Import Outlook Contacts to Office 365 (Microsoft 365) - 2025 Updated Guide
If you switched to Microsoft 365 and your contacts are stuck in your old Outlook profile or PST file. This is a huge issue as you can’t access saved email addresses, phone numbers, and client details across devices. In that case, knowing how to import Outlook contacts to Office 365 helps you easily access those contacts.
Today, I’ll walk you through the updated methods that work in 2025, including both modern and traditional options. So, let’s begin this tutorial now!
Why Import Contacts from Outlook to Office 365?
Nowadays, migrating Outlook contacts to Microsoft 365 is a common task in organisations, due to:
- Access them across Outlook on the web, new Outlook, Mac, and mobile apps.
- Contacts sync automatically without manual transfers.
- Easily share contacts via Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint.
- Connect Office 365 to Outlook helps to prevent contacts from loss or corruption.
- Auto-complete and contact suggestions improve with imported contacts.
These are the main factors which create the necessity to migrate data to Microsoft 365.
How to Import Outlook Contacts to Office 365?
Moving Outlook contacts to Microsoft 365 becomes easy when you have the appropriate approaches with proper instructions. As I have experienced in Microsoft 365 for over 12+ years, I know how to do this hassle-free in minutes.
So, let’s understand the solutions to import contacts from Outlook to Office 365 according to the Outlook versions:
#1. Export to CSV & Import into Microsoft 365
This is the primary method Microsoft supports today. The steps will be used for all the Outlook versions:
Step 1. Export Contacts from Classic Outlook:
- Open Outlook.
- Click on the File option.
- Then, select Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Choose Export to a file > Comma Separated Values (CSV).
- Select your Contacts folder and save the file.
- Re-save the file as CSV (UTF-8) in Excel to avoid character issues.
Following this step, you not only export contacts, emails, or calendars, but also download documents from Office 365, within seconds, as you see.
Step 2. Import Outlook contacts to Office 365:
#In Outlook on the Web (OWA):
- Hit the People app.
- Click Manage contacts > Import contacts.
- Upload the CSV, map fields, and import.
In New Outlook for Windows:
- Switch to People view.
- Select … More options > Manage contacts > Import contacts.
- Upload your CSV and map fields.
Here’s a simple CSV that I use to make sure fields map properly:
First Name,Last Name,Email,Company,Phone mack,john,mack.john@example.com,Contoso,+1 425 000 0000
#2. Admin Method: Importing Organisation-Wide Contacts
If you want contacts to appear in the Global Address List (GAL) for everyone in the company:
- Open Exchange Admin Center.
- Press the Recipients option > Contacts > Add a mail contact.
- For bulk additions, use PowerShell, i.e. New-MailContact and Set-MailContact.
This method is different from personal contacts; it creates Mail Contacts managed by admins.
#3. Import Outlook Contacts to Office 365 Via Drag & Drop Between Accounts (Classic Outlook Only)
If you’re still on the classic Outlook desktop app, then dragging and dropping data will work. So, if you have an old PST-based account and a Microsoft 365 account configured in Outlook, follow these steps:
- Open the Contacts view.
- Select all the contacts (Ctrl + A).
- Drag and drop them into the Microsoft 365 Contacts folder.
This is quick and doesn’t require a CSV, but it only works in classic Outlook.
#4. Import from PST (Classic Outlook)
Via Outlook Classic, you can import contacts from a PST:
- Launch Outlook, and click on the File option > Open & Export > Import/Export.
- Select Import from another program or file > Outlook Data File (.pst).
- Pick the PST file and choose Contacts as the folder to import.
This method does not work in the new Outlook, because Microsoft no longer supports Contacts, Calendar, or Tasks in PSTs there.
#5. Import Outlook Contacts to Office 365 Effortlessly
Do you worry about missing fields, duplicates, or corrupted data during the process? If yes, then you’re thinking in the right way, as manual methods can be time-consuming and error-prone.
This is where users are wondering about an alternative or automated solution. Is it right? If your answer is yes, then look no further, just opt for SysTools Importer for a hassle-free transition.
It’ll import Outlook contacts directly to Microsoft 365, without exporting/importing or needing a CSV file for free!
With this, you can:
- Import contacts from Outlook to Office 365 in bulk automatically.
- Preserve every detail, names, email addresses, phone numbers, and notes remain intact.
- Selectively migrate contacts, so you only move what you need.
- Comes with an easy, step-by-step interface, which can be easily used even by non-technical users.
Steps for Outlook Contacts Migration
When you downloaded this successfully, open it, and follow the instructions to import Outlook contacts to Office 365:
- Step 1. Mark Outlook and Office 365 as the source & target platform.
- Step 2. Choose Contacts from the workload selection. Leverage Date Filter if needed to move only specific data.
- Step 3. Then browse, and select PST by clicking on the Import Folder Path.
- Step 4. Enter your Admin credentials, i.e. Admin Email & Application ID.
- Step 5. Map source users via Fetch Users, Import Users, Download Template.
- Step 6. Hit Start Import to import contacts from Outlook to Office 365.
Important Points
- If you found any strange characters after import, then re-save the CSV as UTF-8 to resolve the issue.
- Save Office 365 emails as PDF or PST before importing to access data if it is lost during the procedure.
- Use the Map fields step during import to avoid column-matching problems.
- If you find duplicates, just clean up right after the import.
- If contacts are missing from the PST in the new Outlook. That’s expected; PST support is limited to email only now.
Author’s Verdict
In 2025, the CSV import method via Outlook on the Web or New Outlook is the only officially supported way to import Outlook contacts to Office 365 (Microsoft 365). That’s the approach I recommend for anyone moving forward.
However, if you’re still on classic Outlook, the drag-and-drop method or PST import will still help.
People Also Ask (FAQ)
Q. Can I directly sync Outlook contacts with Office 365?
Yes. If you’re already signed into Outlook with your Microsoft 365 account, your contacts automatically sync with Office 365. However, if they’re saved locally (PST/CSV), you need to import them first.
Q. Can I import a PST file into Office 365 for contacts?
Yes. You can use Outlook desktop to open the PST file and move contacts into your Office 365 account.
Q. Will contact groups also transfer to Office 365?
Yes, but sometimes distribution lists don’t import correctly via CSV. In such cases, it’s better to use PST import or manual migration.
Q. What’s the easiest way to import Outlook contacts to Office 365?
The simplest method is to export contacts as a CSV from Outlook and then import that CSV into Outlook on the web (Office 365).
Q. Are Outlook contacts synced to my phone after importing to Office 365?
Absolutely. Once your contacts are in Office 365, they’ll sync automatically with Outlook mobile apps on iOS and Android.
Q. Can admins bulk-import contacts for all users in Office 365?
Yes, admins can use PowerShell or the Microsoft 365 Admin Center to import or sync contacts organisation-wide.
Q. Is there any risk of losing data during import contacts from Outlook to Office 365?
If done correctly, no. But I always recommend creating a backup of your contacts (CSV/PST) before starting the import.