can't import contacts

Question

can't import contacts

Bruce L 0

I switched to new outlook from the classic outlook. I can't import my contacts. I tried everything they suggested. When i hit import, it shows it is importing, but then on contacts, nothing shows up

Hornblower409 7,570 Reputation points

2026-03-19T05:06:11.87+00:00

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2 answers

Your answer

Hornblower409 7,570 Reputation points

2026-03-19T05:06:11.87+00:00

If the Q&A Assist Answer did not solve your problem:

Click the [No] button on the "Was this answer helpful?" bar under the answer. If there is a [Reject] button visible, click that too. This should signal the forum moderators that you want a human to pick up this question.

If that does not get you a human response, type "Not Solved" in the "Add Comment" box below and then click the [Add Comment] button. I will try to offer some suggestions on what you can do next.

Answer 1

Hi Bruce L,

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.

I understand how confusing it can be when the contact import appears to complete, but the Contacts list in new Outlook still shows nothing afterward.

Please note that this is a community support forum, and contributors here do not have access to account‑level tools or internal systems, but we can help guide you through the supported checks and options available.

I can see there is already a Q&A Assist reply in the thread addressing the basic import checks. If you have had a chance to try those steps, please let me know the result. In the meantime, I would like to add a few new Outlook specific checks below.

1, Rerun the import using the exact steps for “new Outlook for Windows”

In new Outlook, go to People, then Manage contacts and choose Import contacts, then browse to the CSV and import again. This article includes the new Outlook steps and where the People app can be found. Reference: Import or export contacts in Outlook using a .csv file

2, Confirm the CSV actually contains contact rows (not just headers)

A very common cause of “import finishes but nothing shows” is that the CSV is empty or only has column headers. Please open the CSV in Excel and confirm there are multiple rows of contact data. Reference: Fix problems importing contacts to Outlook

3, Make sure the CSV is saved correctly after any edits

If you edited the file in Excel, please keep the header row intact, and when Excel asks whether to keep the CSV format, choose Yes so the file stays in CSV format. Reference: Create or edit .csv files to import into Outlook

4, Check that you are viewing contacts under the same account you imported into

In new Outlook, contacts are tied to the account currently being used during the import. If you have multiple accounts added, please switch between accounts in People and confirm you are checking the contact list for the same account you imported into.

5, If contacts still do not appear, use the dedicated “no contacts appear” checklist

This guidance focuses specifically on the scenario where the import completes but the contact list still looks blank. Reference: Fix problems importing contacts to Outlook

One quick question to help narrow this down: are you importing contacts into an Outlook.com or Hotmail account, or into another provider account added to new Outlook?

Please try these steps and let me know how it works.

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".

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Victor1-V 7,565 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-20T12:52:07.01+00:00

Hi Bruce L,

I am following up to check whether you have had an opportunity to review the response provided and try the suggested steps.

Please feel free let me know if you need any further assistance. I remain available to assist you further.
Bruce L 0 Reputation points

2026-03-20T13:01:48.56+00:00

Thanks. I think it worked out
Victor1-V 7,565 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-20T13:18:04.9366667+00:00

Thanks for the update. I’m glad to hear it worked out.

If you have a moment, could you please share which step resolved the issue or what you did differently in the end? That detail can really help others who may run into the same situation.

Also, if my reply helped, please consider marking it as the accepted answer so the solution is easier for others to find. Thanks again for following up.
Bruce L 0 Reputation points

2026-03-21T14:13:46.69+00:00

it seems that it did import, but because i use 3 e-mail addresses, the contacts only showed up in one of them. but i found i still had access to it from the other 2.
Victor1-V 7,565 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-03-21T14:31:03.66+00:00

Thanks for the clarification, Bruce.

In the new Outlook, imported contacts are saved to the specific account used during the import, so they may show up in the Contacts list for only that account.

I’m glad to hear you were able to locate them and confirm they’re accessible. If everything looks good now, you’re all set.

Answer 2

Follow these steps to troubleshoot contacts not appearing after import into new Outlook:

Verify the .csv file actually has contacts
1. Locate the .csv file that was exported from classic Outlook.
2. Open the .csv file in Excel.
3. Confirm that:
  - There are rows of data under the header row (names, email addresses, etc.).
  - If the file is empty or only has headers, the export from classic Outlook failed.
If the .csv file is empty or missing data
1. Go back to classic Outlook (Outlook (classic)).
2. Select File > Open & Export > Import/Export.
3. Choose Export to a file > Next.
4. Select Comma Separated Values > Next.
5. In Select folder to export from, scroll to the top and select Contacts (This computer only) under the account.
6. Choose Browse, pick a save location and file name, then OK.
7. Select Next > Finish.
8. When the export completes, open the new .csv in Excel again and confirm that contact data is present.
Ensure the .csv file stays in valid format
1. Do not delete or change the column headings in the first row; Outlook requires them.
2. If editing the file in Excel, keep the headers and save in .csv format.
3. When Excel asks “are you sure you want to save it in .csv format?”, always choose Yes. Choosing No can corrupt the file for import.
Re-import into new Outlook
1. In new Outlook, run the import again using this verified .csv file.
2. Complete the import wizard.
3. After it finishes, check the Contacts/People view again.
If still no contacts appear
1. Re-open the .csv in Excel and confirm the data is still present.
2. If needed, repeat the export from classic Outlook and import into new Outlook with the new file.

If after these steps the .csv file clearly contains data but contacts still do not appear in new Outlook, the next step is to repeat the import using a freshly exported .csv and ensure it is mapped and saved correctly as above.

References:

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can't import contacts

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