Collected business cards at an event? Enter them into Excel, then import all contacts to your iPhone or iCloud in one go using SysTools Excel to vCard Converter. Supports vCard 2.1, 3.0 and 4.0. Duration: 5 min.
Video Transcript
In this video we show you how to import contacts from an Excel spreadsheet to your iPhone or iCloud using SysTools Excel to vCard Converter software.
Here is a common situation. You attend a marketing event or conference and collect a large number of business cards. Instead of scanning each card one by one, you or your team enter all the contact details into an Excel file. Now you want to get all those contacts into your iPhone at once.
SysTools Excel to vCard Converter makes this easy. First, download and install the software on your Windows PC. Open it once installation is complete.
In the software, click the Browse button to locate and select your Excel file. The software reads all the rows and loads the contacts into a preview window.
Check the preview to make sure all names, phone numbers, email addresses and other details have been picked up correctly. Then map your Excel column headers to the correct vCard fields.
Next, select the vCard version you need. Choose 2.1 for older iPhones, 3.0 for most current iPhones or 4.0 for the latest devices. You can also choose whether to create one combined vCard file or a separate file for each contact.
Click the Export button. The software converts all your Excel contacts to a .vcf vCard file and saves it to your chosen folder.
To get the contacts onto your iPhone, upload the .vcf file to iCloud Contacts on your computer or send the file to your iPhone by email. Open the file on your iPhone and tap Add All Contacts.
All your business card contacts are now saved in your iPhone. The same .vcf file can also be imported directly into iCloud from any browser.
What is SysTools Excel to vCard Converter?
SysTools Excel to vCard Converter is Windows software that reads contact data from an Excel spreadsheet and converts it into a vCard (.vcf) file. A vCard file is the standard format used by iPhones, iPads, iCloud, Gmail and almost every contacts app in the world. You can import hundreds of contacts in one go. No typing, no scanning one by one. The software is available at systoolsgroup.com and supports vCard versions 2.1, 3.0 and 4.0, so it works with all iPhone models including iPhone 5C, 6S, 7, 8 and newer.
11 Steps to Import Contacts from Excel to iPhone Using SysTools
- Download SysTools Excel to vCard Converter from the official website and install it on your Windows PC.
- Open the software on your computer after installation is complete.
- Click the Browse button and select your Excel file (.xls or .xlsx) containing the contacts.
- The software loads all contacts from the file. Preview them to confirm all names, numbers and emails are correct.
- Map the column headers in your Excel file, such as Name, Phone and Email, to the correct vCard fields.
- Select the vCard version : choose 2.1 for older iPhones, 3.0 for most iPhones or 4.0 for the latest devices.
- Choose whether to export all contacts as a single .vcf file or as separate files for each contact.
- Click the Export button to convert all your Excel contacts to vCard format.
- Go to the destination folder and locate the exported .vcf file on your computer.
- Upload the .vcf file to iCloud Contacts via icloud.com, or send it to your iPhone by email.
- Open the .vcf file on your iPhone and tap Add All Contacts to save every contact at once.
Things to Keep in Mind
- Your Excel file must have column headers in the first row, such as Name, Phone, Email, Company and Address. Each row after that is one contact. Remove blank rows and merged cells before importing.
- Always preview the contacts inside SysTools before exporting. Check that names and phone numbers are in the right fields , especially if your Excel columns use custom names.
- Choose the right vCard version for your device. Version 3.0 works on most iPhones. If you are importing to iCloud and then syncing to the phone, version 3.0 or 4.0 is recommended.
- After importing, check a few contacts on your iPhone to make sure nothing is missing. If a field is blank, go back to the column mapping step in SysTools and re-export.
- Keep the original Excel file as a backup. Do not delete it after importing, in case you need to re-import or update the contacts later.
Tips for a Clean Import
- Put each piece of information in its own column. Do not combine name and phone number in one cell.
- Use a consistent format for phone numbers , for example, always include the country code such as +91.
- If you have contacts on both sides of a business card, enter each side's details in the correct column before converting.
- After importing to iCloud, turn on iCloud Contacts sync on your iPhone so the new contacts appear automatically on all your Apple devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I import contacts from Excel to iPhone?
Use SysTools Excel to vCard Converter to convert your Excel contacts to a .vcf file, then upload it to iCloud Contacts or send it to your iPhone via email. Open the file on your iPhone and tap Add All Contacts.
What is SysTools Excel to vCard Converter?
SysTools Excel to vCard Converter is Windows software that converts contact data from Excel spreadsheets into vCard (.vcf) files. These vCard files can be imported directly into iPhone, iCloud, Gmail or any contacts app.
Which vCard versions does SysTools Excel to vCard support?
SysTools supports vCard versions 2.1, 3.0 and 4.0. Use version 2.1 for older iPhones, version 3.0 for most current iPhones and version 4.0 for the latest devices and apps.
Can I import contacts from Excel to iCloud?
Yes. After converting your Excel file to a .vcf file using SysTools, log in to icloud.com on your computer, open Contacts, click the settings icon and select Import vCard. All contacts will sync to your iPhone automatically.
What should my Excel file look like before converting?
Your Excel file should have column headers in the first row such as Name, Phone, Email, Company and Address. Each row after that should be one contact. Remove any blank rows or merged cells before importing into SysTools.