How to Export Outlook Suggested Contacts to CSV

Outlook does not provide a single command to export its autocomplete suggestions. To get them into a CSV file, first save the people you need as Outlook contacts—or export an existing legacy Suggested Contacts folder—then export the contacts. The steps below cover classic Outlook for Windows, new Outlook, and Outlook on the web.

What You’ll Need

Access to the Outlook account or mailbox that contains the suggestions. Autocomplete data is associated with an account or Outlook profile, so use the profile where you normally see the names.
Permission to create contacts and export them. A work or school administrator may restrict contact export.
A destination for the CSV file, such as a local folder you can find again. Treat the file as personal data because it may contain names, email addresses, and other contact details.

You do not need Excel to create the CSV. You can open a CSV in Excel afterward to review it, but Outlook’s export wizard or the People app creates the file.

Step-by-Step

Check whether Outlook already has a Suggested Contacts folder. In classic Outlook for Windows, open the People view using the People icon, then look through the folder list for Suggested Contacts. This is a legacy feature: some older mailboxes or profiles have the folder, while many current Outlook accounts do not. If it is present and contains the people you want, skip to step 4 to export that folder. Do not assume the folder is the same thing as the autocomplete list; they are separate sources of contact information.
Understand which suggestions you are trying to export. Names that appear while you type in the To, Cc, or Bcc box are usually autocomplete suggestions. They may come from saved contacts, your organization’s directory, or Outlook’s recipient cache. The cache is not an ordinary contacts folder, and Outlook has no supported built-in button to export its entire contents to CSV. A directory result may also be controlled by your organization and may not be exportable as a personal contact.
Save the autocomplete entries you need as contacts. Start a new email and type enough of a name or address in the To box to display the suggestion. Select the correct suggestion so it appears as a recipient. If Outlook offers a contact card or an Add to contacts action, open it and save the person to your Contacts folder. If that action is not available, open the recipient details, copy the full email address, and create a contact manually: open People, choose New contact (or New Contact in classic Outlook), enter the name and email address, and save. Repeat for each person you want in the export. Check spelling and the full address before saving; a display name alone may not identify the right person.
Confirm the new contacts are in the folder you plan to export. In People, open the Contacts folder for the same account or mailbox and verify that each saved person appears. If you have multiple accounts, make sure you did not save the contacts to a different account’s Contacts folder. Add any useful details, such as a company or phone number, now. Autocomplete entries may contain only an email address, so Outlook cannot export details it does not have.
Export from classic Outlook for Windows. In classic Outlook, select File > Open & Export > Import/Export. Choose Export to a file, select Next, choose Comma Separated Values, and select Next again. Select the Contacts folder you checked in step 4. If you found a legacy Suggested Contacts folder and want that folder instead, select it here. Choose Next, browse to the folder where you want the file, enter a filename ending in .csv, then select Next and Finish. If Outlook asks about duplicate handling or field mapping, review the choices before completing the export.
Export from new Outlook or Outlook on the web. Open the People app from the app launcher or navigation bar. Go to Manage contacts > Export contacts. If prompted, choose the contact folder or the available all-contacts option, then select Export. Outlook downloads a CSV file; check your browser’s download area or the Downloads folder if you do not see it immediately. The precise labels can vary by account and rollout. If you cannot find the export command, try Outlook on the web or use classic Outlook’s Import/Export wizard if it is available to you.
Check the finished CSV. Open the file in Excel or a text editor and verify that the expected contacts and email addresses are present. A CSV is a plain-text data file, not a formatted Outlook address book. If you open it in Excel, avoid changing phone numbers or other values that could be reformatted, and keep an unchanged copy if another app needs the original CSV. Store or share the file only with people who should have access to those contact details.

In Outlook for Mac, the available export options depend on the Outlook version and whether the account is personal or managed by an organization. If the People app offers Manage contacts > Export contacts, use that to create a CSV. If it does not, use Outlook on the web for the same account when export is permitted. Classic Outlook for Windows has the CSV Import/Export wizard described above; do not expect the Mac menus or export formats to match it exactly.

