If imported contacts lose accents, plus signs, or leading zeros, inspect the source file before editing every contact manually. A spreadsheet can alter text and phone values before Google Contacts ever sees the import.
Compare the untouched export with the imported card
Keep the original file and inspect a copy. Choose examples with accented names, international phone numbers, postal codes, and several email addresses. Determine whether the value was already damaged in the source or changed during file conversion.
Opening and resaving a CSV in a spreadsheet can reinterpret values as numbers or dates. Once a leading zero or character has been lost, a later format change may not reconstruct the original value. Return to the authoritative record when necessary.
Use Google’s field mapping and text-preserving export
For a new CSV, use Google’s current template and preserve its header row. Its phone field guidance uses a plus sign for a country code; spaces, dashes, and parentheses are optional. Keep phone numbers as text in the preparation tool so it does not apply arithmetic or scientific notation.
Use a CSV export encoding that preserves the names’ characters, such as UTF-8 where your tool offers it, and verify the resulting file. A vCard export from a trusted source can be an alternative when both systems support it.
Test a small corrected import
Import a few representative contacts into the intended account and inspect each field. Check Notes too if a detail appears misplaced. Do not repeat the full import before establishing how you will distinguish and remove the failed copies.
Export the destination’s current contacts before a substantial correction. Avoid using an account-wide Undo changes operation without considering newer legitimate edits. Contact files contain personal information, so do not upload them to an unknown repair website. Record the source format, spreadsheet application, export encoding, and exact field that changed when requesting support.
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References
Reviewed against the linked product guidance, standards, and identified vendor or public-authority guidance on October 29, 2026. Available options and screen labels can vary by account, device, region, and organization policy.