How to Import Addresses in Roundcube

If you have contacts stored on another device or email client, you can import them into Roundcube Webmail to have all your addresses in one place. Roundcube supports vCard (.vcf) as its primary import format, which is the standard format exported by virtually all email clients, phones, and address books. CSV import may also be available but depends on your hosting provider.

1. Prepare Your Contact File

Before importing, make sure your contacts are in a compatible format:

• vCard (.vcf) — the most reliable format. Exported by Gmail, Outlook, Apple Contacts, Android, iPhone, and most email clients.
• CSV (.csv) — a spreadsheet format. This requires the Roundcube CSV import plugin which may not be installed on all servers. Check with your hosting provider if unsure.

Tip: If you only have a CSV file and vCard is preferred, convert it first using a free online converter or export from your email client as vCard instead.

2. Import Contacts into Roundcube

1. Log in to Roundcube Webmail.
2. Click the Address Book icon in the bottom-left or top toolbar (usually a person/card icon).
3. Click the Import button. If you do not see it, click More (or a gear icon) first, then Import.
4. Click Browse (or Choose File) and select your .vcf or .csv file.
5. Select the target address book from the dropdown. Personal Addresses is the default and recommended choice.
6. Click Import.
7. Roundcube will process the file and display a summary showing how many contacts were imported, skipped, or had errors.

3. Export Contacts from Common Sources

• Gmail: Go to Google Contacts → Export → select vCard format (.vcf).
• Outlook: File → Open & Export → Import/Export → Export to a file → vCard.
• iPhone: Settings → Contacts → Export vCard, or share individual contacts as vCard.
• Android: Open Contacts → tap menu → Import/Export → Export to storage (.vcf).

Important Notes

• vCard is the most reliable format and works on virtually all Roundcube installations. Use it whenever possible.
• CSV import may silently fail if the plugin is not installed — the Import button may not accept .csv files at all.
• Large contact files (500+ contacts) may take time to process. Do not close the browser while importing.
• Imported contacts are not synced back to your phone or email client. They exist only in Roundcube.
• If you import a file with duplicate entries, Roundcube will create duplicates. Check and clean up after importing.

Troubleshooting

• "File upload failed" or nothing happens when you click Import: Your contact file may exceed the upload size limit (default 2 MB). Try splitting your vCard into smaller files, or contact support to increase the limit.
• "Invalid file format" error: The file may be corrupted or in an unsupported format. Try re-exporting from the source application, or convert to .vcf.
• Import button is missing: Your Roundcube installation may be outdated or missing plugins. Contact support to check if the import plugin is enabled.
• "0 contacts imported" but no error: The vCard file may be empty or use an unsupported vCard version (vCard 3.0 and 4.0 are supported; very old 2.1 files may have issues). Try opening the file in a text editor to verify it contains BEGIN:VCARD entries.
• CSV file not accepted: As noted above, CSV import requires a plugin. Convert your CSV to vCard using an online converter and try again.

Need help importing your contacts? Contact our support team.