Common Mistakes

Looking for a direct autocomplete export. The recipient suggestions list is not a normal folder that you can select in the export wizard. Save needed entries as contacts first, unless you have the older Suggested Contacts folder.
Exporting the wrong Contacts folder. Outlook can show folders from multiple accounts, shared mailboxes, or data files. Check the folder name and account before exporting, then inspect the CSV afterward.
Assuming every suggestion is a personal contact. Some results come from a company directory or another address book. They may not be editable or exportable. Ask your administrator about directory data rather than trying to bypass access controls.
Expecting the export to include details that were never saved. A cached address may have only a name and email address. Create or update the contact with any additional information you need before exporting.
Overwriting a useful CSV. If you export again to the same filename, Outlook or your browser may replace the previous file or create a numbered copy. Choose a clear filename and verify which file you are opening.
Sharing the CSV casually. Contact exports can include personal information. Save the file in an appropriate location and follow your organization’s rules before sending it to anyone.

Tips

Work through the suggestions in manageable batches. Search by a few letters or a known name, select the correct recipient, and save that person before moving to the next one. Outlook does not provide a reliable, supported way to display every cached suggestion at once.
Use a consistent naming convention for new contacts. If several people have the same name, include a company or department in the contact details so you can distinguish them in the exported file.
Keep the original CSV unchanged if you plan to import it into another service. Make edits to a copy, because spreadsheet programs can alter formats such as leading zeros in phone numbers.
If you need a reusable address book rather than a one-time list, save the contacts in the appropriate Outlook account and keep that account’s contacts up to date. Export a fresh CSV when you need a current snapshot.
Before importing the CSV elsewhere, check that the other service accepts Outlook’s column headings and contact fields. If it provides a sample template, use that template to map fields rather than deleting columns at random.

Troubleshooting

The person does not appear when I type in the recipient box. Try more letters, check the spelling, and confirm that Outlook is connected to the correct account. Suggestions are not a complete directory: an old entry may have been cleared, and a company-directory result may only appear when connected to the work account. If you know the email address, create a contact from it instead of waiting for a suggestion.

I cannot find Suggested Contacts. That folder belongs to older Outlook setups and may not exist in your mailbox. Search the People folder list and, if it is absent, use the autocomplete-to-contact method. Do not create a folder with that name expecting Outlook to fill it automatically.

The Import/Export option is missing. Confirm that you are using classic Outlook for Windows, rather than new Outlook or Outlook in a browser. The classic ribbon path is File > Open & Export > Import/Export. If your organization has disabled export, or your Outlook build does not show the wizard, use the People app’s export option if available or ask your administrator about an approved method.

The CSV is empty or missing contacts. Check that you selected the correct Contacts folder and account in the export process. Reopen People and verify the contacts were saved there rather than left only in the recipient cache. Export again to a new filename, then inspect the file before replacing the earlier copy.

Some names or addresses look wrong in Excel. The CSV may have been opened with an unsuitable delimiter or Excel may have reformatted a value. Open a fresh copy using Excel’s import workflow and check the delimiter and column types, or inspect the file in a plain-text editor. Do not save over the untouched original until you have confirmed the data is intact.

Export is blocked for a work account. Your organization may restrict downloading contact data, especially from a shared mailbox or directory. Contact your IT administrator and explain whether you need personal contacts or organization directory entries. Use only an approved export route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I export Outlook autocomplete suggestions directly to CSV?
No. Outlook does not provide a supported one-click export for the autocomplete cache. Save the people you need as contacts first, then export the Contacts folder.

Are Suggested Contacts and autocomplete suggestions the same?
No. Suggested Contacts is a legacy folder found in some older Outlook setups. Autocomplete suggestions appear as you type in a recipient field and can include cached addresses, saved contacts, or directory results.

Will this export every address Outlook has suggested?
Not necessarily. You can export contacts in the selected folder, but Outlook does not offer a supported way to turn the entire autocomplete cache into a CSV. You may need to save individual suggestions as contacts.

Can I export contacts from Outlook on the web?
In accounts where the option is available, open People and choose Manage contacts > Export contacts. If you do not see it, your account type, rollout, or organization’s policy may affect availability.

Does exporting remove contacts or autocomplete entries?
No. Exporting creates a separate file and normally leaves the Outlook contacts in place. It does not clear the autocomplete list either.

Can I open the exported CSV in Excel?
Yes. Excel can open CSV files for viewing and editing. Keep an unchanged copy if you need to import the file into another service, since saving from Excel can change data formats.

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