How to download contacts from Google on desktop or mobile

Getting a copy of your Google contacts is always a good practice to maintain.

That way, you’ll be much more likely to keep them over the long-term — even if, say, you somehow forget your account login information, or you switched to another account.

Here’s how to get it done on your computer or Android.

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How to download your contacts from Google on a computer

1. Go into Google Contacts.

2. If you want to select certain contacts to download, hover your cursor over their name and tick the box that appears; otherwise, in the left sidebar, select “Export.”

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3. Tick whichever download option fits your situation or needs, for example: Selected contacts, Starred contacts, Frequently contacted, or My Contacts.

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4. Choose your exporting method.

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5. Click “Export.”

How to download your contacts from Google on an Android phone

This is a pretty straightforward process. But keep in mind that, unlike the computer method, you won’t be given the option to select from your contacts, you’ll simply get all of them downloaded:

1. Open the Contacts app.

2. Tap the three bars in the top-left corner of the screen to get into the menu.

3. Select “Settings.”

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4. Scroll down and tap “Export.”

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5. If necessary, give permission to access your data, like photos and videos.

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6. Choose where to save your contacts by clicking the three lines in the top-left corner of the screen — you can save to your downloads folder or your Google Drive — and tap “Save” when complete.

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You’ll get a small pop-up message letting you know that your contacts will be exported “shortly” and another one that shows when it’s been completed.