Question
I've recently acquired an iPhone X, it is all good but I can't figure out how to import my Google contacts across to it. So, does anyone know how to connect Gmail to iPhone and then sync the contacts to my iPhone? It is time-wasting to save contacts one by one.
– Jeff from Apple Support Communities

Jeff is not the only one wondering how to import Google contacts to iPhone. Thousands of people struggle with the exact same thing, but it's actually very simple once you know how to do it. Now, there are a couple of ways to go about importing Google contacts to iPhone, so we're going to provide you with both methods to ensure you don't encounter any problems.

1. Import Google Contacts to iPhone by Syncing

You can learn to avoid some common iPhone contacts problems. And after that, you'll need to have set up a Google account on your iPhone. To do that, you'll need to follow the steps below:

  • Go into Settings > Accounts & Passwords (or go to Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars if you use iOS 10.3.3 and earlier versions) and then hit Add Account.
  • Following that, just press the Google logo to begin the process.
  • Enter your Gmail credentials and hit Sign in. You'll then be asked what you want iOS to access in your Google account; as long as Contacts is selected, it doesn't really matter.

add gmail account on iphone

By now, you should have your Gmail set up on your iPhone. Here's how to sync the Google contacts with your iPhone.

  • Again, go to Settings > Accounts & Passwords (or Settings > Mail, Contacts, Calendars) on your iPhone, and then hit the Gmail account that you just added.
  • You'll see a little toggle button next to Contacts – make sure that is turned on (in green).
  • Your contacts will then start streaming in from Gmail to your Contacts section on your iPhone.

sync gmail contacts with iPhone

2. Import Google Contacts to iPhone via iCloud

An alternative method is to utilize iCloud to retrieve your Google contacts to your iPhone. By deploying this strategy, you'll be able to select which contacts you import, rather than having them all flood across. It's really easy, just follow these steps:

  • First off, make sure you're using the old version of Google Contacts, because the newest update doesn't support the exporting function.
  • Log into your Gmail account on your browser, then hit Google > Contacts.
  • Choose the contacts that you want to import, press More > Export > vCard format.
  • You'll then need to go across to your iCloud and log into your account using your Apple credentials on iCloud.com.
  • Click on Contacts and select Import vCard (the file you've just exported from Google).
  • Then turn on Contacts in iCloud on your iPhone by going to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.

export gamil contacts

Then you can find the Google contact has been imported to your iPhone.

You may be interested in how to move iPhone contacts to iCloud.

Conclusion

In some instances, people need to do the reverse to import contacts from iPhone to their Gmail account.
Moreover, people generally want to know how to sync their contacts from Google to iPhone when they've switched from being an Android user.
The two methods that we've listed will solve your problem about how to import Google contacts to iPhone; Just need to select the method that is best for you. If you know other methods which can do this, just leave a comment.