# How to import a CSV or Excel file into Android contacts

Source: https://exportcontacts.com/guides/import-csv-contacts-to-android/
Updated: 2026-11-14 · By the Contaxo team

> The Contacts app on Android imports only **.vcf** files. To add contacts from a **CSV** or **Excel** file on the phone, open **Contaxo**, tap **Import Contacts**, choose the file, check the matched columns and tap **Save**. On a computer, you can instead import the CSV at **contacts.google.com**; the contacts then sync to any Android phone with that Google account.

## What you need

- An Android phone with Android 7.1 or later
- The CSV or Excel file in Downloads, Google Drive, Gmail or another app
- The free Contaxo app (free for files with up to 5 contacts; Pro imports any size)

## Import a CSV or Excel file on Android with Contaxo

1. **Choose the file.** In Contaxo, tap **Import Contacts**, then **Choose a file**, and pick the .csv, .xlsx or .xls file from Downloads or Google Drive.
2. **Check the columns.** Contaxo reads the header row and matches each column to a field such as name, phone, email or company. Tap **Edit** to change a column.
3. **Pick the contacts.** Every row becomes a contact with a tick. Untick anyone you don't need.
4. **Save.** Tap **Save** to add them to your phone's contacts.

## On a computer: Google Contacts

1. Open **contacts.google.com** and sign in with the Google account used on your phone.
2. Click **Import**, choose the CSV file and click **Import**. Google adds a label with the date so you can find the new contacts.
3. On the phone, the contacts appear after the next sync.

For an Excel file, save it as **CSV UTF-8** in Excel first. If the CSV has different column names from Google's, some fields may land in notes or be skipped; check a few contacts afterwards.

## Samsung phones

Samsung Contacts imports vCards from **Manage contacts › Import or export contacts › Import**. For CSV and Excel files, use Contaxo, or Google Contacts on a computer if your contacts are saved in your Google account.

## Which way should I use?

| You want | Use |
| --- | --- |
| To do it on the phone | **Contaxo** |
| To choose who gets added and fix columns first | **Contaxo** |
| A free way, with a computer and a Google account | **contacts.google.com** import |

## Frequently asked questions

### Can Google Contacts on the phone import a CSV?

No. The Google Contacts app and Samsung Contacts import .vcf files only. CSV import is available on contacts.google.com from a computer.

### My file is a vCard, not a CSV

Open it with the Contacts app, or in Google Contacts use **Fix & manage › Import from file**. Contaxo can import vCards too.

### Phone numbers lost their leading 0

That happened in Excel before the file was saved. Format the phone column as **Text** in Excel, fix the numbers and save again.

### Is it free?

Files with up to 5 contacts are free. Larger files need Pro; Contaxo tells you before you tap Save.

## Related

- [How to import contacts from Excel, CSV or vCard](https://exportcontacts.com/import/)
- [Contaxo for Android](https://exportcontacts.com/android/)
- [How to fix broken characters in a contacts CSV file](https://exportcontacts.com/guides/fix-broken-characters-contacts-csv/)
- [How to find and merge duplicate contacts](https://exportcontacts.com/duplicates/)

Get Contaxo: App Store https://apps.apple.com/app/id1546550155 · Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.onnex.exportcontacts.excel.backup