Export Outlook.com Contacts to iCloud

Updated on August 22, 2024 by Nasir Khan

Many individuals nowadays utilize various cloud services for work or personal reasons. It is critical for them to have contact syncing across all of the cloud services they use. Take, for instance, Outlook.com and iCloud. If you utilize them, you'll want to be able to reach similar contacts from both platforms. Users must export contacts from Microsoft Outlook to iCloud in order to do just that.

Numerous users desire to know how to export Outlook.com contacts to iCloud, as per prominent tech forums. It indicates that, despite the requirement, many lack the necessary understanding to carry out the Outlook.com contacts export process.

To assist these customers, we will present a simple approach for transferring Outlook.com contacts to the iCloud. After reading this post, users will be able to simply move their contacts or data from Outlook.com to iCloud. We also explain what is the need to export Outlook.com contacts to iCloud, Benefits, Manual Methods, Limitation of manual methods and about the Regain PST Converter tool. Keep reading...

Why do User Move Outlook.com Contacts to iCloud

1. Users using multiple cloud services for business or personal purposes need to do contact synchronization between all the cloud services.
2. Users want to import their desktop-based email clients like Outlook’s data on the cloud services.
3. In case a user uses both Outlook and iCloud in a way like using an iPhone with a Windows laptop, or Apple for work and Microsoft for home.

Benefits of migrating Outlook.com Contacts to iCloud

1. iCloud is smoother as compared to MS Outlook.
2. The security and privacy for the contacts and other emails data by iCloud are much better than MS Outlook.

2 Manual Methods to Export Outlook.com contacts to iCloud

Method 1: Export contacts to CSV, then convert to vCard.

Users must complete various workarounds in order to migrate contacts from Outlook.com to iCloud. The following is a description of the contacts migration method:

Try exporting Outlook.com contacts to CSV format.

The first stage of the process is to export Outlook.com's address book onto the device. Only then will you be able to import contacts from Microsoft Outlook to iCloud. For exporting contacts, follow the directions.

1. Log in to your Outlook.com account. The App Launcher icon is located on the upper left side of the display. Press on it, and then, from the list of options, select People.
   
2. The user's entire Outlook.com address book will be shown. Hit the Manage option, which is located above the titles.
   
3. A drop-down list will appear, from which you must pick the Export Contacts button.
   
4. Users will now have two export choices. They have the option of moving all their contacts or contacts from a specific folder. After selecting your desired choice, click Export.
   
5. The contacts will be exported in CSV format to your system. Then you need to convert this CSV file.
   
6. Although users can export Outlook.com contacts in CSV format, iCloud does not accept this file extension. iCloud only supports the vCard format for contacts. That is why users must convert the CSV file into vCard format in order to export Outlook.com contacts to iCloud.

Contacts can be saved as VCF or vCard files.

Actually, you have the opportunity to convert the VCF/vCard formatted files manually. But there is a little variation in the method that differs for Windows and Mac users.

If you are a Windows OS user, then follow the steps as follows:

1. Firstly, execute the Run command on your PC or laptop by pressing the "Windows" button + "R" button together.
2. Whenever the run window appears, type "contacts" in the empty field.
   
3. You may either use the Import option or manually drag and drop the CSV file into this folder.
   
4. Finally, pick vCard format from the Export menu to export the file in vCard format.
   
5. If you are using a Mac, then you must import the CSV file into your Gmail account. The data must then be exported in VCF format.

Method 2: Export Outlook contacts to iCloud using iCloud.com

If you do not have any iCloud installed on your device, you may alternatively use an online CSV to VCF converter to transfer Outlook contacts to contacts through the web. Because the exported contacts from Outlook are in CSV format, a converter is required.

iCloud, on the other hand, only takes vCard files. The complete instructions for exporting Outlook contacts to iCloud are provided here. Read and apply the steps as follows:

1. Navigate to the "People" tab in Outlook Web in your browser. Choose contacts and then, in the upper right, pick the "Manage" option. To export all contacts to a csv format, select the "Export contacts" button and press "Export."
   
2. Using an online converter, convert the contacts from a CSV file to a vCard file (also referred to as a VCF).
3. Go to icloud.com via a web browser. To sign in, input your iCloud user account details.
4. On the main page, select "Contacts." To import the converted vCard file, go to the "Settings" menu on the lower-left side and select "Import Vcard." Then you can export your Outlook contacts to iCloud.
   

Limitations of Manual Method

1. The manual method of exporting Outlook.com contacts to iCloud is lengthy and complicated.
2. iCloud supports VCF 3.0 and the above versions, hence you would need to convert the contacts file into VCF v3.0.
3. If the manual conversion of Outlook.com contacts to iCloud is done on the Mac system, users would need to have a Gmail account, or they would need to create a Gmail account.
4. May lead to data loss in case you miss any step while performing the manual method.
5. Demands high level of technical knowledge for performing the manual conversion.

Use a professional tool to export Outlook.com contacts to iCloud

As we have described the two methods above, they are completely manual. And that’s why most users fail to perform the process. However, you can use the Regain Outlook PST Converter software. Using it, you can easily convert Outlook PST files to vCard format. Besides, you have the opportunity to convert to multiple formats.

Convert PST files to vCard using the Regain Outlook PST Converter tool:

1. Firstly, download and run the software on your device.
2. Navigate to and choose a PST file for scanning.
   
3. Get an overview of all the captured mailbox entries.
   
4. For now, select "target format" (for now, select "vCard format") and "destination location."
   
5. Save converted files by clicking the "Save Now" button.

Software Features:

• Converting multiple Outlook PST files into EML, MSG, MBOX, HTML, PDF, VCF, EMLX, and TGZ formats.
• The available Split PST feature allows users to set up a size for the resultant PST files.
• Migrates Outlook PST file to Office 365, Live Exchange, Gmail, Amazon Workmail, etc.
• Recovers corrupt, damaged, or inaccessible Outlook PST files.
• Displays complete preview of PST file before converting to another supported format.
• Facilitates users to select specific folders or subfolders, filter unwanted emails and remove empty folders of Outlook PST files while conversion.

Conclusion:

This article discusses how to export Outlook.com contacts to iCloud and covers detailed manual method to perform the steps. To convert CSV contact files into vCard in a professional way with complete accuracy, we recommend using third-party Regain Outlook PST Converter software. The tool flawlessly imports contacts from Outlook.com to iCloud. The tool is also available as a free demo version to let users check its capabilities before deciding to purchase the licensed version. The free demo version has complete features except that it saves only the first 30 email items of Outlook PST file. Give Outlook PST Converter a try and recover your complete mailbox data with this reliable tool.