How to Import Contacts to iCloud? – Complete Guide

Justin Cener ~ Modified: December 19th, 2023 ~ Import ~ 5 Minutes Reading

This technical write-up is drafted to guide users on how to import contacts to iCloud. In this article, we share the manual methods as well as an automated solution on how to upload contacts to iCloud. So, go through this article to receive the proper guidance and effective solutions to resolve the issue.

There are a lot of instances where users need to import contacts to iCloud. Usually, users have all their contacts stored in CSV format and due to numerous reasons they have to transfer those contacts to iCloud. The various reasons could be:

You are switching from Windows to Mac or
You have to share those contacts with a mac user.

Regardless of the reason, we are going to share the techniques on how to upload contacts to iCloud.

CSV (Comma Separated Values) are a standard format to store data in programs like Microsoft Excel. This file format saves data in a table-structured format. The CSV file stores numerous data items and contacts are one of them.

Now, contacts are not just the phone number of a person but there are many other fields such as contact name, address, work address, fax number, email address etc.

Moreover, iCloud only supports VCF format, which means there’s no direct way to import contacts to iCloud other than by converting CSV to VCF format. For that, we have two manual workarounds and an expert-recommended solution.

Furthermore, in the two manual techniques that you can use to upload contacts to iCloud. One involves using the Run Command box whereas the other one involves using the Gmail email client to convert CSV to VCF.

Using the Run Command to Import Contacts to iCloud

Click the Windows key + R key or search “Run” in the Start Menu to open the command box.
Enter “Contacts” in the search bar of the Command box.
Now in the Windows Contacts, click on Import >> Comma Separated Values.
Click Browse to find and select the CSV file to upload.
Map the required fields and click Finish. Now the CSV file is in your Windows Contacts.
Select the imported CSV file and click Export >> vCard.
Choose the location on your PC to save the resulting vCard file.

And there you have it! Your CSV file is converted to vCard format now.

How to Upload Contacts to iCloud with Gmail

This method is divided into two parts, the first one includes converting the CSV file in vCard using Gmail and the other one is importing the resultant vCard files into iCloud. We are using Gmail as it supports both CSV and the vCard file format.

#1 Converting CSV to vCard with Gmail

First and foremost, log into your Gmail account and open the Contacts window there.
In the Contacts Window, select the Import option in the left panel menu.
Next, Click on the Select File button to upload the CSV file.
Now, Click Import. Now, your CSV file is imported in Google Contacts.
Next, select the CSV file and click on the Export option from the left panel menu again.
Choose the vCard format option and click Export.

And with that, you will have a VCF file on your system which you can now easily import in iCloud.

#2 Importing VCF files into iCloud

Now that you have converted your CSV files in VCF, it is time to import contacts to iCloud. Follow the given instructions:

Login to your iCloud account.
Click on the contacts icon to import contacts to iCloud
In the iCloud contacts, click on the Settings tab and select the Import vCard.
Next, Browse and select your converted VCF file on your system.
Click on the Open button to upload contacts to iCloud.

And you’re done. You can follow this manual technique to solve the issue of how to import contacts to iCloud. However, these above-mentioned manual procedures are quite lengthy and are platform-dependent. Moreover, it requires technical knowledge to execute them which makes them unsuitable for many users. Therefore, in the next segment, we have shared an amazing solution to resolve all issues regarding this problem.

Import Contacts to iCloud with a Professional Solution

For a direct solution, this Corbett iCloud Backup tool is undoubtedly the best option for users. Moreover, numerous experts recommend this tool because of its reliable and secure nature. It not only converts your files into the appropriate and required format but also maintains the structure and hierarchy throughout the process. In addition to that, it has got some of the most amazing features.

Download Now Purchase Now

Astonishing Features of this Software

This software maintains folder hierarchy and structure throughout and after completing the process.
Provides users with Advanced Search options to search on a finer level within the files.
The tool is capable of extracting specific items from your uploaded files.
It supports bulk migration of your files which saves plenty of time.
Keeps the meta properties of your data intact during the process.
Works on all Windows versions, whether latest or older.

Steps to Add Contacts to iCloud

Download & Run the Software
Click on Open >> Email Data Files >> vCard
Browse & Upload contacts to the software panel.
Now, click on Export & select IMAP from the list.
Apply filters & click Save to import contacts to iCloud.

Note: Your normal password will not work here, you need to use the application password to transfer contacts. Visit the link to create an app password in iCloud.

Conclusion

In this blog, we shared various methods on how to upload contacts to iCloud. We shared both manual as well as automated solutions. However, manual methods seem to have slight issues and drawbacks that put them far behind in the list of reliable solutions. Hence, technical experts suggest using a professional solution to import contacts to iCloud.

Read Similar Articles: