Transfer iPhone or iPad contacts to your Mac or PC computer

Apple's built-in sync tools handle contacts in bulk, with no option to select individual entries or export them to a file. iMazing gives you precise control over the process: select specific contacts, choose your format, and save them to your computer or an external drive, without iCloud and without syncing.

iMazing supports exporting contacts to:

• Mac Contacts app
• Windows Contacts

And to the following file formats:

• vCard (.vcf): standard electronic business card format
• Excel (.xlsx): compatible with Excel, Numbers, and Google Sheets
• CSV (.csv): compatible with Excel, Numbers, and Google Sheets

Here's how to transfer iPhone or iPad contacts to your Mac or PC computer:

Select Your Device

Click on Devices in the left pane.

From the Devices view you will see all the devices previously connected and paired to your computer. Click to select a device.

Access Contacts

In the Overview section, click More in the Data shortcuts bar, then select Contacts.

Choose how to load your data

iMazing needs to create a backup to extract data from your device. You can choose whether you only need access to your contacts, or whether you want to create a full, restorable backup of the device. A partial backup uses much less storage, but both options take about the same amount of time because all files are streamed from your device to your computer during the process. iMazing cannot control which files are streamed.

Click Start to launch the operation. iMazing prompts you to enter the passcode on the device.

If a backup of the device already exists, iMazing shows the following prompt instead. Choose whether to open the existing backup or run a subsequent backup to refresh the contents.

Browse your contacts

Once iMazing finishes loading the data, it displays your contacts in the main window.

Browse an existing backup

You can browse your contacts without connecting your iPhone, as long as iMazing already holds a backup of the device. iMazing can also open backups made with iTunes, Finder, or Apple Devices once you add them to iMazing.

On the Home Screen, open the Backups section to see every backup iMazing manages.

Select the backup you want to open. iMazing opens it so you can browse its content, no device connection is required.

On the backup Overview, click Contacts in the datasets row.

Browse from a previous snapshot

Each time iMazing backs up your device, it keeps a timestamped snapshot, so you can open your contacts as they existed at an earlier date. This works like macOS Time Machine, applied to your iOS or iPadOS backups.

By default, iMazing shows the current state of your device or the latest backup. To reach an earlier state:

Select your device or a backup from the Home Screen.

In the upper toolbar, click the Now button to open the Snapshot List.

Select an earlier snapshot. iMazing reloads the Contacts view with the contacts contained in that snapshot.

A gray checkmark marks the state you are currently viewing. Select Now again to return to the current state.

Select Your Contacts

Select the contact or contacts you want to export.

Export your contacts

Choose your target format:

Windows Contacts

1. In the bottom toolbar, click Export to Contacts.

Mac Contacts

1. In the bottom toolbar, click Export to vCard. A save panel opens.
2. Choose a destination and click Choose.
3. Double-click the exported .vcf file to open it in the Contacts app.

Spreadsheet

1. In the bottom toolbar, click Export to Excel or Export to CSV. A save panel opens.
2. Choose a destination and click Choose.
3. Open the file in your spreadsheet app of choice.

Export Preferences

In iMazing Preferences, you can adjust two export settings:

• Data Export delimiter: Set the delimiter for .csv exports to Comma, Tab, or Semicolon.
• vCard export: Choose between exporting one .vcf file per contact or a single aggregated .vcf file.

To access these settings:

• macOS: iMazing > Preferences > Other Data
• Windows: Edit > Preferences > Other Data