How to Import Contacts from Outlook into LinkedIn

By Joel Elad from LinkedIn For Dummies, 2nd Edition

2 of 4 in Series: The Essentials of Building Your LinkedIn Contacts List

LinkedIn offers a variety of ways to import contacts. Microsoft Outlook is one of the most popular e-mail programs out there. LinkedIn makes it easy for you to import people from your Outlook's contacts into your LinkedIn Contacts list. To do so, follow these steps:

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On the main Outlook screen, click Contacts.

Your Contacts list opens.

Choose File→Import and Export.

The Import and Export window appears.

Select the Export to a File option, click the Next button, and then select a file type in the Export to a File window.

You see a list of options, including Comma Separated Values (DOS), Comma Separated Values (Windows), Microsoft Access, and so on.

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Select the Comma Separated Values (Windows) option and then click Next.

The Export to a File window appears. Here, you’re asked to pick a folder that you want to export. You need to look for the Contacts folder, which contains your list of contacts through Microsoft Outlook.

Select the Contacts folder to export and then click Next.

If you created categories within your Outlook Contacts list, you can select one of those subcategories under the main Contacts folder and export just those contacts.

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In the next Export to a File window that appears, enter a suitable filename, click the Browse button to locate a folder for storing the new (exported) file, and then click Next.

In the Export to a File window, Outlook displays the action it’s about to take.

Note the filename and location of your exported Contacts file because you need this information in a few steps. Pick a memorable name and save the file to a commonly used folder on your computer.

Click Finish to start the export of your Outlook Contacts file.

Depending on the size of your Contacts list, the export process might take a few minutes. When the export is complete, the status indicator disappears, and you’re ready to go to the next step.

Using your Web browser, go to LinkedIn and log in to your account; then, on the top right of the page, click the Add Connections link.

The Add Connections screen opens.

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On the new page that appears, click the Import Your Desktop Email Contacts link.

The Import Your Desktop Email Contacts box appears onscreen.

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Click the Browse button to locate the Contacts file you just exported from Microsoft Outlook. When you locate that file, click the Upload File button to start the process.

After LinkedIn reads your entire contacts list, it displays the names of contacts from your list already on LinkedIn first; and then, underneath those names, the remaining contacts from your list.

When LinkedIn imports the list, it usually drops the middle name from each person’s full name when creating the imported contacts. You might need to edit your contacts to add the appropriate information.

Review the names, clear any check box for someone you don’t wish to invite, and then click the Send Invitations button to complete the process.

If the names you see on the screen aren’t correct (perhaps LinkedIn did not read the file properly and everyone’s first and last names are reversed, for instance), you can click Cancel to abandon the process.

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How to Import Contacts from Outlook into LinkedIn

2 of 4 in Series: The Essentials of Building Your LinkedIn Contacts List

On the main Outlook screen, click Contacts.

Choose File→Import and Export.

Select the Export to a File option, click the Next button, and then select a file type in the Export to a File window.

Select the Comma Separated Values (Windows) option and then click Next.

Select the Contacts folder to export and then click Next.

In the next Export to a File window that appears, enter a suitable filename, click the Browse button to locate a folder for storing the new (exported) file, and then click Next.

Click Finish to start the export of your Outlook Contacts file.

Using your Web browser, go to LinkedIn and log in to your account; then, on the top right of the page, click the Add Connections link.

On the new page that appears, click the Import Your Desktop Email Contacts link.

Click the Browse button to locate the Contacts file you just exported from Microsoft Outlook. When you locate that file, click the Upload File button to start the process.

Review the names, clear any check box for someone you don’t wish to invite, and then click the Send Invitations button to complete the process.

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How to Import Contacts from Outlook into LinkedIn

2 of 4 in Series: The Essentials of Building Your LinkedIn Contacts List

On the main Outlook screen, click Contacts.

Choose File→Import and Export.

Select the Export to a File option, click the Next button, and then select a file type in the Export to a File window.

Select the Comma Separated Values (Windows) option and then click Next.

Select the Contacts folder to export and then click Next.

In the next Export to a File window that appears, enter a suitable filename, click the Browse button to locate a folder for storing the new (exported) file, and then click Next.

Click Finish to start the export of your Outlook Contacts file.

Using your Web browser, go to LinkedIn and log in to your account; then, on the top right of the page, click the Add Connections link.

On the new page that appears, click the Import Your Desktop Email Contacts link.

Click the Browse button to locate the Contacts file you just exported from Microsoft Outlook. When you locate that file, click the Upload File button to start the process.

Review the names, clear any check box for someone you don’t wish to invite, and then click the Send Invitations button to complete the process.

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