Gmail, the free email service from Google, has a Contacts section in which the details of the people you correspond are stored. On this page, I shall be walking you over the steps on how to export the Gmail contacts data and save it as a back up on your computer.
I shall also point you to other articles from which you can learn how to import the contacts information you have on Gmail to your chosen email program such as Outlook Express, Windows Mail or Windows Live Mail.
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How to export Gmail contacts – step by step instructions
We shall export the Gmail contacts to a Comma Separated Values (CSV) file. Don’t be fooled by the techie sounding name; CSV files are actually plain text files that can be opened in programs such as Microsoft Excel. The CSV format is like a standard which can be ‘read’ and ‘worked upon’ by most Windows machines and email clients. For instance, if you wanted to export the Gmail contacts to Outlook Express, CSV would be the ideal choice – more on this later.
- Login at your Gmail account and locate the “Contacts” link from the left panel.
- This takes you to the Gmail Contacts section and presents you the list of people in “My Contacts”.
- Click the slightly inconspicuous “Export” link which you find close to the top -right.
- Exporting Gmail contacts data takes just a few mouse clicks.
- Gmail gives you the option of exporting contacts only from a selected group or everyone. Please check the one you want.
- Now select the second “Outlook CSV format” and hit the “Export” button.
You may be asked by the web browser whether you want to save the file, in which case please answer in the affirmative. The backup if your Gmail contacts has now been saved on your computer. Simple wasn’t it?
The data in this CSV file can be imported to email programs such as Outlook, Outlook Express or Windows Live Mail, which is again quite a straightforward process.
