CSV to vCard for Android: the Full Import Walkthrough
Android won't import a CSV into Contacts — it wants a .vcf (vCard) file. This guide covers the whole trip: convert the CSV, get the file onto the phone, and import it — with the exact menu paths for stock Android/Pixel and Samsung, plus the cloud route that syncs to every device on your Google account.
Step 1 — Convert the CSV to a vCard file
- Open the CSV to VCF converter and drop in your .csv (or .xlsx) file. It stays on your device — nothing is uploaded.
- Check the column mapping in Step 2 of the tool. Google Contacts and Outlook export headers are matched automatically; fix any column it couldn't guess with the dropdowns.
- Confirm the preview cards show real names and numbers — this catches a swapped column before it's on your phone.
- Choose vCard 3.0(Android's sweet spot; use 2.1 only for very old handsets) and one .vcf file with all contacts, then download.
Step 2 — Route A: import on the phone itself
Get contacts.vcf onto the phone any way you like: USB cable into Downloads, email it to yourself, or drop it in Google Drive. Then:
Contacts app → Fix & manage (bottom bar) → Import from file → select the .vcf → choose the Google account to save into. Done — the contacts appear immediately and sync to the cloud.
Contacts app → ☰ menu → Manage contacts → Import or export contacts → Import→ pick the storage location and the .vcf → save to your Google account (recommended over "Phone" so a lost phone doesn't mean lost contacts).
Same idea, slightly different wording: Contacts → Settings or ⋮ menu → Import/Export → Import from storage / from .vcf. If you can't find it, simply tap the .vcf file in your Files app — Android offers to import it.
Step 2 — Route B: import via Google Contacts (syncs everywhere)
- On any computer or the phone's browser, open contacts.google.com and sign in with the same Google account the phone uses.
- In the left sidebar click Import, then Select file and choose your .vcf.
- The contacts land in the account within seconds and sync to every Android devicesigned into it — no cable, no file transfer. A blue "Imported" label is applied so you can find (or bulk-undo) the batch later.
This route is the safest for big lists: if the mapping was wrong you can select the imported label and delete the whole batch in one go, fix the mapping in the converter, and re-import.
Troubleshooting
- "File can't be opened" or import does nothing: the file may have been renamed to .vcf.txt by an email client. Re-download, or check the extension in the Files app.
- Contacts imported but invisible:check the account filter in Contacts — they may have been saved to "Phone" while the app displays only the Google account (or vice versa).
- Garbled accents (MarÃa instead of María): regenerate with vCard 3.0 here — UTF-8 is handled correctly — and re-import. This usually comes from 2.1 files made by tools that skip quoted-printable encoding.
- Numbers lost their +49 / +1 prefix: the CSV itself lost them (Excel strips + on open). Fix the source column as Text — see the Excel guide — and convert again.
- Duplicates after import: contacts.google.com → Fix & manage → Merge & fix proposes merges for matching entries.
Android import — FAQ
Which vCard version does Android accept?
Android's Contacts app imports vCard 2.1 and 3.0 reliably — 3.0 is the better choice because it carries UTF-8 names without quoted-printable tricks. vCard 4.0 support varies by manufacturer and app version, so avoid it for phone imports unless you've tested it.
Can I import a CSV file directly into an Android phone?
Not into the Contacts app — it only imports .vcf files. That's why the CSV needs converting first. (contacts.google.com does accept CSV, but only in Google's own column layout; a vCard made with the converter here works with any column layout because you control the mapping.)
Where is the import option on a Samsung phone?
Open Contacts → tap the three-line menu ☰ (top left) → Manage contacts → Import or export contacts → Import → choose Internal storage or SD card → select the .vcf → pick where to save (Google account recommended, so they sync).
Where is the import option on a Pixel / stock Android?
Open the Contacts app → tap Fix & manage (bottom bar) → Import from file → pick the .vcf in the file picker. On older versions: Settings (gear) → Import → .vcf file.
I imported the .vcf but the contacts don't appear. What now?
Three usual causes. 1) They were saved to a different account — in Contacts check the account filter (top-right avatar → choose account) and look under Phone or the other Google account. 2) Sync lag — if you imported at contacts.google.com, give the phone a minute and check Settings → Accounts → sync. 3) The file has zero parseable cards — re-download from the converter and make sure the preview showed your contacts before downloading.
Will importing create duplicates of contacts I already have?
Android doesn't merge on import — an imported card that matches an existing contact becomes a second entry. Google Contacts can clean this up afterwards: contacts.google.com → Fix & manage → Merge & fix suggests merges for matching names/numbers.
Can I copy the contacts to my SIM card instead?
Samsung and some other brands still offer Export to SIM in the same Import/export menu, but SIM storage truncates names, keeps one number per contact and has a small capacity — treat it as a last resort. A .vcf saved to your Google account is safer and survives phone changes.
Do accented or non-Latin names import correctly on Android?
Yes, if the vCard is UTF-8 — which the converter's 3.0 output is. If you ever see garbled names, the usual culprit is a 2.1 file without proper quoted-printable encoding from another tool; regenerate here with version 3.0 and re-import.
Menu paths verified against current Google Contacts and Samsung Contacts app layouts; wording can shift slightly between versions. Last checked: July 24, 2026. About this site