How to: Turn 'phone' contacts into 'Google' contacts so they can be synchronized with Google mail.

[HappyHipster]

Hello everyone,

I own a HTC hero (Orange). With talks of android updates becoming available, there seems to be a mad rush to back up everything so that nothing is lost on the update. There are many ways of doing this, but one of the most common problems, is that people have their contacts saved as 'Phone' contacts and not 'google' contacts. This means that they will not sync with Google mail. There was no contact export available to me (I think because my firmware was still 1.5).

This seems to be a solution that will solve the problem without having to write out every single contact number in Google mail.

1. Enter android market.
2. Search 'Contactsync'
3. Download/Install this application.
4. Run the application
5. All contacts will be turned from 'Phone' contacts to 'Google' Contacts
6. These contacts will then be synchronized with your Google mail

This means that if your contacts are lost on your phone at any point (eg. an update), they can easily be 'Exported' back to your phone through Google mail.

This saved me a lot of time.

HH

 

[A.Nonymous]

You can actually do it much simpler than that. Just export all your contacts to an SD card, delete them all, then import them from the SD card as GMail contacts.

 

[HappyHipster]

Unfortunatly this option is not always available for some people. I was using my HTC hero on 1.5 and it didn't have an 'Export' option. This is for people who have the same problem.

HH

 

[J4M13]

This didn't work for me (HTC DESIRE)

 

[Arithmomaniac]

Do you ahve a direct link to this app? I couldn't find it...

 

[mrqs]

ContactSync | AndroidApplications.com

my market doesn't seem to have it either (donut, finland) - why not?

 

[JSS12]

You can actually do it much simpler than that. Just export all your contacts to an SD card, delete them all, then import them from the SD card as GMail contacts.

I would like to do this...

When I go to the People application, I click menu > Import/Export > Export to SD card > __???????___

Do I select PHONE or GOOGLE as the account to export??

Half of my contacts are Google contacts but half are Phone contacts?
Does one of these options encompass the other?


After this... is there a way to DELETE all of the contacts without having to click the X next to each contact's name??

Are there any potential issues I may run into upon re-importing all of my contacts?


THANKS!!

 

[T.M.M.L]

I have the Samsung Fascinate, all I have to do is...

1. Click on the contacts tab
2. Press the menu key
3. Select the option to delete all contacts.

 

[takeshi]

Do I select PHONE or GOOGLE as the account to export??

You're exporting phone contacts so you can import them into your Google account to make them Google contacts so they'll sync with your Google account.

Half of my contacts are Google contacts but half are Phone contacts?
Does one of these options encompass the other?

No, otherwise there would be no point to this exercise. See the OP again. Phone contacts do not sync. Google contacts do.

 

[lgonzal3]

Thanks for this, it worked for me!

 

[Lord Vader]

I would like to do this...

When I go to the People application, I click menu > Import/Export > Export to SD card > __???????___

Do I select PHONE or GOOGLE as the account to export??

Half of my contacts are Google contacts but half are Phone contacts?
Does one of these options encompass the other?


After this... is there a way to DELETE all of the contacts without having to click the X next to each contact's name??

Are there any potential issues I may run into upon re-importing all of my contacts?


THANKS!!

Good question.

I'm trying to help my sister out. She has 200+ contacts listed in People. All are listed as "phone" contacts. In order to change these to Google contacts, I understand she should export then import. However, which method should she choose?

Should she export to "Google" then IMPORT to that, or should she export to phone then import to Google, or what? In other words, I'm just trying to make sure she does it correctly from the get go. So, in sum, to which format should she export her list of "phone" contacts, then which method should she select when IMporting them from the card?

 

[Rxpert83]

Good question.

I'm trying to help my sister out. She has 200+ contacts listed in People. All are listed as "phone" contacts. In order to change these to Google contacts, I understand she should export then import. However, which method should she choose?

Should she export to "Google" then IMPORT to that, or should she export to phone then import to Google, or what? In other words, I'm just trying to make sure she does it correctly from the get go. So, in sum, to which format should she export her list of "phone" contacts, then which method should she select when IMporting them from the card?

I would export the contacts to the SD card. If they are on the phone export the phone contacts and then import them to Google Contacts.

 

[Lord Vader]

Yes, that I know, sir, but here's what I want to be sure about: when she EXports them, which format should she choose--Google? (Remember, they're currently in "phone" format.) Then, when she IMports them, should she choose "Google" again? Or should she export them in "phone," their current format, then import them in Google?

Hope I didn't confuse you.

 

[chanchan05]

I think on HTC exporting to Google already means its on Google already and no need for importing again. You could try to export to Google and then let it sync for a couple of hours then check Gmail on your PC to see if it was syncing. If it was, no need for another import. On other phones it doesn't ask you to export to Google.

 

[Lord Vader]

That still doesn't answer my main question--does she, having an EVO where all her contacts are presently as "phone," export them as "phone" or as "Google"? Then when she imports them, does she import them as "Google"? Because to import them as "phone" doesn't accomplish what she ultimately wishes to accomplish--changing her 200+ "phone" contacts to 200+ "Google" contacts.

 

[maluminse]

Good advice. I lost a few contacts b/c I was saving to phone. Now phone contacts are 0.

 

[Lord Vader]

Still hoping to get a clear answer.

 

[Kicksilver]

Go into your contacts, dig the menus and try to export to SD card... This will create a .vfc file with all of them.

Then just upload it to Google Contacts, and you're set.

 

[Lord Vader]

Again--I am asking WHICH FORMAT SHOULD SHE CHOOSE TO EXPORT THE CONTACTS THEN IMPORT???

Why does everyone keep answering with the, "Export to the card then import them." I know that already! I'm wanting to know WHICH format she should choose to EXport then import.

 

[Kicksilver]

You don't choose the format.

The default is .vfc

 

[Lord Vader]

Huh? Of course you choose the format. When one goes into People then selects export, a box pops up and asks you if you want to export in "Google" or "phone."

Right now all of her contacts are listed as "phone." I'm wanting to know when she exports them, which should she choose--"Google" or "phone."

The whole objective is for her to export her current "phone" contacts then import them and have them be classified as "Google" and not "phone" anymore.

 

[Kicksilver]

I'm not following you.

In my Galaxy S I can choose to export the contacts to the SD card.

When I do it, it generates a .vfc file, which is supported by Google Contacts.

I don't know what you're talking about.

 

[Lord Vader]

Perhaps Galaxy S does things completely differently. I know most phones have an app called "People." When one clicks on it, one's entire contact list comes up. From there, then, one can export, which is when the option to select "Google" or "phone" appears.

 

[Kicksilver]

I think you're doing it wrong...

Let's see...

Where are your contacts? SIM? Phone?

 

[Lord Vader]

There is no SIM card on an EVO. There's a microSD card, though. The contacts are stored in the phone, though, I believe, because normally they sync with Google. Her contacts are all listed as "phone," though.