Export Yahoo Contacts to Outlook – 2026 Methods Explained

The first thing that came to my mind when I decided to move from Yahoo Mail to Microsoft Outlook is what is going to happen to my contacts, am I gonna lose them? Because contacts are not just email addresses, they carry more details than this. Many users think that it is a complicated process but the reality is when you understand how to export Yahoo contacts to Outlook correctly. It becomes a really easy task, especially for the users who are considering to export Yahoo mail to Outlook for a long term access.

I have created this guide to help you understand the right steps and all possible manual methods to export contacts. I am going to suggest a professional solution for doing this task risk-free and quickly.

Why I Chose to Export Yahoo Contacts to Outlook

Before going further, it is important to understand why this process is important:

• In Outlook you will get better email management and calendar sync options
• It is easy to integrate with other Microsoft tools using Outlook and experience all the benefits
• Yahoo Mail is web-based on the other hand, Outlook allows offline email access
• Exporting contacts gives an assurance of long-term data safety and help overcome the issues related to Yahoo Mail storage limit
• It is much easier to back up Yahoo contacts to Outlook when switching platforms

Because of these reasons, understanding multiple ways to transfer Yahoo contacts to Outlook helped me do it the right way while keeping my data secure and helping me protect Yahoo email account information.

Things I Check Before Exporting Yahoo Contacts

Before starting the process to export Yahoo contacts to Outlook, I always check these points:

• There is no issue in accessing my Yahoo Mail account
• Contacts are visible and properly synced with Yahoo
• Microsoft Outlook is installed and is working perfectly 
• I know the version of Outlook (365, 2019,2016)
• This is optional but I strongly recommend: Before starting the process create a backup of contacts, if you are planning to export Yahoo Mail to PST

These are some points that I check before starting the process to get an error-free and smooth export process. By understanding these we are good to learn manual methods to transfer Yahoo contacts to Outlook. Let’s explore:

Method 1: Export Yahoo Contacts to Outlook Using CSV File 

This is the most common method used by many users but I prefer it when I need to export a small contact list. Here are the steps:

1. Log in to Yahoo Mail
2. Open the Contacts section
3. Click Actions or More options
4. Select Export
5. Choose CSV format
6. Download the Yahoo contacts CSV file
7. Open Microsoft Outlook
8. Go to File> Open & Export > Import/Export
9. Select Import from another program or file
10. Choose CSV
11. Browse and select the Yahoo CSV file
12. Map contact fields correctly
13. Complete the import to Yahoo contacts to Outlook

This method helps me manually transfer a small Yahoo contact list to Outlook, but it needs to be done carefully to avoid issues similar to Yahoo Mail not syncing on Outlook Mac.

Method 2: Export Yahoo Contacts to Outlook via Outlook Web (Outlook.com)

This is the best method to choose when you are using Outlook.com instead of the desktop app. Here are the steps you need to follow:

1. Back up contacts from Yahoo Mail in CSV format
2. Log in to Outlook.com
3. Go to People (Contacts Section)
4. Click Manage > Import contacts
5. Select CSV file
6. Upload the Yahoo contacts CSV
7. Complete the import process
8. Sync Outlook.com with Outlook desktop (if required)
9. These steps allow me to back up Yahoo contacts to Outlook indirectly

This is an effective method; I prefer it when I need to export contacts through cloud sync.

Method 3: Export Yahoo Contacts to Outlook Using Windows Contacts

Many users prefer using Windows Contacts as an intermediate step. Here are the steps to follow:

• Export Yahoo contacts as CSV file
• Open Windows Contacts
• Import the Yahoo CSV file into Windows Contacts
• Open Microsoft Outlook
• Import contacts from Windows Contacts
• Map fields carefully
• Finish the process to back up Yahoo contacts to Outlook

This is also a manual method that people prefer. From my point of view, this is a slightly longer process compared to other manual methods.

Method 4: Export Yahoo Contacts to Outlook Using vCard (Individual Contacts)

I prefer this method when I need to export few specific contacts. Here are the steps to follow:

• Open Yahoo Contacts
• Select individual contacts
• Export then as vCard(.vcf)
• Open Microsoft Outlook
• Drag and drop vCard files into Outlook contacts
• Save each contact manually

This helps me export Yahoo contacts to Outlook individually; this method is not recommended when exporting large contact lists.

Limitations I Experienced with Manual Methods

There is no cost for manual methods but I have faced several challenges:

• Details get mismatched for eg in some contacts there are details of other contacts(phone numbers, addresses)
• After the exporting process I see duplicate contacts in Outlook
• There is no option for bulk filtering
• Takes hours to export a large contact list
• There is always a risk of data loss during CSV import, that the reason why many users prefer to save Yahoo emails to computer before starting the process.

After experiencing these issues, I researched a safer way to transfer Yahoo contacts to Outlook.

Method 5: Using a Professional Solution

In order to export a large contact list in minimal time and without risking my data, I prefer using a professional solution, the SysTools Yahoo Backup Software.