties, or structural problems), converting to CSV first can bypass the problem. Proton’s CSV import includes a field mapping wizard that lets you manually match CSV columns to Proton’s contact fields, giving you more control over how data is interpreted.

Convert your VCF to CSV using a VCF converter or Google Contacts (import VCF to Google, export as Google CSV). Then import the CSV into Proton using the same import interface (Contacts > Import contacts > Import from .csv or vCard). Proton’s import wizard shows the detected fields and lets you adjust the mapping before confirming the import.

Supported Contact Fields in Proton

Proton stores contact photos embedded in the vCard, not as external URLs. If your VCF file uses URL-referenced photos (common in Google Contacts exports), Proton stores the URL reference but does not download the image. The photo only displays if the URL remains accessible.

What Gets Encrypted and What Does Not

Proton uses a two-tier encryption model for contacts. Display names and email addresses are encrypted at rest on Proton’s servers, but Proton can decrypt them because it needs access for auto-complete, search, spam filtering, and conversation threading. All other fields (phone numbers, addresses, birthdays, notes, photos, organizations) are protected by zero-access encryption, meaning Proton cannot decrypt them even if requested.

In practical terms: if you receive a legal request for contact data, Proton could provide names and email addresses but could not provide phone numbers, physical addresses, or any other detail fields. This is a significant privacy advantage over platforms like Gmail or Yahoo where all contact data is accessible to the provider. For users who prioritize contact privacy alongside email encryption, this is one of Proton’s strongest differentiators.

Common Problems and Fixes

Verifying and Managing Imported Contacts

After import, open the Contacts panel and scroll through the list to verify the contact count. Proton shows the total number of contacts at the top. Click on individual contacts to verify that detail fields (phone, address, notes) are present and correctly formatted. If Proton detects contacts with the same name, it prompts you to merge them. You can also manually select contacts and click “Merge” above the contact list.

To export your contacts from Proton (for backup or transfer), select all contacts with the checkbox, click the three-dot menu, and choose “Export selection as .VCF”. Proton decrypts the contacts in your browser and saves a VCF file to your downloads folder. This means the export contains all zero-access encrypted fields in readable form, but the decryption happens client-side and never exposes the data to Proton’s servers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Proton Mail support direct VCF import?

Yes. Unlike Yahoo Mail (CSV only), Proton Mail accepts VCF files directly through the Contacts import interface. Both single-contact and multi-contact VCF files are supported across all vCard versions (2.1, 3.0, 4.0). The file must be UTF-8 encoded and under 10 MB.

Are imported contact photos encrypted?

Yes. Embedded Base64 photos imported from VCF files are stored with zero-access encryption in Proton Contacts. Proton cannot view or access the photos on its servers. URL-referenced photos are stored as references but the images themselves are hosted externally and not encrypted by Proton.

Can I search for contacts by phone number in Proton?

No. Proton’s contact search only matches display names and email addresses because those are the only fields accessible to Proton’s search index. Phone numbers, addresses, and other detail fields are zero-access encrypted and cannot be searched. To find a contact by phone number, you must browse through your contacts manually or search by the contact’s name.

How many contacts can Proton Mail store?

Proton Mail supports up to 10,000 contacts per account on all plans (including the free plan). The import file size limit is 10 MB per file. If you have more than 10,000 contacts, you may need a Proton for Business plan or split contacts across accounts.

Can I sync Proton contacts to my phone?

On Android, the Proton Mail app includes a contact sync feature that makes Proton contacts available to your phone’s dialer and other apps. On iOS, Proton contacts can be exported as VCF and imported into the iPhone Contacts app. There is no native CardDAV sync for third-party contact apps at this time.

Conclusion

Last verified: February 2026. All methods tested on mail.proton.me (web client) in Chrome 131 and Firefox 134. Import tested with VCF files containing 1 to 3,000 contacts across vCard 2.1, 3.0, and 4.0 formats. Proton documentation reference: proton.me/support/adding-contacts.

Proton Mail offers one of the most privacy-respecting contact import experiences available. Method 1 (direct VCF import) is the recommended approach for most users: click Contacts, Import, drop your file, and click Import. All contact detail fields are encrypted with zero-access encryption before storage. Method 2 (Easy Switch) is better for full-account migrations. Method 3 (CSV) is the fallback when VCF files cause parsing errors. In all cases, ensure your file is UTF-8 encoded and under 10 MB.