How to Export Contacts from Outlook 2010: A Step-by-Step Guide
In today’s interconnected world, managing your contacts efficiently is crucial for both personal and professional success. Microsoft Outlook 2010, while a slightly older version, remains a popular email client for many. Understanding how to export your contacts from Outlook 2010 ensures that you can back up your data, transfer it to another email client, or simply keep a copy for safekeeping. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the process of exporting your contacts from Outlook 2010 in detail, providing clear, step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips.
## Why Export Your Contacts from Outlook 2010?
Before diving into the how-to, let’s understand why you might want to export your contacts in the first place:
* **Data Backup:** Exporting your contacts provides a backup in case of data loss due to hardware failure, software corruption, or accidental deletion.
* **Migration to a New Email Client:** If you’re switching to a different email client (like Gmail, Thunderbird, or a newer version of Outlook), exporting your contacts allows you to seamlessly transfer your address book.
* **Data Portability:** Having your contacts in a portable format (like CSV or PST) allows you to access them on different devices and platforms.
* **Sharing Contacts:** You might need to share a list of contacts with a colleague or friend. Exporting them allows you to easily share the file.
* **Archiving:** If you’re upgrading to a newer version of Outlook, exporting your contacts helps you keep a record of your old contacts for future reference.
## Understanding Export Formats: PST vs. CSV
Outlook 2010 offers two primary formats for exporting contacts:
* **PST (Personal Storage Table):** This is Outlook’s native format. It stores email messages, calendar events, contacts, and other data. Exporting to PST is useful for backing up your entire Outlook profile or transferring it to another computer running Outlook.
* **CSV (Comma Separated Values):** This is a plain text format that stores data in a table-like structure, with each field separated by a comma. CSV is a more universal format that can be opened by various applications, including Excel, Google Sheets, and other email clients. It’s ideal for transferring contacts to non-Outlook platforms.
The choice between PST and CSV depends on your needs. If you’re moving to another Outlook installation, PST is the best option. If you’re moving to a different email client or need a more versatile format, CSV is the way to go.
## Step-by-Step Guide: Exporting Contacts to a CSV File in Outlook 2010
This method is recommended if you want to import your contacts into other applications like Gmail, Google Contacts, Excel or other contact management systems.
**Step 1: Open Microsoft Outlook 2010**
* Locate the Outlook 2010 icon on your desktop or in your Start menu. Double-click the icon to launch the application.
**Step 2: Navigate to the ‘File’ Tab**
* In the Outlook window, click on the ‘File’ tab located in the top-left corner of the screen. This will open the Outlook Backstage view.
**Step 3: Select ‘Options’**
* In the Backstage view, click on ‘Options’ from the left-hand menu. This will open the ‘Outlook Options’ dialog box.
**Step 4: Go to ‘Advanced’ Settings**
* In the ‘Outlook Options’ dialog box, click on ‘Advanced’ in the left-hand menu. This will display advanced settings for Outlook.
**Step 5: Find the ‘Export’ Section**
* Scroll down in the ‘Advanced’ settings until you find the ‘Export’ section. It’s usually located towards the bottom of the list.
**Step 6: Click on the ‘Export’ Button**
* In the ‘Export’ section, click on the ‘Export’ button. This will launch the ‘Import and Export Wizard’.
**Step 7: Choose ‘Export to a file’**
* In the ‘Import and Export Wizard’, you’ll be presented with several options. Select ‘Export to a file’ and click ‘Next >’.
**Step 8: Select ‘Comma Separated Values (CSV)’**
* You’ll be asked to select the type of file you want to export to. Choose ‘Comma Separated Values (CSV)’ and click ‘Next >’. Note: In some versions of Outlook 2010, the option might be labeled as “Comma Separated Values (Windows)”.
**Step 9: Select the ‘Contacts’ Folder**
* Now, you need to select the folder you want to export from. Choose the ‘Contacts’ folder. If you have multiple contact folders (e.g., ‘Contacts’, ‘My Contacts’), select the one you want to export. Click ‘Next >’.
**Step 10: Choose a Location to Save the CSV File**
* Click the ‘Browse…’ button to choose a location on your computer to save the exported CSV file. Select a folder where you can easily find the file later (e.g., your Desktop, Documents folder). Give the file a descriptive name (e.g., ‘OutlookContacts.csv’). Click ‘OK’ to confirm the location and filename.
**Step 11: Complete the Export Process**
* Back in the ‘Import and Export Wizard’, click ‘Next >’.
