How to export contacts from iPhone, Samsung or Android to a VCF file

Your phone can save your whole address book as one file, called a .vcf file (also known as a vCard). Upload that file to kwtSMS and we read the names and mobile numbers out of it, clean them, remove duplicates, and put them into the group you choose.

The quickest way is straight from the phone. There is a computer method for each phone as well, if your phone is older or you simply prefer a big screen.

iPhone: on the phone itself start here

This needs iOS 18 or later. If your iPhone is older, use the computer method below.

  1. Open Contacts, then tap Lists at the top left.
  2. Touch and hold the list that holds everything. It is named after your account, usually All iCloud.
  3. Tap Export.
  4. Tap Photo to untick it, so the file stays small. Then tap Done at the top right.
  5. Tap Save to Files.
  6. Choose a folder you will remember, for example Downloads or On My iPhone, then tap Save.
The Lists screen in the iPhone Contacts app1. Contacts, then Lists.
The Export option after holding the list2 and 3. Hold the list, then tap Export.
The field list with Photo ticked4. Photo is ticked by default.
The field list with Photo unticked4. Untick Photo, then tap Done.
The share sheet with Save to Files5. Choose Save to Files.
Choosing where to save the file6. Pick a folder, then Save.

Contacts › Lists › hold All iCloud › Export › Done › Save to Files

Opening one contact and tapping Share Contact sends that person only. Use the Lists route above to get everybody in one file.

iPhone: from a computer, using iCloud

Use this if your iPhone is older than iOS 18, or if you would rather work on a big screen.

  1. On a computer, go to icloud.com/contacts and sign in with your Apple Account.
  2. Click the Actions button at the top of the contact list.
  3. Choose Select All Contacts.
  4. Click the Share button on the right.
  5. Choose Export vCard.

icloud.com/contacts › Actions › Select All Contacts › Share › Export vCard

One file with all of your contacts is saved to your Downloads folder.

Android: on the phone itself start here

This is the Contacts app on Pixel and most non-Samsung phones. For a Galaxy, use the Samsung steps below.

  1. Open the Contacts app.
  2. At the bottom, tap Fix & manage.
  3. Tap Export to file.
  4. Choose which account or accounts to take the contacts from.
  5. Tap Export to .VCF file, then choose where to save it. It normally goes to Downloads.
Fix and manage, then Export to file, in the Google Contacts app2 and 3. Fix & manage, then Export to file.
Saving contacts.vcf into the Downloads folder5. It saves as contacts.vcf, normally in Downloads.

Contacts › Fix & manage › Export to file › Export to .VCF file

Samsung Galaxy: on the phone start here

Samsung uses its own Contacts app, so the menu is different from the one above.

  1. Open Contacts.
  2. Open the menu. On newer phones (One UI 7 and later) go into Settings first.
  3. Tap Manage contacts.
  4. Tap Export contacts. On some versions it reads Import or export contacts, then Export.
  5. Tap Export, then choose Internal storage.
  6. Tap Export again to confirm. The file is usually called Contacts.vcf.
The three dot menu in the Samsung Contacts app2. Open the menu.
Manage contacts in the Samsung menu3. Tap Manage contacts.
Export contacts in the Samsung Manage contacts screen4. Tap Export contacts.
Choosing Internal storage rather than the SIM card5. Choose Internal storage, not the SIM. Then Export.
Samsung confirming the vcf file was exported6. Samsung tells you the file name.

Contacts › Settings › Manage contacts › Import or export contacts › Export

Do not choose SIM card as the destination. That copies names and numbers onto the SIM instead of making a file.

Android: from a computer, using Google Contacts

Use this if you would rather work on a big screen, or if the phone will not let you save the file.

  1. On a computer, go to contacts.google.com and sign in.
  2. Tick the box next to any contact, then at the top left click Selection Actions and choose All.
  3. At the top right, click More actions, then Export.
  4. Choose the vCard option. It is usually written as vCard (for iOS Contacts). Do not choose Google CSV.
  5. Click Export.

contacts.google.com › Selection Actions › All › More actions › Export › vCard

Google's own help page tells you to pick Google CSV, because that page is about backing up. For kwtSMS choose the vCard option instead, so you get a file ending in .vcf.

How do I import my phone contacts into my kwtSMS account?

Upload the file

  1. Sign in to your account, then open Address Book, Numbers, Add.
  2. Choose the group you want the numbers in, or click + New group to make one on the spot.
  3. Click the Phone contacts tab.
  4. Choose your .vcf file. We tell you how many contacts we read and how many phone numbers we found.
  5. Click Check the numbers. You see exactly what will be saved before anything is added, including anything we cannot use and why.
  6. Click Add numbers.

Kuwaiti numbers written as 8 digits get 965 added automatically, and any number already in the group is skipped, so you can upload the same file twice without creating duplicates.

If something goes wrong

Only one contact came throughOn iPhone you used Share Contact on a single person. Use Lists, hold the list, then Export.
The file will not uploadCheck it ends in .vcf. A Google CSV file will not work here. Export again and choose the vCard option.
The file is very largeContact photos are stored inside the file. On iPhone, untick Photo at the export step. It does not affect the numbers.
Some contacts are missingYour contacts may be split between the SIM, Google and Samsung accounts. Check which account you exported, and repeat for the others.
Numbers were skippedOpen Download the rows to fix after checking. It lists every number we could not use and what to correct, for example a landline or a missing country code.

Still stuck? Contact us and we will help you load your list.

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