How to open a VCF file on a computer? Which program to open a vcf file on a computer (contact extension)

A VCF file can be opened by special programs. To open this format, download one of the proposed programs.

.VCF file extension

To store business card contact information in electronic form, the VCF (vCard File) format is used. This is a standard data representation file containing information about the user. There may be contact phone numbers, email addresses, user logins and even passwords. Additional sections of a VCF file may contain data other than text format, for example, jpg icons (images), as well as media files. The main purpose of the VCF format is the transfer of various contact information, in particular the procedure for importing/exporting the address book of a user.

How to open and create a VCF file

If you couldn't open the VCF file on your operating system, this means that you need to install additional applications that work with VCF files. It is possible that the necessary program is already installed, but it must be forcibly assigned to open the VCF format.

The most common programs that will open a VCF file (run on the Windows OS platform):

• Microsoft Outlook (Express);

To open VCF file contacts on a Mac operating system, use the Apple Contacts application.

Users of various gadgets and iPhones can download directly to the mobile device application Contacts.

Outlook Express Backup- the most “advanced” plugin for creating and editing VCF. This program supports work only on the Windows platform. You can also send the VCF file online, for example by email.

Convert VCF to CSV and SPB format

You need to understand that it is impossible to convert a VCF file to absolutely any format, and this, as a rule, is not necessary. The most popular conversions are to and . Samsung Kies is an application that is created specifically for converting VCF to CSV/SPB. As practice shows, data transmission is almost always of high quality and lossless.

Why VCF and what are its advantages?

The VCF format has gained popularity primarily due to its invariance with respect to various devices: almost any smartphone or operating system can easily read this format thanks to built-in applications. In addition, the VCF file does not take up much disk (physical) space.

A standard file format for storing contact information about a person or business. Typically includes name, address, telephone number, email address and other contact information. Also supports custom fields, images, and other media types.

VCF files are often used to import and export contacts from your address book. They can be embedded in emails that provide an easy way for the recipient to import the sender's contact information.

Windows Vista users can open vCards using the built-in Windows Contacts program. Mac OS X users can open vCards using the built-in Address Book application. iPod and iPhone users can load vCards directly into the device's Contacts app.

27.03.2017

Every year the Internet becomes more and more commercialized. And if yesterday on the Internet they mainly watched videos for adults, communicated and looked for interesting articles, today a very serious business is being done here. And for those who do this, the .VCF file format is becoming extremely familiar and common. Here we will try to figure out what it is, and most importantly, how to open files of this format.

What is the .VCF format

Officially, the format is called vCard; abroad it is more often called Versitcard. Business cards are created and saved in the .VCF format for later sharing on the web. In general, this format is much more convenient than analogues, such as ordinary text documents or images. This is because here you can save really effective, convenient and standardized business cards. One document in vCard format can contain the user’s full name, contact information and email, various media files (in a limited quantity), and all this weighs very little. For example, a business card with purely text data weighs less than a kilobyte, which makes it suitable for sending out even using weak mobile Internet.

The general disadvantage of this format is that it is still a separate format that is not in demand among the bulk of PC and other computer system users. Thus, simply sending out a business card for advertising or other purposes can become difficult, because not all recipients may have software for opening .vcf files. As practice shows, in many cases users would rather ignore this file than bother to decide how to open it. The only exceptions are situations when this is really necessary - for example, if the recipient definitely needs the data indicated on the business card.

How to open .VCF file

Let's say you somehow received a .VCF document, and now you need to open it. How to do this? There are many options, but here we will look at the 5 simplest and most popular.

Method 1: Microsoft Outlook

This option is the most common and simple. People who have not encountered this before may not even know that Microsoft Outlook is designed not only for viewing personal mail, but also for opening personal business cards.

Option 1: Simple

Typically, Microsoft Outlook is automatically used by the system to open vCard format files. So if you have Microsoft Outlook enabled and configured, you should simply open the business card like any other file.

Option 2: Detailed

If the first method causes any difficulties, then you will have to resort to a more detailed option.

For working with business cards.vcf, Microsoft Outlook is the most convenient application due to its automatic integration into the system and opening files by default. Also an extremely user-friendly interface and high functionality. The main problem is the inaccessibility of the application for ordinary users

Method 2: Palm Desktop

Palm Desktop is a functional organizer that allows you to perform many different tasks. Among them is the function we need to work with .VCF.

Option 1: Simple

You should minimize the program to window format and simply drag the desired file into the working window. Palm Desktop will simply ask you to choose which group to add the new contact to, and that's it.

Option 2: Detailed

If for some reason the previous method does not work, you should use a more complex, but accurate one.

Palm Desktop is an excellent option for people who use their computer very actively for work, as it is a functional organizer. Due to its compact size and accessibility, it is perfect even for opening a business card once and then removing it.

Method 3: Mozilla Thunderbird

Mozilla Thunderbird is a special program for working with mail from the Mozilla Foundation. Like its analogues, it also allows you to create your own address books and add .VCF files there.

