Exporting Contacts from Outlook: A Step-by-Step Guide
Introduction
Exporting contacts from Outlook is a convenient way to transfer your contacts to other email clients, such as Gmail, Yahoo, or Apple Mail. This process allows you to maintain your contacts in a single location and easily access them across different devices. In this article, we will guide you through the process of exporting contacts from Outlook.
Why Export Contacts from Outlook?
Exporting contacts from Outlook is essential for several reasons:
- Organization: Keeping your contacts in a single location helps you maintain organization and makes it easier to find specific contacts.
- Accessibility: Exporting contacts allows you to access them from any device, making it convenient to manage your contacts across different devices.
- Backup: Exporting contacts from Outlook ensures that you have a backup of your contacts, which is essential in case of data loss or corruption.
Step-by-Step Guide to Exporting Contacts from Outlook
Here’s a step-by-step guide to exporting contacts from Outlook:
Step 1: Open Outlook and Go to the Contact List
- Open Outlook and navigate to the contact list.
- Click on the "Contacts" tab in the top navigation bar.
Step 2: Select the Contacts You Want to Export
- Select the contacts you want to export by checking the boxes next to each contact.
- You can also select multiple contacts by holding down the Ctrl key (Windows) or Command key (Mac) and checking the boxes.
Step 3: Go to the "File" Menu and Select "Export"
- Click on the "File" menu in the top navigation bar.
- Select "Export" from the drop-down menu.
Step 4: Choose the Export Format
- In the "Export" dialog box, select the export format you want to use. The most common formats are:
- CSV (Comma Separated Values): A comma-separated file that contains the contact information in a plain text format.
- CSV (Comma Separated Values with Headers): A CSV file with headers that contains the contact information in a plain text format.
- CSV (Comma Separated Values with Headers and Date): A CSV file with headers and a date column that contains the contact information in a plain text format.
Step 5: Choose the Export Options
- In the "Export" dialog box, select the export options you want to use. The most common options are:
- Include only the selected contacts: Only export the contacts you selected in Step 2.
- Include all contacts: Export all contacts in the contact list.
- Include all contacts in the calendar: Export all contacts in the contact list and also include their calendar events.
Step 6: Choose the Export Location
- In the "Export" dialog box, select the location where you want to export the contacts. The most common locations are:
- Desktop: Export the contacts to your desktop.
- Cloud: Export the contacts to a cloud storage service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.
- Network: Export the contacts to a network location such as a shared drive.
Step 7: Click "Export" to Start the Process
- Click on the "Export" button to start the export process.
- The export process may take some time to complete, depending on the size of the contact list and the export format you selected.
Tips and Tricks
- Use the "Export" Feature to Backup Your Contacts: Use the "Export" feature to backup your contacts and ensure that you have a backup of your contacts.
- Use the "Export" Feature to Transfer Contacts to a New Email Client: Use the "Export" feature to transfer your contacts to a new email client such as Gmail or Yahoo.
- Use the "Export" Feature to Transfer Contacts to a New Device: Use the "Export" feature to transfer your contacts to a new device such as a new computer or a new smartphone.
Common Issues and Solutions
- Error 0x80070005: This error occurs when the export process fails due to a permission issue. To resolve this issue, try running the export process as an administrator or changing the export format to a different one.
- Error 0x80070005 (again): This error occurs when the export process fails due to a file system issue. To resolve this issue, try running the export process again or checking the file system for any issues.
- Error 0x80070005 (again) (again): This error occurs when the export process fails due to a network issue. To resolve this issue, try running the export process again or checking the network connection for any issues.
Conclusion
Exporting contacts from Outlook is a convenient way to transfer your contacts to other email clients or devices. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily export your contacts and maintain organization and accessibility. Remember to use the "Export" feature to backup your contacts and transfer them to a new device or email client.