* You’ll see a confirmation screen. If you want to map custom fields, click the ‘Map Custom Fields…’ button. This allows you to specify how the data in your Outlook contacts should be mapped to the columns in the CSV file. If you’re not sure about this, you can skip it for now. Outlook will try to map the fields automatically.
* Click ‘Finish’ to start the export process. Outlook will now export your contacts to the specified CSV file.
**Step 12: Verify the Exported CSV File**
* Once the export is complete, navigate to the location where you saved the CSV file. Open the file with a spreadsheet program like Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice Calc.
* Verify that the contacts have been exported correctly and that the data is displayed in the correct columns.
## Step-by-Step Guide: Exporting Contacts to a PST File in Outlook 2010
This method is recommended if you want to import your contacts into another Outlook installation.
**Step 1: Open Microsoft Outlook 2010**
* Locate the Outlook 2010 icon on your desktop or in your Start menu. Double-click the icon to launch the application.
**Step 2: Navigate to the ‘File’ Tab**
* In the Outlook window, click on the ‘File’ tab located in the top-left corner of the screen. This will open the Outlook Backstage view.
**Step 3: Select ‘Options’**
* In the Backstage view, click on ‘Options’ from the left-hand menu. This will open the ‘Outlook Options’ dialog box.
**Step 4: Go to ‘Advanced’ Settings**
* In the ‘Outlook Options’ dialog box, click on ‘Advanced’ in the left-hand menu. This will display advanced settings for Outlook.
**Step 5: Find the ‘Export’ Section**
* Scroll down in the ‘Advanced’ settings until you find the ‘Export’ section. It’s usually located towards the bottom of the list.
**Step 6: Click on the ‘Export’ Button**
* In the ‘Export’ section, click on the ‘Export’ button. This will launch the ‘Import and Export Wizard’.
**Step 7: Choose ‘Export to a file’**
* In the ‘Import and Export Wizard’, you’ll be presented with several options. Select ‘Export to a file’ and click ‘Next >’.
**Step 8: Select ‘Outlook Data File (.pst)’**
* You’ll be asked to select the type of file you want to export to. Choose ‘Outlook Data File (.pst)’ and click ‘Next >’.
**Step 9: Select the Account or Folder to Export**
* Select the email account or the specific folder containing your contacts that you wish to export. To export all contacts and emails from the account, select the email address associated with your account at the very top of the hierarchy. If you only want to export contacts, select the ‘Contacts’ folder within your account. Ensure the box labeled ‘Include subfolders’ is checked if you want to export contacts from any subfolders within the main Contacts folder. Click ‘Next >’.
**Step 10: Choose a Location to Save the PST File**
* Click the ‘Browse…’ button to choose a location on your computer to save the exported PST file. Select a folder where you can easily find the file later (e.g., your Desktop, Documents folder). Give the file a descriptive name (e.g., ‘OutlookBackup.pst’).
* Under the file name, you have an option regarding duplicate items. You can choose to:
* **Replace duplicates with items exported:** If a contact already exists in the PST file, the exported version will overwrite it.
* **Allow duplicate items to be created:** If a contact already exists, a new copy will be added.
* **Do not export duplicate items:** If a contact already exists, it will not be exported again.
Choose the option that best suits your needs. It’s usually safest to ‘Allow duplicate items to be created’, especially if you’re unsure about the contents of the destination PST file. However, if you intend to replace the PST file with this new one, then you would choose “Replace duplicates…”.
* Click ‘OK’ to confirm the location and filename.
**Step 11: Complete the Export Process**
* Back in the ‘Import and Export Wizard’, click ‘Finish’.
* You may be prompted to add a password to the PST file. This is optional. Adding a password will encrypt the PST file, making it more secure. If you choose to add a password, enter it in both the ‘Password’ and ‘Verify Password’ fields. If you don’t want to add a password, leave the fields blank and click ‘OK’.
**Step 12: Verify the Exported PST File**
* Once the export is complete, navigate to the location where you saved the PST file. You can verify the export by attempting to import the PST file back into Outlook (File > Open > Open Outlook Data File) or by checking the file size to ensure it’s not empty.
## Mapping Custom Fields (CSV Export Only – Optional)
If you chose to map custom fields during the CSV export process, here’s what that involves:
* The ‘Map Custom Fields’ dialog box allows you to specify how the fields in your Outlook contacts should be mapped to the columns in the CSV file.
* On the left side, you’ll see a list of fields from your Outlook contacts (e.g., ‘First Name’, ‘Last Name’, ‘Email Address’, ‘Phone Number’).
* On the right side, you’ll see a list of available fields in the CSV file.