Mozilla Thunderbird is an excellent and functional email manager. If the user uses his mail a lot, then this option may suit him. However, it is not suitable for one-time opening of business cards due to the lengthy process of importing vCard into the program.

Method 4: Handy Address Book

As the name suggests, Handy Address Book is designed for working with personal contacts. The application uses its own format for recordings, but is capable of importing several others, including .VCF.

Option 1: Fast

You just need to right-click on the desired file and open the file using this program. It will be on the list of priority applications for working with this type of file.

In addition, the system will offer a choice of programs for working with vCard files when you first try to open them, and you can also select this program there.

Option 2: Detailed

If the previous method is not suitable for some reason, then you should import the file manually.

The program is very convenient if you constantly work with business cards or email addresses. It is not suitable for one-time use due to the availability of simpler and more convenient analogues.

Method 5: Notepad

In the most extreme case, when there is no Internet, no opportunity, or simply no desire to install any program, you can use any text editor built into the system. For example, with a basic Notepad.

This method is really simple, but the business card will not display correctly. For example, this will not allow you to use attached media files. And the marking of categories is also unclear. But this will still allow you to get certain data from here - for example, website address, phone number, and so on.

Don't forget that there are other programs for working with .VCF files. Here we have talked only about some of the most commonly used ones. Everyone chooses the one that suits them specifically, and if you can find a more convenient and interesting option, you can report this in the comments so that other users can also see alternative methods.

Vcf stands for vCard File - it is a text file for storing various information about a contact. Essentially, it is an electronic business card that contains full name, telephone numbers, physical and postal addresses, fax numbers and many other data. The vcf file can be attached as an attachment to an email - once received, the recipient can add this information to their database.

Briefly about the VCF format

The vCard format was created by the Versit consortium in 1995, and in 1996 all rights to the format were transferred to the Internet Mail Consortium.

Using these files, it is very convenient to exchange electronic business cards, for which various devices with address books are used, where special applications must be installed.

How to open a VCF file

On Windows, the vcf file can be opened with:

• Windows Contacts;
• Microsoft Outlook Express;
• Fonlow IT Open Contacts;
• Palm Desktop;
• and etc.

This file format is also widely used in the corporate segment of programs related to mail and instant messaging - OpenFire, Mozilla Thunderbird, etc. All of these programs can often receive contact data from other sources (Active Directory, OpenLDAP, etc., and compare it with the fields of vcf files).

On Mac OS X, you can open vcf using the Address Book application. Also, the VCF format supports most modern mobile devices, regardless of their platform.

How to open VCF file on Android and iPhone

On the Android platform, you can open a vcf file using the free Contacts VCF program, which allows you to work with such files in the form of a convenient phone book. Thus, you can not only add and edit existing contacts, but also make calls, print contacts, forward them and save them using the export functions.

For example, in Google Android these files, which are located in the System/PIM folder on the SD card, look like PIM00001.vcf.

On the iPad and iPhone there is a Contacts application into which you can download vCards.

In addition, vcf files can be transferred from one mobile device to another, and their OS may be different. For example, you need to transfer vcf files from NOKIA to Samsung. To do this, you need to put all vcf files into a separate folder on the Samsung smartphone card. After this, you need to go to “Contacts” and in the options select “Import files from SD card”.

Please note that there may be an issue with displaying contacts' birthdates. In Nokia they are displayed as BDAY:YYYYMMDD, and in Samsung as BDAY:YYYY-MM-DD. What to do?

First you need to open the vcf file in any text editor and bring the dates of birth to the desired form, and then download it to the SD card.

So, in short, here is everything about how to open vcf files and use them on your devices.

When buying a new phone or flashing an old one, we are recommended to create a backup copy of contacts from the phone book, so as not to lose important information and not waste time entering numbers manually. After creating a copy and saving it on the computer, we need to open the .vcf file to view the contact's phone number. But how to do this and using what program? We will consider the answer to these questions below.

How to open a .vcf file?

The extension file.vcf is a subscriber’s business card that stores information about the contact (name, phone, email, personal website and links to pages on social networks). It can be opened using standard tools of any mobile operating system. But in Windows there are some nuances.

Windows Address Book

Standard method that does not require installation of additional software. Right-click on the .vcf file and select “Open with” – “Windows Contacts”.

Attention! The built-in Windows Contacts program does not recognize the Cyrillic alphabet! If the numbers from your address book were signed in Russian, Ukrainian or Belarusian, they will not be displayed correctly!

Microsoft Outlook

If you have Microsoft Office preinstalled on your machine, you can open “contacts.vcf” using MS Outlook. To do this, drag the .vcf file onto the program's working window and follow the instructions. After viewing the contact details of business cards, they will be saved in the address book of the email client.

Nokia Suite

An epoch-making application from Nokia, in which creating a backup copy of contacts and restoring them is a small part of the entire functionality. The application will allow you to view contact data and restore it on your mobile device (if it is manufactured by Nokia Corporation).

