Gmail contacts to iCloud

**douglaswilson** · 12-10-2012, 05:44 PM

I can't decide if I want to switch to my new iCloud email address or stay with gmail. Is there a quick and easy way to get all my contacts into iCloud but leave them in gmail in case I want to go back. Thanks.

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**JustMe'D** · 12-10-2012, 05:51 PM

"One" way is to login via a computer to gmail, export your contacts to your desktop and then logout of gmail. Now, login to iCloud via your computer and import your contacts. Your contacts will automatically sync to your iPhone.

**douglaswilson** · 12-15-2012, 03:50 PM

Thanks. Before I do this should intern off syncing from gmail? As of now both gmail and iCloud syncing is on.

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**JustMe'D** · 12-15-2012, 04:06 PM

Originally Posted by douglaswilson

Thanks. Before I do this should intern off syncing from gmail? As of now both gmail and iCloud syncing is on.

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It shouldn't really matter. The object is to get a copy of your gmail contacts over to iCloud so as long as you're going to do the export/import thing, it won't matter. The most that will happen is that you have double entries until you unsync your gmail contacts.

**impaler** · 12-18-2012, 01:23 PM

As a poster has already stated, this is possible - but there may be mismatches for data fields and things like that. It may take some cleaning up but will be worth it!

And by the way, make sure you do a backup of your iCloud contacts and store them in Dropbox, or somewhere on a computer...you never know when the cloud will misbehave, and you'll be able to restore this way. Take it from me, it can happen.

**douglaswilson** · 12-18-2012, 08:54 PM

I have another question about this- I have everything from gmail over in iCloud now. I did have double entries even after un-syncing from gmail. I have linked all the contacts to each other to get rid of the multiple entries- my phone and iPad show 613 contacts which is probably true but iCloud on my computer shows over 900 with no way to link the multiple contacts. Any reason for this? Thanks.

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**JustMe'D** · 12-18-2012, 10:18 PM

Originally Posted by douglaswilson

I have another question about this- I have everything from gmail over in iCloud now. I did have double entries even after un-syncing from gmail. I have linked all the contacts to each other to get rid of the multiple entries- my phone and iPad show 613 contacts which is probably true but iCloud on my computer shows over 900 with no way to link the multiple contacts. Any reason for this? Thanks.

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Logout of your computer's iCloud setup and then login to via your computer's web browser and verify the listed contacts. If they are all there and intact, log back in via your computer's iCloud setup. That *should* get your computer in sync and display the correct amount of contacts.

**dfb8085** · 01-02-2013, 08:20 PM

I sure had some cleaning up to do when I exported my gmail contacts but it was worth it. What the problem was is that gmail (icloud to as far as that matters) doesn't make it clear when entering a contact the first name, last name, street name field, city field,state field and different numbers fields . When yo use gmail you have to edit the contact and click at the end of the field on like 3 little dots and then the whole template will open so you can see the different fields. If you don't the first and last names run together and same sort of thing happens with address and such so be aware of that. I spent several nights off and on fixing my gmail contacts which I'm glad i did cause they are still there and right should I ever need them. After that when I imported them into the icloud account it went flawlessly for the most part.