How to Import Contacts from Excel to Outlook? For Windows & Mac

Published By Jamie Kaler

Approved By Rollins Duke

Published On April 9th, 2024

Reading Time 6 Min Read

If you are like most people, you keep your contacts organized in an Excel spreadsheet. But what happens when you need to send a big list of contacts to Outlook. In this article, we discuss about how to import contacts from Excel to Outlook Windows & Mac versions.

A large number of users are looking for the best way to import Excel Contacts to Outlook. That is why in this article we will explain the complete procedure. So, keep reading.

In the database or spreadsheet program i.e., Excel, archiving contacts and records are normal. But it is one of the best applications to create contact details as CSV files. But by default, Microsoft Excel allows you to save contacts in XLS/XLSX format.

However, CSV files are supported by a large number of applications and email clients to import/export Contacts & Address Books.

Another hand, Microsoft’s flagship email client application – Outlook is one of the best applications. It’s the most important email program for businesses and consumers alike.

Millions of businesses rely on Outlook to send and receive critical messages every single day. If a user wants to export Excel contacts to Outlook, then the best option is to import contacts from Excel to Outlook.

Reasons to Export Contacts from Excel to Outlook

One can export Excel Contacts to Outlook with the help of CSV files. Outlook provides a direct option to import Contacts as Comma Separated Values (CSV) files. But it is not as easy as it looks. When a user tries to import contacts from Excel to Outlook Error No Named Ranges, then the user needs to map the files.

A large number of users face various challenges during importing email addresses from Excel to Outlook Distribution Lists. Some of them are listed below:

“For a long time, I have been thinking to migrate from Windows OS to Mac. I have a huge number of Excel contacts on my Windows-based PC. But now, I am using a Mac system. Is there some way through which I can export Excel contacts to Outlook 2016 Mac? Please suggest to me an easy solution to import Excel contacts to Outlook Mac.”

“I have 1000+ contacts in multiple Excel file, and currently I am using Outlook email client, and I have required those contacts for some professional work. But I do not know the right method to export contacts from Excel to Outlook. Could anyone help me to complete this process.”

How to Import Contacts from Excel to Outlook Manually?

Open Outlook and go to File tab.
Choose Open & Export >> Import/Export.
Select “Import from another program or file.”
Choose Comma Separated Values >> Next icon.
Select the CSV file using Browse button.
Choose Contacts folder and hit the Next icon.
Select the “Map Custom Fields” and remember, each column in a .csv file corresponds to a specific field in the Outlook address book.
To connect a specific field, pick up the things from the left side of the source file and put them in the right place on the right side. If you want to take something out of a field mapping, move it from the right side to the left side.
Choose OK >> Finish, after mapping the folders to import contacts from Excel to Outlook.

Import Excel Contacts to Outlook: Professional Method

As we all know Outlook itself provides a direct option to import Contacts as CSV files. But the major problem which the user faces is the issue of mapping CSV file columns to Outlook contact fields. To accomplish this task easily without facing this issue, one possible solution is RecoveryTools CSV Contacts Converter to save contacts from Excel to Outlook.

The software comes with amazing and advanced features, that makes this tool first choice of users. It comes with free demo version, which allow users to convert only first 25 items.

Download the Solution on your Computer:

Download Now Purchase Now

Steps to Export Excel Contacts to Outlook

Download and run the software.
Upload the Excel/CSV file/folders.
Check the required folders/subfolders.
Choose PST from Select Saving Option.
Browse the path and hit the Convert icon.

How to Import Contacts from Excel to Outlook? Complete Guide

Firstly, you need to download the solution on your computer.
Upload the CSV/Excel data using Select Files and Select Folders option.
Choose all the CSV Address Book files available in the folder.
Select the PST option from the list of Select Saving options.
You can also change your destination path using Browse button.
After setup conversion options, click on the Convert button & analyze the process.
After the process is finished successfully, click OK to close the message confirmation box.
Access & import the resultant PST file into the Outlook account.
Run Outlook on your PC & then click on File.
Select Open Outlook Data File option from Open & Export.
After a few minutes, the PST files automatically opened.

As we can see that the working of the application is very easy and short. It will help the users to instantly import contacts from Excel to Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013, 2010, 2007, 2003, 2002, etc.

Now users can also import this file into Mac Outlook by following the given steps:

Run Mac Outlook on your Machine.
From the Tools tab of Mac Outlook, choose the Import option here.
Select Outlook for Windows Archive File (.pst) & continue.
Browse for the source PST file on your PC & choose Import.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques 1: How do I bulk add contacts to Outlook?

Open your Outlook account.

Go to File >> Open & Export >> Import/Export.

Choose Import from another program or file.

Select Comma Separated Values.

Browse the bulk files and add them.

Ques 2: How can I map my Excel columns with Outlook Fields?
Ans: You certainly do not need to worry about it. The toolkit will ask the users to manually map fields of Excel database files to Outlook fields.

Ques 3: is this utility offers any file size limitation to its users?
Ans: No, there is no file size limitation offered by this toolkit. However, during trial, it only export first 10 contacts from the user directory.

The Verge

This is the best place to deal with the various queries of a user regarding the import contacts from Excel to Outlook. We have provided a state-of-the-art solution to save Excel Address Book & Contacts to Outlook & Outlook for Mac programs. You can choose the right solution from the above section. The software will also come up in a package of programs requiring to export Excel contacts to Outlook. You can try the software & understand its works without making changes to its original content.