How to Transfer VCF VCard Contacts to iPhone or iPad Easily

James Davis

Jul 12, 2024 • Filed to: Manage Device Data • Proven solutions

When switching from an Android or old iPhone model to the latest one, the first question that comes to the minds of many is how to transfer contacts. The best way is to save the contacts in VCF form so you can transfer them when required, irrespective of the device type. However, many new iOS users find it hard to transfer VCF to iPhone. It might sound surprising, but you can transfer all contacts in seconds.

how to transfer vcf vcard contacts to iphone or ipad easily

In this end-to-end guide, you’ll learn to perform transfers in numerous ways, alongside other valuable tips. Let’s get it started and learn more about this.

Part 1. Transfer VCF contacts to iPhone with Dr. Fone
Part 2. How to Import VCF (vCard) contacts to iPhone via iCloud
Part 3. How to Transfer VCF to iPhone via Email
Part 4. How to Transfer VCF file to iPhone via Outlook
Part 5. How To Open VCF on iPhone or iPad
Part 6. Import selected contacts from the VCF file to the iPhone

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Part 1. Transfer VCF contacts to iPhone with Dr. Fone

One of the best ways to transfer VCF contacts to an iPhone is to use Dr. Fone - Phone Transfer. It’s just another tool in the vast Dr. Fone toolkit that provides a stress-free way to source your VCF contacts as well as directly from another iPhone and even an Android device. Besides being a powerful contact exporter, it can move other data types like messages, music, photos, videos, etc, making it a one-click solution for all your data transfers. Wait, there's more.

Dr. Fone - Phone Transfer works on most platforms (Android, iOS, Windows & Mac) and is compatible with most iOS devices with iOS 7, 8, 9,10, and the latest iOS version. It means you can transfer data between any device, for example, iOS to Android, and vice versa. That’s pretty convenient, especially if you switch from one platform to another or wish to send data to your friends or colleagues. Now follow these steps to successfully import VCF to iPhone using Dr. Fone on the Windows version:

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Step 1: Launch the App

Download and install the app on your Windows computer from Dr.Fone’s official website, then launch it. From the set of utilities on the app’s homepage, hit the “Phone Manager” option.

launch dr fone app

Step 2: Connect the Device

Connect your iPhone to the computer using a USB cable and wait for the app to detect and configure it.

Step 3: Show Contacts

Proceed to click on the “Information tab” on the navigation bar at the top of Dr. Fone's interface, followed by “Contacts” on the left pane under the information tab. This will display all the contacts on your iPhone.

show contacts on dr fone

Step 4: Transfer Contacts

Click the “Import” button and select the contact file type you wish to import, i.e., VCF/vCard file. Now, go to the location where the file is saved and click on the “OK” button. It will transfer all VCF contacts to your iPhone.

Part 2. How to Import VCF (vCard) contacts to iPhone via iCloud

Aside from Dr. Fone, iCloud is a great way for iOS users to import VCF contacts to their iPhones. The basic premise is that users upload the VCF/vCard contacts to iCloud storage and use the same iCloud account on their iPhone to sync the contacts. Not clear yet? Follow the detailed steps to complete the transfer VCF to iPhone using iCloud:

Step 1: Open the browser on your Windows or Mac computer and access iCloud.com.

show contacts on dr fone

Step 2: Sign in to iCloud using the Apple ID that you use on your iPhone and click on Contacts.

Step 3: Follow it up by tapping the Settings tab and selecting “Import Contact.” Follow it up by selecting the VCF contact file and uploading it to the cloud.

import vcard

Step 4: Now, proceed to access the Settings on your iPhone, followed by Your Name>iCloud, and turn on the Contacts.

turn on the contacts

Step 5: As the sync is complete, navigate to the Contacts app and verify if the contacts are successfully imported from the vCard file.

And it’s done! Now, you can edit contact information, add new contacts, and even delete repeats on the cloud. All changes will also reflect on your iPhone contacts.

Please note that before using any cloud-based service, make sure there’s enough storage available alongside a stable internet connection.

