MS Outlook is used widely to send emails, maintain a contact list, manage your meetings with a calendar, or simply communicate with others. Many users face problems when they move or download Outlook contacts to Excel or another application. There are several different ways to solve this query that we will be discussing in the upcoming sections.
“I have a PST file on my system that contains contacts from my Outlook account. I urgently need to access those contacts for my work but whenever I try to open it using Outlook, it is showing me an error. It keeps on crashing or shows that the PST file is corrupt. How can I fix this problem? I cannot afford to lose these contacts to corruption.”
How to Download Outlook Contacts to Excel?
There are two different ways explained in this article to tackle this problem. You can use the manual method or an automated expert solution if you too are facing a similar problem like this user’s query. Let us first discuss the method that works with or without Outlook. You can also use this if you have a corrupt or damaged PST contacts file. Since we get requests on how to fix this problem every other day, we have done some extensive research. We have come across the most versatile solution to convert contacts PST to CSV using the PCVITA Outlook to vCard converter tool.
Excel supports many formats such as .xls, .xlsx, .csv and other uncountable formats. A CSV file is a comma-separated values file that stores the data in records and separated them using a comma. It is one of the most versatile files since you can use it on hundreds of platforms that you can’t even imagine. Let us note some significant benefits of the software that helps you achieve the best results.
Features of the Software
- Convert multiple contacts in a single attempt.
- Export corrupted, damaged, orphaned PST contact file.
- Quickly scans the PST file before adding them.
- Automatically maps the custom fields for you.
- Exports all details & attributes of the CSV file safely.
- Securely performs the entire process without harming the data.
Steps to Download Outlook Contacts to Excel
- First, download and run the PCVITA Outlook to vCard converter software. Then, add PST file(s) or folder into the tool.
- The software will scan the file before adding them.
- Now, it will display all the details & fields of the contacts. Choose the contacts you want to export.
- Finally, choose the CSV file format, provide a destination to save it, and click on the Export button.
This will now download Outlook contacts to Excel. Once the process finishes, it will create an export report that you choose to save for future reference. You can now go to the destination where you saved the file and open it using any spreadsheet program. You can also perform the same process manually by following the below-given steps.
Manually Download Outlook Contacts to Excel
- Launch MS Outlook and tap on the contacts icon.
- Now, click on File & choose the Open & Export option.
- Then click on Import/Export wizard > Export to a File.
- Choose Comma Separated Values > Next
- Then, select the contacts folder from the list > next.
- Browse a location to save this file > Next.
- Map the custom fields and click on Finish.
Done! This is how you can download Outlook contacts to Excel i.e., CSV format manually. Although, this process is fast and easy there are certain drawbacks to this process as discussed below:
Limitations of the Manual Method
It permits you to export only limited fields known to Outlook but not all of them. Hence, you may lose your data. You are supposed to map the custom fields manually which is a lengthy as well as a tiring process. If you have PST files that corrupt or damaged, you cannot use this method at any cost. Plus, the manual method makes it mandatory for you to install the Outlook application.
Related: Best Way to Transfer Contacts from Outlook to Android
Conclusion
In this article, we have explained the two most convenient ways to download Outlook contacts to Excel. As per the user’s convenience, they can go for their choice of procedures. Since the manual method is not the most efficient one and carries a lot of disadvantages, we have recommended an alternative as well. The software mentioned above is a versatile utility that gives accurate results within a few clicks.
