How to Sync Outlook Contacts Between Two Computers – Best Solution
Several users search for how to sync Outlook contacts between two computers? While surfing the Internet, we often get some similar questions from MS Outlook users like:
- Ways to sync Outlook contacts across multiple computers?
- The solution to sync Outlook contacts on different computers?
- How a user can sync Outlook contacts with other computers?
- How to sync Outlook contacts to a new computer?
In order to explain such issues better, read the following user query we’ve taken from a forum website:
“Hello, I have two computers one for my personal use and other is for business work. In both of my computers I use MS Outlook as my email client and there are times when I need to access my business contacts from my PC. Therefore, I want to synchronize Outlook contacts between two computers. But, I don’t know how to sync Outlook contacts between two computers. Anybody knows the solution to this issue? Please help!”
Well, these all are just a few different questions with one common thing: users want to synchronize their Outlook contacts with other computers. To help our readers today we have come up with this technical guide. Here, we will show you a safe and simple solution to sync Outlook contacts between computers. Let’s get started!
How to Sync Outlook Contacts Between Two Computers?
Synchronizing Outlook contacts across multiple computers means you want to access your same Outlook address book from multiple computer devices using Outlook or different applications. However, syncing Outlook contacts on two computers isn’t that simple because there is no direct way to do so. The complete sync of Outlook contacts between 2 computers process is divided into two major steps:
Step 1. Export Outlook Contacts from First Computer
There are multiple ways to export contacts from Outlook depending upon the version of Outlook you are using. So, follow the methods given below accordingly:
Outlook 2013, Outlook 2016, & Outlook 2019
- Launch Microsoft Outlook and click on the File tab
- Click Open&Export >> Import/Export
- Highlight the Export to a File option from Import and Export Wizard. Click Next
- Select Comma Separated Values and click Next
- Choose Contacts Folder and click Next
- Select a destination location and click Next >> Finish
Outlook 2010 & Below
- Run Outlook and click on File >> Options
- Click Advanced >> Export
- Select the Export to a File option and click Next
- Highlight Comma Separated Values (Windows) option and click Next
- Select the Contacts folder and click Next
- Browse a saving location for the output CSV and click OK >> Next >> Finish
Step 2. Sync Outlook Contacts With Multiple Computers
Now all your MS Outlook contacts are exported to a CSV file and all you have to do is make it compatible with other computers. And this could be done by converting CSV into a standard file format that can be imported and accessed from multiple computers and applications.
Therefore, it is recommended to convert Outlook Contacts CSV into vCard file format to access it on Windows and Mac computers further. Below is how this could be done:
- Download the tool to convert Excel file contacts to VCF on your Windows machine and install it.
Note: In case you are a Mac OS X user, then this is how to convert contacts from CSV to VCF .
The process to import CSV to another computer
- Open it and click on Browse. Add the Outlook Contacts CSV you have exported above
- Preview contacts content and checks if the contact fields are properly formatted (if not, open the CSV in MS Excel and format it correctly). Click Next to fix how to sync outlook contacts between two computers issue
- Select a CSV contact field from the Excel Fields section and choose the corresponding field from the vCard Fields section
- Follow the same step to map all the CSV fields with vCard fields and once done, click Next
- Select vCard v2.1, v3.0 or v4.0 (for iCloud) according to your computer or application and check Import empty email addresses and other desired options. Browse a destination location and click Convert
- All the Outlook CSV Contacts will start converting into vCard file format right after this and let the conversion process finish successfully
After this, you can import CSV to another computer without any data loss or other issues. In case if you are using MS Outlook on another computer as well and want to import exported contacts to it, follow the steps below:
- Launch MS Outlook and click File >> Import and Export
- Select Import a vCard File (.vcf) and Next
- Locate the vCard file and click Open
- Click Contacts and all the vCard contacts will be imported to your new computer
So, this is how to sync Outlook contacts between two computers. Besides, if you are using some other applications or devices like Android, Windows Phone, Gmail, Apple Contacts, WhatsApp than Outlook on another computer, you can follow these guides and synchronize Outlook contacts between two computers efficiently.