Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud – Complete 2026 Walkthrough

Managing contacts on different platforms can be a hard task for users. I have seen many users find it difficult to export Hotmail contacts to iCloud. One more common question that people ask and the answer is Yes. Hotmail (now Outlook.com) and iCloud work on different ecosystems, there is no direct button to do it.

Table of Contents

• Why Do Users Need to Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud?
• Things to Know Before You Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud
• Manual Method to Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud
• Limitations of the Manual Method
• Professional Method to Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud Safely
• Manual vs Professional Method – Which Should You Choose?
• Author’s Verdict
• FAQs

I have created this article to share practical methods in simple language so you can confidently export contacts. I will share both manual and professional methods and so you can choose as per your requirements. I hope that at the end of this article you understand how to transfer contacts from Hotmail to iCloud safely without data loss.

Why Do Users Need to Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud?

When users consider shifting platform from Windows to Apple devices or want their contacts synced across all Apple devices. I have seen users who are using Hotmail from a decade and suddenly got to know that their contacts are not available on iCloud. At this point it is important to understand moving Hotmail contacts to iCloud is necessary.

Mostly users move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud to get all the benefits of Apple ecosystem like better synchronization and smooth integration across Apple devices. If you want to know the answer of how to transfer contacts from Hotmail to iCloud, it is depend with which method you want to proceed such as manual or professional.

The good news is that Hotmail gives you the privilege to export contacts in a compatible formats which is also compatible with iCloud if done correctly.

Things to Know Before You Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud

Before moving to the methods, there are a few things you need to keep in mind. It is always good to pre-plan as it makes the process of exporting Hotmail contacts to iCloud easier and hassle-free. Make sure that you have access to both the Hotmail and iCloud accounts, verify if all contacts are saved properly in Hotmail or don’t have multiple folders. When users try to move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud, they find that the contacts are missing or have duplicated and it creates confusion. Sometimes users archive Hotmail email and forget to review their contact folders.

If you don’t know how to transfer contacts from Hotmail to iCloud, starting with cleaning and organizing your contacts can be the first step.

Manual Method to Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud

If you want to export a limited number of contacts, then this is the best method and I have personally helped users with basic requirements via this method. Here are the steps:

Step 1: Export Contacts from Hotmail

1. Log in to your Hotmail (now Outlook.com) account
2. Click on People section
3. Select Manage > Export contacts
4. Select All contacts and export them as CSV file

The CSV file is important to move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud, similar to how users manually export Hotmail emails to PST  to access emails.

Step 2. Import Contacts into iCloud

1. Go to your iCloud account
2. Open contacts
3. Click the gear icon and choose Import vCard
4. After converting the CSV file to VCF upload it

This is only manual method to export contacts from Hotmail to iCloud but it comes with limitations. You must read the next section carefully if you still have doubts on how to transfer contacts from Hotmail to iCloud without losing fields or structure.

Limitations of the Manual Method

At first the manual method seems easy but many users face issues like the contact map may not map correctly, while export Hotmail contacts to iCloud using CSV files. Some contact details are missing.

The major drawback comes when handling large contact lists, as it is time consuming process. Taking a manual approach to move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud is not a wise decision in terms of bulk transfer, just like when trying to save Hotmail emails to USB without proper tools can lead to errors. This is the reason I always recommend users about the professional tool when they ask me how to transfer contacts from Hotmail to iCloud without any hassle.

Professional Method to Export Hotmail Contacts to iCloud Safely

If you prefer accuracy and a minimal time process, then I recommend going with the professional solution. Because of the limitations I deeply researched and used many solutions. I came across the SysTools Hotmail Backup Tool which is 10/10. It is designed in a way that there will be no data loss when you export Hotmail contacts data to iCloud.

This tool is user-friendly and doesn’t require any technical expertise. I personally use it because it preserves contacts details such as names, phone numbers, etc. This makes it easy to move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud. Here are some key benefits of this tool:

• Direct Hotmail login support
• Bulk contact export
• Maintain data structure
• Compatible with formats for iCloud

By using this tool you can transfer your contacts securely and easily without risking data loss. If someone asks me how to transfer contacts from Hotmail to iCloud for business or personal use, I recommend this tool to them.

Try it now for free and after downloading this follow these simple steps of instructions to export Hotmail contacts to iCloud:

Step 1. Install and open the utility.

Step 2. Now, select the export format, i.e., VCF, and mark the contacts box.

Step 3. Afterwards, provide your credentials, and click Sign in with  Hotmail. 

Step 4. After the validation, select the folder where to save the resultant data by clicking Browse Folder Path.

Step 5. Finally, hit the Start button to begin the export procedure.

Manual vs Professional Method – Which Should You Choose?

Author’s Verdict

Personally, exporting contacts is not a hard thing to do if you are choosing the right approach to start with and it is not always about moving data, it is about preserving important information. If you want to export small files that the manual method is good as it has a disadvantage with a large contact list and if accuracy and data integrity is important for you that choosing a professional solution is a wise decision. The goal is to export Hotmail contacts to iCloud safely.

I always suggest keeping key points in mind before deciding how to move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud. I hope this guide provides the answer of how to transfer contacts from Hotmail to iCloud and helps you take the right approach.

FAQs

Q. How do I transfer all Contacts from Hotmail to iCloud?
Hotmail doesn’t give a direct button to export contacts so you can either go with the manual method or the professional method

Q. How do I import contacts from Hotmail to my iPhone?
You can follow the below steps:

• Go to SyncGene and sign up;
• Go to the “Add Account” tab, select iCloud and sign in to your iCloud account;
• Click “Add Account”, add and log in to your Exchange account;
• On your iPhone, the Exchange Contacts synchronization should be enabled;

Q. How much time it take to move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud?
If you use a manual method then it will take sometime and with the professional method it will be done in a couple of minutes.

Q. Is it possible to export Hotmail contacts to iCloud in bulk?
Yes, you can export contacts in bulk using CSV or a professional method, but it will be time consuming in manual method.

Q. Which format is compatible when I have to move contacts from Hotmail to iCloud?
iCloud supports VCF format, so the data will be converted in CSV file before import.