How to Fix "Unable to Export Contacts from Outlook" Issue?

Outlook contacts are important for any organization or individual to keep up with other users. Sometimes Outlook users need to export Outlook contacts. Exporting contacts from Outlook is a common task that many users undertake for various reasons, such as data backup, migration, or sharing but sometimes users are not able to export contacts. Like other applications, Outlook users also face many errors like cannot export Outlook PST file, unable to open Outlook file, etc. One of them is “Unable to Export Contacts from Outlook” issue which can be frustrating. If you are also facing the same issue then do not panic. In this write-up, we will discuss the possible causes behind this error and provide some possible ways to solve this issue. Here, you will get some manual tricks but if they do not work then use an automated solution.

Why Does “Unable to Export Contacts from Outlook” Error Occur?

There are some potential causes of this error like corruption of Outlook data files, use Outdated version of Outlook, insufficient permission, etc. which are given below-

Corrupted Outlook Data Files: Corrupted PST or OST files can prevent the smooth export of contacts.

Incompatible File Formats: Attempting to export contacts to an incompatible file format can lead to errors.

Permissions and Settings: Insufficient permissions or incorrect settings within Outlook can also trigger export errors.

Outdated Software: Using an outdated version of Outlook may result in compatibility issues during export.

How to Fix “Unable to Export Contacts from Outlook” Issue Manually?

There are some possible manual ways to fix this issue.

Restart Outlook Application: Sometimes these types of issue can be solve by restarting the application. So, restart your Outlook and check this error is solved or not.

Update Outlook Version: Outdated version may of cause of not exporting Outlook contacts issue. Check your Outlook application is up to date or not.

Minimize Contact Folder Size: Exporting large number of contacts may be reason for unable to export Outlook contacts. So, if you have large number of contacts then divide contact folder in smaller group to easily export them.

Check Contact Folder Permission and Settings: If you have not necessary permission to export Outlook contacts then contact the administrator to verify and set the permission. Review export settings within Outlook and adjust them if necessary.

Verify File Format Compatibility: Ensures you are exporting Outlook contacts in compatible format such as CSV(Comma Separated Value) or vCard(VCF).

Disable Antivirus: Sometimes security software prevent to perform certain actions. So, temporarily uninstall antivirus and check after doing it you are able to export Outlook contacts or not.

Repair Corrupted Data Files: If there are some corrupted data files then they may be cause of unable to export contacts from Outlook. Launch Microsoft Inbox Repair Tool (Scanpst.exe) to repair corrupted PST files.

Create New Outlook Profile: Sometimes profile itself may be corrupted, as a result it unable to export Outlook contacts. So, create a New profile and export contacts from it.

Expert Way to Export Contacts from Outlook

If after applying all manual tricks you are unable to export contacts from Outlook then use Xtraxtor Outlook Converter tool on your Windows PC. The software allows you to save Outlook contacts without any hassle. With this utility, you can export Outlook emails, contacts, calendar, tasks, journal etc. in your desired file formats. Additinally, this tool also help when Outlook import export option greyed out.

Apart from this, the tool can also import Outlook contacts to Gmail, Office 365, Thunderbird, Yahoo Mail, and other email accounts. Download its free version and save Outlook contacts in a simple manner.

How to Export Outlook Contacts?

Run Xtraxtor Outlook Converter on your Windows PC.
Now, Navigate to Open >> Desktop Email Clients >> Outlook Data Files >> Open Configured Outlook Account.
After that, Go to Export and select CSV/vCard any format from the given options.
Choose Outlook Contact folders that you want to save from Outlook.
Apply the filters to export selected contacts.
Browse the location to save resultant file and then hit on Save button.

Hence, you can easily export Outlook contacts to vCard, CSV, and more formats in a few simple clicks.

Read More: How to Export Outlook Contacts to iPhone?

Final Verdict

In this post, we have discussed how to fix “Unable to export contacts from Outlook” error using some possible way. Apply the above-suggested manual tips to fix this issue but if they do not work then you can use the above-recommended tool to save Outlook contacts in a hassle free way. With its free version you can check how it work so easily.