How to Export Contacts from Outlook 2010

Microsoft’s Outlook email program effectively stores calendar appointments, contacts, emails and other useful data. If you want to use this data in another program, you will need to export it from Outlook 2010 and save it in a file, such as a spreadsheet. You can then import it into another program.

Quick Steps

Open Outlook 2010 and click Options.
Click Advanced and select Export.
Click the drop-down menu and select a file type.
Select the folders you want to export.
Name the file and click Next.
Click Finish.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Accessing Your Contacts

Download Article

Wait for all your data to load.
Select “Options” in the dropdown menu.

Advertisement
Click on the Export button. Your Export Wizard should open.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Choosing Your File Format

Download Article

Click on the “Next” button.
2
Look under “Create a file type.” There should be several options of file formats you can use.
- Use the Comma Separated Values (.csv) option if you are using Outlook 2010 on a Windows computer, and you want to import it to an unrelated program. A CSV file is similar to a spreadsheet, but it does not contain headers like it would in Excel.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
- Use the Excel spreadsheet option (.xls), if you want to gain access to the file for a backup or spreadsheet function.
- Choose a Mac Data file (.olm) if you want to use the data in other Apple programs.
- Use the Outlook Data File (.pst), if you want to import the data into another Outlook program.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Exporting Contacts From Outlook

Download Article

In this case, you would select the “Contacts” folder and deselect “Mail,” “Tasks,” “Calendar” and “Notes.”
2
Choose the folder that you want to export from. If you have multiple Contacts folders, you may have to choose the folder before completing the export.
- If you have the data you need saved in more than 1 folder, you will need to export each folder 1 at a time.
A dialog box for saving the file will pop up.
Under the “Save exported file as” box, use the browser to choose a folder in your computer. ^{[2]
X
Research source}
Click “Ok.”
Select “Finish.” Your file will be saved to your computer.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

For shared contacts

Download Article

Follow the steps outlined above, but select the sub-folder you just created (select Contacts, then the sub-folder, which is also called Contacts or Contacts1, etc.)

Community Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Question

Can I transfer my contacts from Outlook 2010 to a flash drive?

christoper halomoan

Community Answer

Yes, just change location before export contacts or after finish export contacts, copy the file and paste it to the flash drive.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0
Question

How do I import contacts into Outlook?

Kevin Nelson

Community Answer

Just about the same way: Open Outlook and click File. Click Options, Advanced, and Export. The list will show an option to "Import from another program or file," select that and click Next. Choose the file type or program that you will import from (the file you will you should already have been created; if the location and file do not fill in, use the Browse button to find it). Choose how you want the process to handle duplicates and click Next. Select the destination folder, in this case Contacts; then click Next and Finish.

Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
Thank you for your feedback.
If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
Yes No

Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Video

Tips

Save these exported Outlook files to a backup drive. It is a good idea to back up your contacts and other important data every few weeks, in case of computer malfunctions.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
If you are unsure what file format will be best for importing your contacts to another program, try several file types, such as an Outlook Data File and CSV. You can delete the unused file types later.

Thanks
Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0