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2012 Nexus 7 Discussion Forums (1st Generation) => Nexus 7 User Tips => Topic started by: S.Prime on September 09, 2012, 08:39:56 AM
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Contacts can be moved from other devices to your Nexus 7 if those devices support exporting to a vcf file. You can export your "Phone Contacts" or "Outlook Contacts" and then import them into your Nexus 7, but if you do not import them into your Gmail contacts they will not stay synced. The Gmail contacts are stored in the Google cloud, so regardless of the device using the contacts the changes are available on all devices. It does require that you trust Google with your information that is stored in your contacts, but that is up to the individual. Personally I use a paid Exchange service because of the additional security. You can use the manual export/import method, but it becomes a nightmare trying to keep multiple devices synced. Follow these steps to export/import your contacts with an Android device.
Step 1
Open contacts/people on your Android Phone or device tap menu and select export your contacts will be exported to a vcf file and saved to your sdcard storage area.
Step 2
Use a file manager like Astro and save the vcf file to Google Drive or Dropbox
Step 3
Access Google Drive or Dropbox from your Nexus 7 and download the vcf file to the root of your sdcard storage area
Setp 4
Open contacts/people on your Nexus 7 tap menu and choose import and select the account into which you want the contacts to be imported.
Remember continuous synchronization will only happen if you choose a cloud based account like Google and all new contacts are created in that account.
Import and export success varies from device to device using a vcf file, but if all goes well you should have all of your existing contacts transfered to your Nexus 7.
Note that IOS and Outlook can export to vcf files as well.
Edit: Post your results or any additional suggestions and I will update the guide accordingly.
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Thank you prime for creating this guide. I was however was able to figure out how to transfer my contacts last night before you created this guide. I used a method very similar to this. It may be different for me because I am on a Mac but I'm not sure.
Here is the method I used: (almost identical)
1. Open contacts on your phone, open the menu, find import/export to SD option.
2. Export contacts to SD. (My problem was that my contacts were set as phone contacts instead of Google contacts so when you export it will prompt you with a question asking if you want to export Google contacts or phone contacts. You need to select phone).
3. Once transfer is complete power down your phone and remove the SD card and insert it into a card reader.
4. Open the SD card file and scroll down until you see a file with a contact icon (not sure exactly what it says but make sure I does not say google).
5. Transfer that file onto your desktop.
6. Open Google contacts on your computers browser and find import/export.
7. Import your phone contacts to Google and then sync your nexus 7 with Google contacts.
(This process will also work if you are just trying to change your phone contacts to Google contacts.)
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Thanks for the feedback on Mac and glad to hear that it worked.
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Hi,
I used a slightly differenty method. I used my PC to act as external storage. Using a USB cable to connect, in turn, to my phone and then to the Nexus 7. That worked very well.
Thanks for the guide.
OS2GUY
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My contacts are synced with Google...
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My contacts are synced with Google as well .
Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 2
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Using Google contacts is an option, but I refer anyone using Google contacts to the OP and my Google trust statement, in that using Google contacts is a personal choice and suggests that you maintain faith in Google, not to use data mining. I do suggest that you look at the confidentiality of your contacts, before making the Google leap.
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Very good point Prime.
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