Part 3. How to Transfer VCF to iPhone via Email

Another simple yet effective way to transfer a VCF file to an iPhone is through email. All you need to do is attach the required VCF file to an email and send it to your iPhone. Then access the file and import the contacts to your iPhone within the mail app itself. Here’s how to do it:

Step 1: Open the “Email” app on your Windows, Mac, or other platform where you saved the VCF vCard file. Then, create an email, add the file as an attachment, and send it to your iPhone.

send vcf file via email

Step 2: Access the received mail, click on the VCF file, select “save attachment,” and download it.

download the vcf file

Step 3: Tap “Create New Contacts” to import contacts from VCF to iPhone.

import the contacts

Part 4. How to Transfer VCF file to iPhone via Outlook

Microsoft Outlook can also be a medium to transfer VCF contact files to your iPhone, and it’s no rocket science. Just follow the steps as follows:

Step 1: On your browser, type in “Outlook.com” and hit enter. If you already have an account, enter the credentials or create a new one.

open outlook.com

Step 2: Then, create a new Outlook mail, attach your VCF files to it, and send it to the logged-in Outlook account on your iPhone.

send vcf files

Step 3: Open the received email, download the VCF file, and save the contacts on your iPhone. That’s it.

Part 5. How To Open VCF on iPhone or iPad

Now that you’ve finished exporting the VCF contact file to an iPhone or iPad, you might want to open it to verify if there’s any missing or repeat contact. Here’s how you can do it:

Using Email

Step 1: You can use any email service (Gmail or Outlook) to open the VCF file. If your iPhone doesn’t have it, download and install it from the App Store.

Step 2: Launch the app, navigate to the inbox where the VCF file is located, and tap on the email to open it.

Step 3: Then, download the attachment to your preferred location and tap on it to view its contents.

Note: You don’t need any third-party app to open the file, as your iPhone recognizes it as a contact card.

Step 4: Now, it’s time to save them to your iPhone’s address book. Find the “Create new contact” or “Add to contacts” option at the bottom of the VCF file and tap on it to save the available contacts.

Step 5: Browse through the contacts list to check for any repeats and missing ones to make necessary modifications. Once satisfied, tap “Save” or “Done” to save the contacts on your iPhone.

Using iCloud

Aside from email, one can also use iCloud to view the vCard contents on your iPhone or iPad. For that, follow the steps:

Step 1: If the VCF file isn’t already saved on your iCloud, follow the steps mentioned earlier. If yes, use the “Files” app on your iPhone or iPad to access the files saved on iCloud or other locations.

Step 2: In the “Files” app, locate the vCard file on your iCloud and tap to open it. As with the email, iCloud also recognizes it as a contact card, so you don’t need any third-party app.

Step 3: Once opened, you can view the contents of the file. Once done, save them to your device’s address book by tapping on the “Create New Contact” or “Add to Contacts” option.

Part 6. Import selected contacts from the VCF file to the iPhone

There might be a situation when you wish to selectively import contact VCF to iPhone, as there might exist some repeated or superfluous contacts that might take up the available space. With the below-mentioned steps, you can edit the VCF file as per your requirements and keep your memory as clutter-free as possible.

Step 1: Start by saving the imported VCF file on your iPhone’s storage. Access the location where you sent the file (iCloud or email), open the file, and save it to your device.

Step 2: Find and open the Contacts app, and at the top-right corner, tap on the “+” icon to “Create a New Contact.” From the list of available options, tap on “Import vCard,” from where you’ll select the VCF file that contains your required contacts.

Step 3: As you find the VCF file, open it and access the contacts contained in it. Tap to select the contacts you want to import or “Select All” to select all the available ones. Then, tap “Import” or “Done” (depending on your iOS version) to import your selected contacts to your iPhone’s address book.

That’s it! You have successfully imported your selected contacts from the VCF file to your iPhone.

Conclusion

Now, with the detailed step-by-step guide, you know how easy it is to transfer your VCF contacts to your iPhone. So, follow them to easily meet your requirements. You can use Dr. Fone — Phone Transfer to ensure straightforward contact transfer from VCF to iPhone. Just connect the device to which you want to export the contacts, select the file, and hit OK. It’s that simple. Go ahead and transfer VCF contacts to your iPhone using Dr. Fone today!

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