CSV to vCard — Convert CSV Contacts to vCard Format
Convert CSV contact lists to vCard (.vcf) files for import into iOS, Android, macOS, and Outlook. Runs entirely in your browser. No uploads, no limits.
CSV to vCard (VCF)
Convert CSV contact lists to vCard VCF format for importing into phones. Auto-detects name, phone, email, address columns. Works entirely in your browser.
vCard is the universal format for contact data — a text file that starts with BEGIN:VCARD, lists fields like FN: (full name), TEL: (phone), EMAIL:, and ORG: (organization), and ends with END:VCARD. It has been the standard since 1995 and is supported by every contacts app on every platform that has ever shipped. CSV is the universal format for tabular data — the closest thing to a lingua franca for spreadsheet exports. Converting between them is the right move when you have a contact list in a spreadsheet (an event registration, a CRM export, a conference attendee list) and need to get it onto a phone, into a mail client, or into a personal address book.
The non-obvious thing about the conversion is column mapping. A CSV with a Name column and a Phone column is unambiguous — those are vCard FN and TEL fields. A CSV with columns like Given Name, Family Name, Cell, Work Phone, Email 1, Email 2 is where most converters fail, because the column names vary by source and the mapping is not standardized. The tool here recognizes the common variants (First Name and Given Name both map to vCard N’s given-name component) and handles multiple phone numbers and emails per contact by appending numbered columns to the same vCard entry. The exact mapping rules are documented in the help section below the input.
For a final hand-off: if the contacts are destined for a phone, email the .vcf file to yourself and tap the attachment on the device — iOS and Android both recognize the format on import. If the destination is Google Contacts, open contacts.google.com and use the Import button. If the destination is a CRM or a marketing tool, the vCard is a one-time import; for ongoing sync, set up a proper integration that maps fields automatically. The tool here is the right pick for a one-time migration of a few hundred or a few thousand contacts that need to land in a personal address book.
How to use
Prepare your CSV header
Use the standard column names: First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Organization, Title, Address, City, State, Zip, Country, Birthday, Notes. The tool maps them to vCard fields automatically.
Pick a vCard version
vCard 3.0 is the safest — supported by iOS, macOS, Android, Outlook, and Google Contacts. vCard 4.0 is newer and adds more fields but is less widely supported. vCard 2.1 is the legacy format for older Outlook.
Download the .vcf file
The output is a single .vcf file with one vCard entry per row. iOS and Android recognize the format on import; desktop apps may need a 'Import' or 'Open' step. AirDrop and email work for the transfer.
Frequently asked
What CSV column names does the tool recognize?
Standard names like First Name, Last Name, Email, Phone, Mobile, Organization, Title, Address, City, State, Zip, Country, Birthday, Notes. The tool maps common variants (Full Name, Given Name, Family Name, Cell, Work Phone) to the right vCard field.
Will the vCard import into iOS Contacts?
Yes — open the .vcf file on an iPhone and iOS prompts to add all contacts. Email the file to yourself, AirDrop from a Mac, or save it to iCloud Drive and open from Files. The import is one tap per contact.
What about Google Contacts?
Google Contacts accepts vCard 3.0 imports. Open contacts.google.com, click Import > Select file, pick the .vcf. The import is bulk — every entry appears in the 'Imported' date group, ready to merge with existing contacts or save as-is.
Can I include photos in the vCard?
vCard supports a PHOTO field with base64-encoded image data. The tool does not extract photos from the CSV (which usually does not have them) — for photo-bearing imports, attach photos in the destination contacts app after import.
Are multiple phone numbers and emails per contact supported?
Yes — CSV columns named 'Phone 2', 'Email 2', 'Phone 3' etc. are mapped to additional vCard entries for the same contact. The order is preserved, so the first phone becomes the primary, the second becomes 'mobile', and so on.
Limitations
- No photo embeddingPhotos are not embedded in the vCard output. vCard supports a PHOTO field with base64 image data, but extracting photos from a CSV is not practical. Add photos in the destination contacts app after import.
- Single vCard per fileThe output is one .vcf file containing all rows. vCard 3.0 supports multiple entries per file (separated by BEGIN:VCARD / END:VCARD blocks), which is what the tool produces. Some older Outlook versions may need each contact as a separate file.
- No group/label supportCSV does not capture contact groups (Family, Work, etc.). vCard 3.0 supports CATEGORIES for grouping, but the mapping from CSV columns is not standard. Add groups in the destination contacts app after import.
Platform notes
- macOS
- macOS Contacts imports .vcf files via File > Import. Drag the file into the Contacts window or double-click in Finder. The import creates new entries — duplicates are flagged for manual merge.
- Windows
- Outlook 2016+ imports vCard 3.0 via File > Open & Export > Import/Export > Import a VCARD file. The import creates one contact per BEGIN:VCARD block. Outlook.com (the web version) also accepts vCard imports.
- Linux
- Thunderbird's address book accepts vCard imports. The KDE PIM suite (KAddressBook, Akonadi) imports vCard 3.0 natively. Evolution imports via File > Import > Import a vCard.
- iOS
- iOS recognizes .vcf files in Mail, Messages, Safari, and AirDrop. Tapping a vCard attachment prompts to 'Add All Contacts' or to review one at a time. The contacts land in the 'Imported' group, ready to merge.
- Android
- Android's Contacts app imports vCard 3.0 from the Files app, Drive, or email. The Google Contacts app on Android also accepts vCard imports via Settings > Import > .vcf file. The import is bulk — every entry appears at once.