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How to Transfer Outlook Contacts to Another Computer? Guide

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Published By Mohit Jha
Tej Pratap Shukla
Approved By Tej Pratap Shukla
Published On May 14th, 2025
Reading Time 7 Minutes Reading

Whatever you are upgrading to a new computer or PC or need to have your Outlook contacts available on another device, transferring them might seem like a daunting task. Thankfully, Outlook provides built-in characteristics to make this process easy and efficient. In this blog, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step method to transfer Outlook contacts to another computer.

If you want to use another email client, simply check out how to export Outlook contacts to Yahoo Mail.?

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Why Need to Transfer Outlook Contacts to New Computer?

There are multiple reasons you may need to transfer Outlook contacts from one computer to another:

  • You are setting up a new PC or laptop.
  • It uses multiple computers and wants consistent contact access.
  • You’re sharing important business contacts with a colleague or assistant.
  • You are backing up your contacts for safety.

Whatever the reason, the process is simple once you understand the steps.

What You’ll Need

Before you start, here are a ]some things you’ll need:

  • Microsoft Outlook installed on both computers.
  • Access the old computer that stores contacts.
  • A USB flash drive, external hard drive, or cloud storage (e.g., OneDrive, Google Drive) to transfer files.
  • Basic computer navigation skills.

If you need to explore other advanced options, such as moving Outlook contacts to a smartphone, learn how to transfer Outlook contacts to Google Pixel phone with just one click.

Free Way to Transfer Outlook Contacts to Another Computer

  • Run MS Outlook application on PC >> File >> Open & Export.
  • Now, choose Import/Export >> Export to a File >> Next.

transfer Outlook contacts to another computer

  • Then, choose CSV format >> Next & choose contacts folder >> Next.

contacts

  • In this step, browse a location to save & store the file >> OK.

moving outlook contacts to new computer

  • Now, map custom fields and click on Finish to transfer Outlook contacts to new computer.

map custom fields

A separate file has been created. Once you get the file, copy and paste this file into a USB drive and attach this file to a new computer. Now, to transfer Outlook contacts from one computer to another, perform these steps:

  • In this step, launch the second Outlook account on the new computer and click on File >> Open & Export.
    transfer contacts from outlook to new computer
  • Thereafter, click on Import/Export and choose “Import from another program or file“>> Next.
    import from another program or file

Here, select Comma Separated Values >> Next.
choose CSV file

  • Now, browse the contact file that you have exported.

Then, select if you want duplicate contacts and click on Next.
transfer/move contacts from Outlook to a another computer

  • Thereafter, select the folder to import the file into and map the custom field.

Done! The file has been successfully exported from one account to another computer. You will surely achieve the best results if you follow the above methods step-by-step to transfer Outlook contacts to new computer.

Drawback of Using this Software

  • The entire manual process is quite lengthy, consisting of multiple steps, in short, it is going to take a long time to complete.
  • Apart from these, the manual method only provides you with the CSV or PST option to export.
  • So, if you are planning to transfer different applications to another computer, then this method is not feasible.
  • On the other hand, the software provides various formats that can be later imported into any other supported email client on the new computer.

So, to overcome these limitations of a manual approach, it is better to stick to an automated method.

Automatically Transfer Outlook Contacts to Another Computer

The secure way to achieve accurate results is to use the expertly recommended software. First, you are required to use the Outlook Contacts to vCard Export Tool. A VCF (vCard) file is a standard virtual business card file that is universally used to transfer Outlook contacts to new computer or device to another. After this, you will have to just transfer this file to a new computer. The best thing to use this tool is that it can be operated without an Outlook application. So, you can use this software to add the Outlook data file and transfer my contacts into desired formats.

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Moreover, this software is quite useful because it allows you to export Outlook contacts to CSV and even other formats, like PST, PDF, MSG, HTML and more. So, it is completely up to you to choose any format as required and export data without manipulation. Not just these, but this tool will even take less time to transfer multiple contacts in a single attempt. Hence, we recommend using the application for easy, fast, and accurate results.

Step-by-step Guide to Move Outlook Contacts to New Computer

  • Download the tool to move the contacts of the Outlook account into the desired file format
  • Add the required file from the default location.
  • Next, the tool will scan if there is any corruption, load the files in the tool and provide its preview on the interface.
  • After this, select any required file format from the panel and provide a location to save the exported file on PC.
  • At last, hit the Export button and the process will start. After completion of the process, tap OK from the notification message.

Why Take the Help of the Software? 

  • Transfer multiple contacts in one attempt from the Outlook 2021, 2019, 2016, 2013 application.
  • This tool also scans and loads Outlook data files before transferring them to the desired format. Then, you can simply backup all Outlook contacts to external hard drive to later transfer my to another computer.
  • Furthermore, it is best to transfer contacts even from corrupted/orphaned/password-protected files.
  • Preserves contact details during the process without affecting existing data.
  • This application even provides additional filters for filtering the contact list of a Microsoft Outlook account.
  • Apart from these, this software also provides a preview of all the contacts after adding the file to the dashboard.

Conclusion

Now, it’s time to end the article where you learned how to transfer Outlook contacts to another computer. To accomplish this task, we have shared all possible solutions to help you. So, either you can use the manual approach or just go for the expert-recommended solution; the choice is yours. However, we would still recommend choosing the automated software because of its advantages. And even it helps to export Outlook contacts to another computer in a smooth manner.

Frequently Asked Questions (FQAs)

Q: What file format should I use to transfer Outlook contacts?

The most typical & compatible format is CSV. It works well for transferring contacts and can also be opened in Excel. For moving all Outlook data, use PST.

Q: How to move my Outlook contacts to another PC?

In your Outlook account, after that, press the File > then, Open & Export > Import/Export, choose the import from another program or file, select the CSV, find the file you saved, and import it into your Contacts folder.

Q: Will I misplace any data when transferring Outlook contacts?

No, as long as you export & import the contacts perfectly, all standard contact information (like names, emails, phone numbers) will be preserved. Some custom fields may not transfer with a CSV file, so use PST if needed.

Q: Does your software allow you to transfer Outlook contacts from one computer to another?

Yes, the application is well suitable to exporting Outlook contacts & address books to another PC or computer.

  author

By Mohit Jha

Mohit is a Microsoft-certified expert who has assisted thousands of clients with Outlook & Microsoft Office 365 issues. He enjoys writing on email clients as well as data migration. He is always excited about giving troubled readers the most up-to-date knowledge, explanation, and refinements.