How to back up, export and restore contacts on Android

2 min read · 6 steps · Updated 3 October 2026

Phone numbers are the one thing on a phone that nobody can give back to you once they are gone. On Android there are two safety nets: the automatic copy in your Google Account, and a file you export yourself, which also works for moving contacts to an iPhone or another account.

Menu names below are from Google Pixel phones and Google's own apps on a recent Android version. Samsung, Xiaomi and other brands rename some of them.

Step by step

1. Check where your contacts are saved

   Open the Contacts app and tap a contact. The account it belongs to is shown in its details. Contacts saved to your Google Account sync by themselves. Contacts saved only to the device or to the SIM card do not, and are lost with the phone.

   Done

2. Turn on the automatic backup

   Open Settings, tap System and then Backup, and switch on the backup to your Google Account. This also covers contacts stored on the device.

   Done

3. Export a file of your own

   Open the Contacts app, tap Fix & manage at the bottom, then Export to file. Choose one or more accounts and tap Export to .VCF file. Pick a folder, for example Downloads.

   Done

4. Store the file safely

   Send the .vcf file to yourself by email or copy it to a computer or cloud drive. A backup that lies on the same phone does not help when the phone is lost.

   Done

5. Restore contacts on a new or reset phone

   Sign in with the same Google Account, and the synced contacts appear by themselves. For contacts from a device backup, open Settings, tap Google, then Set up & restore and Restore contacts. Choose the phone the backup came from and tap Restore.

   Done

6. Import a .vcf file

   Open the Contacts app, tap Fix & manage, then Import from file, choose the account the contacts should go to and select the file.

   Done

Good to know

Restoring adds only the contacts the phone does not already have, so it does not create doubles.

A backup can be restored to a phone with the same or a newer Android version, not an older one.

A .vcf file can be opened by iPhones, Outlook and nearly every address book, which makes it the simplest way to move contacts between systems.

If contacts are missing or do not update: Android contacts or Google Account not syncing: 7 fixes. The complete backup: how to back up an Android phone to your Google Account.

In short: Save contacts to the Google Account so they sync. Extra copy: Contacts app, Fix & manage, Export to file, .VCF. Restore under Settings, Google, Set up & restore, Restore contacts.