* To map a field, drag the field from the left side to the corresponding field on the right side. For example, drag ‘First Name’ from the left to ‘First Name’ on the right.
* If a field doesn’t have a corresponding field in the CSV file, you can leave it unmapped. The data for that field will not be included in the exported CSV file.
* Click ‘OK’ to save the field mappings.
This is particularly important if you have custom fields in your Outlook contacts that you want to ensure are correctly transferred to the CSV file. If you don’t map the fields, Outlook will try to guess the correct mapping, which may not always be accurate.
## Troubleshooting Common Issues
Here are some common issues you might encounter during the export process and how to troubleshoot them:
* **Outlook Freezes or Crashes:** If Outlook freezes or crashes during the export, try exporting a smaller selection of contacts first. This can help identify if the problem is related to a specific contact or a large amount of data. Also, make sure your Outlook installation is up to date with the latest service packs and updates.
* **CSV File Doesn’t Open Correctly:** If the CSV file doesn’t open correctly in Excel or another spreadsheet program, try opening it in a text editor like Notepad. This will allow you to see the raw data and identify any issues with the formatting. Make sure the data is separated by commas and that there are no extra characters or line breaks within the fields.
* **Missing Contacts in the Exported File:** If some contacts are missing from the exported file, make sure you’ve selected the correct ‘Contacts’ folder during the export process. Also, check if the missing contacts have any unusual characters in their names or email addresses that might be causing problems.
* **Incorrect Character Encoding:** Sometimes, special characters (like accented characters) may not be displayed correctly in the exported CSV file. This is often due to incorrect character encoding. When opening the CSV file in Excel, try selecting the correct encoding (e.g., UTF-8) during the import process.
* **Password Issues with PST Files:** If you forget the password for your PST file, there’s no built-in way to recover it in Outlook 2010. You’ll need to use a third-party PST password recovery tool. Be cautious when using such tools, as some may be unreliable or even malicious.
* **Export Process Seems Stuck:** If the export process seems to be stuck at a certain percentage, try closing other applications that might be using system resources. Also, ensure that you have enough free space on your hard drive to accommodate the exported file.
## Tips for Managing Your Contacts Effectively
Here are some additional tips for managing your contacts effectively in Outlook 2010:
* **Organize Your Contacts into Folders:** Create separate folders for different groups of contacts (e.g., ‘Work’, ‘Family’, ‘Clients’). This makes it easier to find and manage your contacts.
* **Use Categories:** Assign categories to your contacts to further organize them. For example, you might use categories like ‘VIP’, ‘Prospect’, or ‘Vendor’.
* **Keep Your Contacts Up-to-Date:** Regularly review your contacts and update any outdated information (e.g., email addresses, phone numbers, job titles).
* **Use Contact Groups (Distribution Lists):** Create contact groups (also known as distribution lists) to send emails to multiple people at once. This saves time and effort compared to adding each recipient individually.
* **Back Up Your Contacts Regularly:** Make it a habit to export your contacts regularly (e.g., once a month) to ensure you have a recent backup in case of data loss.
* **Integrate with Social Media:** Consider using Outlook add-ins that integrate with social media platforms like LinkedIn or Facebook to keep your contacts synchronized.
* **Utilize the Search Feature:** Outlook’s search feature is a powerful tool for finding contacts quickly. Use keywords, names, or email addresses to locate the contact you’re looking for.
## Alternatives to Exporting Contacts
While exporting is a common method for backing up or transferring contacts, there are also some alternatives you might consider:
* **Cloud Synchronization:** If you’re using a cloud-based email service like Microsoft Exchange or Office 365, your contacts are automatically synchronized to the cloud. This eliminates the need for manual backups.
* **Third-Party Contact Management Tools:** There are many third-party contact management tools available that offer advanced features like contact deduplication, lead tracking, and social media integration.
* **Using Outlook’s Built-in Archiving Feature:** Outlook’s built-in archiving feature can be used to create a separate PST file containing older emails and contacts. This helps keep your main mailbox organized and reduces the size of your PST file.
## Conclusion
Exporting contacts from Outlook 2010 is a straightforward process that can save you time and prevent data loss. Whether you’re backing up your data, migrating to a new email client, or simply keeping a copy for safekeeping, understanding how to export your contacts is an essential skill. By following the step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips in this guide, you can ensure that your contacts are always safe and accessible. Remember to choose the appropriate export format (PST or CSV) based on your needs and to back up your contacts regularly. With a little planning and effort, you can manage your contacts effectively and stay connected with the people who matter most.