Copying contacts from one phone to another

BY  RAJKAMAL MM– Fri 3 May, 2013

Ganesha Sunder Rao Vombathkere explains it in easy steps. 

Copying contacts from one smartphone to another is one of the biggest problems that daunt people who switch phones. Toall those who figured it out awesome, bravo. For those who still have not, here are various methods for various types of phones.

 For Android

Yes there is Google Contacts which you can use also there is the ability to export the contacts to CSV or a single VCF file. If it is a single vcf file then send it to your mail and click on the vcf file inside your iPhone if it shows all the contacts then click on add to contacts and you have contacts created. If it shows only two or three then export it to CSV import it in Outlook and sync it through iTunes.

For Blackberry

• From Blackberry World download Contacts to CSVand then create a CSV file. But this file will be saved inside you device soyou will not find it in your SD card.
• Install Beam File Manager from Blackberry World and browse through your device memory for a folder called “Contactstocsv”inside that you will find the csv file.
• Copy it to your SD card or mail it.
• The next steps would be explained below in detail.

For iPhone

In your previous iPhone switch-on Contacts in iCloud. Then, when you set up your iCloud with the same apple id, switch-on contacts, and they will be automatically copied.

For Nokia Symbian / Non-Symbian – Any Model with BlueTooth

• Download the Nokia PC Suite from this link http://www.nokia.com/global/support/nokia-pc-suite/(not for MAC)
• Connect your phone either through USB connectionor Bluetooth.
• Click on Contacts and then in File Menu click onExport and save it in CSV.
• You can try to import it in Outlook but beforeyou copy the contacts to iPhone through iTunescheck the numbers in the individual contacts. A sample check is enough.
• If you find something fish then follow themethod which I will mention in the end

For Nokia – Any Model without Bluetooth

Copy the contacts to SIM and then copy it tosomebody’s android / nokia phone and then use the above methods.

HOW TO SYNC CONTACTS THROUGH OUTLOOK

First Turn off the contacts sync to iCloud. Whenyou turn off the contacts it will ask “What would you like to do with thepreviously synced iCloud contacts on your iPhone?” select delete from iPhone.

Synching iPhone Contacts-Screenshot-1
If you do not turn off iCloud it will show it like this

Synching iPhone Contacts-Screenshot-2 

2. Turn off contacts from the Yahoo! Mail account. This willprompt “Are you sure you want to continue? All Exchange ActiveSync contactswill be removed from your iPhone” select delete from iPhone.

 Synching iPhone Contacts-Screenshot-3

3. Click on Check Box next to “Sync Contacts’ in Infoportion of your iPhone in iTunes

 Synching iPhone Contacts-Screenshot-4

4. Click on Apply in the Bottom. It will sync the contacts.

5. After doing that uncheck the box next to sync contacts.It will throw a messagebox which will give two option “Keep Contacts” or“Delete Contacts”. You would know which one to pick Jclick on keep contacts.

6. Now turn on all the things you turned off. iCloud willask “What would you like to do with the contacts previously synced with iCloud”Select Merge.

7. Before you turn on the contacts from your Activesync. Goto contacts in outlook and then select all the contacts and delete. Yes delete,why? Ifyou turn on activesync it will create a duplicate of all thecontacts in your outlook twice.

I know you have read through all this till now but the nextpart Is quite important.

You followed the above step but you noticed that yourcontacts look funny, especially the numbers appear only few digits and rest ofit is all 0’s or the contacts have only names and no numbers. Well this is allthanks to one culprit and that is your CSV file. The CSV file will not recognizethe numbers as numbers. It will recognize it like this:

Synching iPhone Contacts-Screenshot-5

You might think it just needs a autofit you expand thecolumn or change the format to number and save the file. In spite of this itwill still be this. As CSV will not save any format it will just keep it tooriginal export output.

Now what to do with this situation.

For this reason I built a macro which solves the problem. Idid this for our team after seeing the entire conversation going on I thoughtwhy not share it with fellow Yahoos.

How to work with this (Please note this was built for windows OS)

WindowsFor windows users please enable macros before you begin

 1.       In the CSV file convert all the phone numbers in to number from general formatthis is without decimal points. You can press CTRL + 1 to access the menu

Synching iPhone Contacts-Screenshot-6

2.       Then place all the names in one column. First Name in First Name, the same with Contactnumbers you will have it spread across various fields (Mobile / Work / Homeetc.)

3.       Createa folder in your Documents with any name for this instance we will take“Contacts”

4.       Openthe “VCF File Creator.xlsb” attached with this mail

5.       Pastethe data in appropriate columns, serial number is just a number to identify thecontacts it is mandatory.

6.       Clickon “Create Contacts”

7.       Itwill ask you to input a path to save contacts, here paste the path for thefolder Contacts you create earlier

 Synching iPhone Contacts-Screenshot-7

 8.       Oncethe entire procedure is done in rare case you will have some VCF files openjust click on save and close.

9.       Followthe “How to Sync Contacts through Outlook” steps.

Finally done…. Phew… I know this was a long mail but willhelp somebody at least.

If you have any questions feel free to reach out to me.

P.S. To get screenshot on your iPhone press the Screen LockButton and Home Button together