If you have recently switched to Gmail and would like to transfer all your contacts from your existing e-mail program (client) to Gmail, the fastest way to do this is to use the ‘comma separated values’ (.csv). You need to first export your existing contacts as .csv file and then import it into Gmail.

Exporting the contacts to .csv

Let’s see how to export the contacts in some of the most common email programs.

In Outlook 2003 and 2007, select File > Import and Export > Export to a file, click Next, select Comma Separated Values (Windows) as the output format, and click Next twice. Name the file, and browse to the folder you want to store it in. Click Next > Finish.

In Outlook Express, choose File > Export > Address Book, select Text File (Comma Separated Values) as the output format, click the Export button, and save the file in a convenient place.

If you use Mozilla Thunderbird, open the address book, click Tools > Export, and select Comma Seperated(*.csv) from the drop-down menu, prior to choosing a folder to save the file in.

Importing the contacts into Gmail

To import the .csv file into Gmail, click the Contacts link on the left side of Gmail’s main screen. Select Import at the top right, and choose Browse in the Import Contacts dialog box.Navigate to and select your .csv file, Choose Open, and click Import Contacts. Click Close to see your contacts imported into Gmail. Click All Contacts above your addresses, if necessary to see all your contacts.

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