DocTransform
Log InSign Up
All import guides

Google Contacts won't import your contacts file?

Fix the errors Google Contacts shows when importing a contacts CSV, then import clean every time.

Errors Google Contacts shows

More than 3,000 contacts in one file

You import more than 3,000 contacts at a time. If you have more than 3,000 contacts, split them into multiple CSVs before you import them.
Google Contacts help centre

The 25,000 contact limit is reached

You reach the limit of 25,000 contacts.
Google Contacts help centre

The contacts are not formatted for Google Contacts

The contacts aren't formatted to work with Google Contacts. Make sure to save your contacts as a vCard or CSV file.
Google Contacts help centre

What Google Contacts’ importer checks

  • A birthday must be written as YYYY-MM-DD.

    DocTransform fixes this: type

    Write Birthday as YYYY-MM-DD

    Or by hand

    open the Birthday column’s ⋯ menu → Format dates… → input DD/MM/YYYY, output YYYY-MM-DD (2024-12-31) → Save Rule

    Google Contacts help centre

  • A phone number must use a “+” to indicate a country code.

    DocTransform fixes this: open Health → Phone formats → Convert 3 (the button shows how many numbers it writes); each readable number is written as +[country code][number], a number that names no country is read in your language’s region, and one it cannot read stays as written

    Google Contacts help centre

  • No more than 3,000 contacts can be imported at a time.

    Google Contacts help centre

  • Several labels in one cell are separated by “:::”.

    Google Contacts help centre

Before and after

4,200 contacts

google_contacts.csv
First NameBirthdayLast NamePhone 1 - Value
Ines31/03/19881Ruiz+34600123456
Marc15/07/19922Bloch+46701234567
Julia22/11/19853Novak+420601234567
Tomas09/05/1990Silva+351912345678
Eva28/02/1979Berg+491512345678
Leo14/09/1995Martin+33612345678
Nora30/01/1983Dahl+4791234567

    Before

    Fix it in DocTransform

    By hand: 6 stepsDocTransform: 1 sentence

    1. 1. Upload google_contacts.csv into DocTransform.
    2. 2. Type

      Write Birthday as YYYY-MM-DD

      and press Send. Check the steps it adds; Undo takes them all back.
      Or by hand

      Apply the fixes: open the Birthday column’s ⋯ menu → Format dates… → input DD/MM/YYYY, output YYYY-MM-DD → Save Rule. For a phone number with no country code, open Health → Phone formats → Convert 3. Split a file over 3,000 contacts and separate several labels with ::: yourself: DocTransform saves no step for them.

    3. 3. Download the cleaned file as CSV with Download, ready for Google Contacts’ importer.
    “Write Birthday as YYYY-MM-DD” typed into DocTransform; one step applied, seven Birthday dates rewritten; Undo shown
    1. Type the change in one sentence, in your own words.
    2. Wait about 5 seconds while the steps are written. Stop cancels.
    3. Check each step and how many cells or rows it changes.
    4. The file is clean. Not what you meant? One Undo takes it all back.

    Save this fix once, then rerun it on your next export with one click.

    Fix it by hand in Excel or Sheets

    1. Select the Birthday column, press Ctrl+1, choose Custom, type yyyy-mm-dd and click OK, so Excel shows the dates the way Google Contacts reads them.
    2. If Excel left a date as text, such as 31/03/1988, retype it as 1988-03-31.
    3. Check each phone number starts with + and its country code; to add one, right-click the column D header, choose Format Cells → Text and click OK so Excel keeps the +, then retype the number, e.g. 600 123 456 as +34600123456 for Spain.
    4. Count the rows: if there are more than 3,000 contacts, split the file into smaller files by hand before importing.
    5. If a cell holds several labels, separate them with ::: , for example Work Friends ::: Family.
    6. Choose File → Save As, pick CSV UTF-8 (Comma delimited) (*.csv) and click Save.

    Questions

    Will DocTransform split my file if it has more than 3,000 contacts?
    No — DocTransform doesn’t split files. If your export has more than 3,000 contacts, split it by hand before importing.
    Will DocTransform guess a country code that is missing from a phone number?
    Only from your language’s region: a number that names no country is read in that region, and a number DocTransform cannot read stays as written. Check those cells before you import.
    Can I reuse this fix next time I export my contacts?
    Yes — save it once in DocTransform and rerun it on your next export.

    Free tools for this file

    Try this sentence free

    Free plan, no card required.

    Salesforce, HubSpot, Shopify, QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Pipedrive, WooCommerce, Klaviyo, Google Contacts, ActiveCampaign, Brevo, Zendesk, Square, Zoho CRM, and Xero are trademarks of their owners. DocTransform is not affiliated with them.