How to Export Contacts From Windows Mail

Don't leave your contacts behind when you change email services

by
Heinz Tschabitscher
Heinz Tschabitscher
Writer
A former freelance contributor who has reviewed hundreds of email programs and services since 1997.
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Heinz Tschabitscher
Updated on April 18, 2021

If you've built one address book in Windows Mail, you shouldn't have to build that same address book again, even if you switch email programs or email services.

You can export Windows contacts to a file format called CSV (comma-separated values), from which most other email programs and email services can import your contacts.​

This procedure works for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1. In Windows 10, the People app contains the mail list; you cannot export contacts from the Windows 10 Mail app.

Export Contacts and Email Addresses From Windows Mail

To save your Windows Mail 8 and earlier contacts to a CSV file in Windows 8:

  1. Select Tools > Windows Contacts from the menu in Windows Mail.

  2. Select Export in the toolbar.

  3. Make sure CSV (Comma Separated Values) is highlighted.


  4. Select Export. Pick a folder to receive the exported contacts or open a new folder.

  5. Type a folder name such as "Windows Mail contacts" under the File name.

  6. Click Save then Next.


  7. Make sure all address book fields you want to be included are checked. Note that Windows Mail does not export first and last names separately, even though there are First Name and Last Name fields. Choose Name instead.

  8. Click Finish. Close the remaining windows.

Exporting Contacts From the Windows 10 People App

You can't export your contacts located in the People app of a Windows 10 computer to a CSV file. However, you can do this from your online Microsoft account and the online People app. From there, you choose Manage | Export Contacts to export the contacts to a CSV file. Go to the other email service and use the Import command to import your contacts to that service.

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