How to Add Contacts in Gmail?

Do you need to manage your Gmail contacts? This guide will help you with 4 easy ways to add new contacts in Gmail.

Adding contacts can make your email easier to use. It stores email addresses for you. You do not need to type them again.

You can also save important details like birthdays and phone numbers. This helps you keep information about family, friends, and coworkers organized in Gmail.

When you add contacts, their emails go into your safe list. This stops their messages from going to your spam folder.

With Google’s contact system, you can see your Gmail contacts on any device.

Using the Gmail address book can help you manage tasks better. It can also keep your inbox clean.

How do you add a new contact in Gmail? You can use 4 methods:

  1. From an email you got.
  2. From your Google contacts.
  3. From a CSV or vCard file.
  4. From another Gmail account.

Additionally, you can learn here with this complete guide how to automate your Gmail account to get the full potential out of it.

1. Adding Contacts to Gmail from a Received Email

This method is easy to use for adding new contacts in Gmail. You can use a computer or a mobile device. Just follow these three simple steps:

Step 1: Log in to your Gmail account.

Step 2: Open an email from the person you want to add. If you want to find an old email, use the search bar. For example, type “from

@gmail.com” to look for emails from that address. You can also search by date. There is a guide on using Gmail’s search filters if you need help.

Step 3: When the email is open, click the sender’s profile picture at the top. Then, choose “Add to contacts.” Your contact will now be added to your Gmail address book. You did a good job!

Want to log in to Gmail with a different user? Check out our guide here.

2. How to Add Contacts in Gmail via Google Contacts

You can add contacts to Gmail using the Google Contacts app. Follow these simple steps:

Add Contacts On Desktop

Step 1: Go to Google Contacts on your desktop.

Step 2: Click on “Create Contact” at the top-left area.

Step 3: Choose “Create a contact” or select “Create multiple contacts” if you want to add several at once.

Step 4: Write the contact details and click “Save.”

Your new contact will show up in both Gmail and Google Contacts on the Gmail desktop. You did great!

Add Contacts On Android

You can also add contacts to Gmail using your Android phone or tablet. Here is the process.

Step 1: Open the Contacts app on your device and tap the “+” icon to create a new contact. This app is on most Android devices.

Step 2: Type the contact’s name, email address, phone number, and other information.

Step 3: To save it to the right Gmail account, tap the downward arrow next to your email and choose the right account.

Step 4: After you enter all the details, tap “Save.” This new contact will sync with your Gmail account.

But, adding contacts manually can take a long time if you need to add many at once. In these cases, it is better to import contacts into Gmail. There are two ways to import.

3. How to bring contacts into Gmail using a file

You can easily add many contacts to Gmail by importing a CSV or vCard file. This is the fastest way to upload many contacts together.

Step 1: Go to Google Contacts.

Step 2: In the menu on the left, select “Import.”

Step 3: Click “Choose file” and find your CSV or vCard file on your device.

If you do not have a CSV, you can create one. You can download a template and fill it with your contact details.

Step 4: After you select the file, click “Import.” Google will upload your contacts into Gmail.

That is it! You learn how to upload many contacts into Gmail easily.

Remember that Google allows only up to 3,000 contacts for each import.

If you need to upload more, you can split the contacts into some CSV files. Additionally, you can create a Gmail business account to take advantage of most of the premium contact management features. 

4. How to move contacts from one Gmail account to another

If you want to move contacts from an old Gmail account to a new one, you can do it in a few easy steps. Here is how:

Step 1: Start by exporting the contacts from your old Gmail account. Go to Google Contacts to begin.

Step 2: Click “Export” at the top right corner.

Step 3: Select the contacts you want to export. Under “Export as,” choose “Google CSV,” then click “Export.”

Step 4: Sign out of your current account by clicking your profile photo. Then, go to Google Contacts again and log in with the new Gmail account.

Step 5: Click “Import” and upload the CSV file you just downloaded to bring those contacts into the new account.

Now you go! You successfully transfer your contacts from another Gmail account and can make any changes that you need. If you are a Gmail user, check out these advanced free Gmail settings every user must know.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have not found the answer to your question here, do not hesitate to contact Gmail customer service.

Where can I find the Add Contacts option in Gmail?

Gmail does not have a special “Add contacts” button. Instead, you can open the “Google Apps” menu from your Gmail account. Then, go to Google Contacts. At the top left corner, you will see a “Create contact” button.

What should I do if I cannot save a contact in Google Contacts?

If I have problems saving a contact, these are some reasons why:

If I see the message “Gmail is temporarily unable to access your contacts,” I should wait a few moments and try again.

If I see the error “Can’t update contact,” I might reach the storage limit. Google Contacts allows up to 25,000 contacts or 20 MB of data, not counting photos. There are also limits for each contact:

  • There can be a maximum of 500 fields for a contact.
  • The profile page size limit is 128 KB.
  • Each field can contain up to 1,024 characters, excluding “Notes.”

Make sure to just follow these limits to avoid problems.

How can I update my contacts in Gmail?

To change contact details, I open an email from the person I want to update. I hover over their profile picture and select “Edit contact.” A panel opens on the right, and I can change or add details like these:

  • First name
  • Middle name
  • Last name
  • Company
  • Job title
  • Department
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Date of birth
  • Postal address
  • Website

I can also add labels for easier communication in groups and make custom fields for extra information, like preferences. I click “Save” to apply changes and sync them across all my devices.