Notepad++

A multifunctional text editor that supports many encodings and guarantees the correct display of information. The application cannot export data to mobile devices, but allows you to edit a contact: add, delete and edit information.

Google's Gmail

To view contacts in .vcf format, you can use Google services.

1. Create an account or sign in to Gmail.
2. Click on the drop-down list and click the “Contacts” button.
   
   
3. In the “More” tab, click “Import” – “Import from a CSV or vCard file.”
   
   
4. Confirm the transition to the previous version of contacts.
   
   
5. In the window that appears, click “More” - “Import”.

We continue to examine files of various programs and with extensions that are incomprehensible at first glance for the average user. And today we have .vcf files (from vCard File developed by Internet Mail Consortium).

What are these files and what information can they contain inside?

Can they harm your personal computer?
Vcf files are files (contact cards) that in most cases contain information (last name, first name, middle name, identification number, email address, phone numbers, fax number, Internet page addresses) and can be used to attach to emails with subsequent downloading and adding it to the database of your contacts.

Or, more simply, a person’s electronic business card is created programmatically. In the overwhelming majority, they cannot cause any harm other than the loss of personal personal data of a specific person.

From the above it follows that to view them on your local computer, it is enough to have one of the common email programs installed (Outlook, Eudora OSE).

The Windows operating system itself has an installed program for viewing such contact cards; you can launch it by selecting Start menu - All Programs - Accessories - Address Book (Windows Contacts).

You can also use a large number of free online services like Open Contacts, or directly import/export contact data from email services like Gmail (Google).

Select "Import VCARD File (.vcf)" and click "Next". You can open .VCF files either with special programs from our list or with the standard Windows Address Book. There is an issue when importing Google Android phonebook backup files into Outlook.

The built-in vcf viewer in Windows7 incorrectly opens only 10 out of 200 and with crappy ones instead of Russian.2. Copy it to your computer, unzip the zip, copy the multi-vcf file into the “My Documents/vCards” folder.3.

VCF files can be attached to emails and used by the recipient to import data into their contact database. Also included in the list of programs that support the VCF format is the Mozilla Thunderbird client, although add-ons must be installed to work with vCards. VCF is an extension of vCard files, which are used to store contact information for a person or company.

Click "File" - "Open and Export". On your computer, locate the VCF file and click Open. The new contact will be added to Outlook (Users section). On your computer, locate the VCF file you want to import. Download the free utility “VCard to XLS”. This is an Excel macro that converts VCF files to XLS format. You can download the utility from sourceforge.net/projects/vcf-to-xls/.

How to open VCF (VCARD)?

These files are often used for import and export, i.e. for exchanging electronic business cards between various programs or devices and their address books. The VCF file can also be sent via email with a message as an attachment. In Google Android, for example, contacts are stored in one file and separated by BEGIN and END tags. When exported to a memory card, they can be found in the System/PIM directory on the memory card.

Method 1 of 4: Add a VCF file to Outlook Contacts

A file with the .VCF extension is a text file in the vCard format for storing and exchanging electronic business cards. Such files are most often used for exchanging contacts or for backing up a list of contacts from a mobile phone to a computer. To do this, select File -> Import -> Business Card (vCard) from the menu. 1) The most popular and proven way was to upload to a Google account. Perhaps there are other encodings in the cards, if necessary, write to me and I’ll try to modernize the program.

Apparently the Easy Backup program does everything correctly, Windows just doesn’t know how to open multi-cards. There is also Russian text in the form: “N;CHARSET=UTF-8;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:=D0=96=D0=B0=D1=80=D0=BE=D0=B2;=D0=9C=D0 =B8=D1=85=D0=B0=D0=B8=D0=BB;;;".
We need a program for Windows that can correctly open multi-contact cards and correctly display Russian text instead of these rubbish.

The fact of the matter is that I don’t want to use Gmail and other email services. Outlook only with office, heavy. As a result, the algorithm is as follows: 1. We split the resulting multi-vcf into separate vcf files using vCardOrganaizer - Edit - Split.4. Editing vcf cards using vCardOrganaizer. Not super convenient, but still a working option.

Only contacts.google.com helped - they saw my contacts without any clutter from my old Sony Ericsson K770i phone and managed to transfer them to Android without any problems in the best possible way! VCF is an acronym for vCard File and this format is used to store personal contact information. MS Outlook is not distributed separately, so to install it you need to download the MS Office package and select the necessary components from it.

2) I opened the TheBat! email program, there was the necessary converter, and a bunch of my vcf files with contacts were exported to the address book. Everything was wonderful, but only Nokia Suite and TheBat! A vCard file consists of records, each of which contains information about one business card. CardOrganizer2.1 - works only with individual cards in the Windows Contacts folder, there is no way to open one multi-card.3. In 1996, all rights to the format were transferred to the Internet Mail Consortium.