To move contacts from a Mac into another address book, export them from the Contacts app as a vCard file (.vcf), then import that file in the destination app. Export only the people you need, or select all contacts for a full transfer. Use a Contacts Archive (.abbu) for a Mac backup, not as the usual interchange file: Apple documents vCard as the export for importing contacts elsewhere.

Choose the right export format

A vCard is the practical starting point for moving contact cards between address book apps. Apple’s Contacts app exports selected cards as .vcf files. Its Contacts Archive option creates an .abbu file instead, intended as an archive or backup. Apple notes that vCard export does not preserve Contacts lists, so it may not recreate your groups in the destination. Apple’s Mac export guide

If the receiving app asks for CSV, Numbers can convert selected Mac contacts into a spreadsheet that you can export as CSV. That can help with spreadsheet based import workflows, but it is a different route from exporting a vCard. Apple cautions that when using Numbers, information excluded from a private card or omitted from vCards, such as notes or photos, may still be included. Check the fields before sharing the resulting file. Apple’s guide to exporting contacts

Export selected contacts or the full set

  1. Open Contacts on your Mac and select the contact cards you want. To select more than one, use the selection methods supported in the Contacts list, such as holding Command while clicking individual cards. To select everything in the current list, click a card and choose Edit > Select All.
  2. Choose File > Export > Export vCard.
  3. Choose a destination, such as Desktop, give the file a recognizable name if prompted, and click Save.

For a full transfer, make sure the list you are viewing includes the contacts you intend to move before selecting all. If your contacts are split across accounts or lists, inspect the selection rather than assuming that one visible list represents every card. Apple’s export instructions describe selecting one or more contacts; its iCloud copy instructions specify choosing All Contacts before selecting and exporting cards. Apple’s export instructions Apple’s iCloud contact-copy guidance

After saving, locate the .vcf file in the folder you chose. That file is the portable output to give the other address book’s import tool. Keep the original contacts in Contacts until you have checked that the destination imported the information you need.

Check what the file contains

Before exporting, review whether notes and photos should travel with the cards. In Contacts, choose Contacts > Settings, then click vCard. The options let you include or exclude notes and contact photos. The vCard settings also let you choose a format; Apple says the default is vCard 3.0. Apple’s vCard settings guide

A contact’s private “My Card” settings can also affect information shared or exported. If you use that feature, verify which fields are included before creating the file. Avoid putting private notes or photos into an export intended for someone else unless you mean to share them.

If the other address book rejects the file

First confirm that you selected the .vcf file rather than an .abbu archive. If the destination still rejects the vCard, Apple recommends switching the vCard format in Contacts > Settings > vCard to 2.1, exporting again, and adjusting the encoding if needed. Apple advises switching back to 3.0 when finished. The receiving app’s own import guidance should determine whether it supports vCard 2.1 or requires another format. Apple’s vCard compatibility steps

As one example, Google Contacts accepts either .vcf or .csv: open Google Contacts, choose Import, select the file, and click Import. If Google is your destination, try the vCard export first; use CSV only if you need a spreadsheet workflow or the importer specifically requires it. Google Contacts import instructions

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