uploading/downloading contacts to pc?

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
I don't fully understand how everything is stored, but I had expected the guys at T-Mobile to know a little something about how my contacts were stored and be able to help me move them from one phone to another. I have had to lower my expectations.

Anyway, my contacts are not all on my sim card - too many I think, so I cannot just move the contacts by moving the sim card.

1. Is there some sort of software that will easily pull them off the phone onto my pc so I can update/purge them on the PC, and then load them back onto the new phone? I would think the software ideally would not be phone specific so that it would be easier to download from one brand of phone ad upload to a different brand of phone.

2. In case I cannot find the correct plugs, is there a way to do this wirelessly?
 

heymrdj

Diamond Member
May 28, 2007
3,999
63
91
We need to know what phone you're moving from and to. Normally there's a proprietary software and cable bundle (pricey) that's used for each one, but depending on the models there may be options.
 

the DRIZZLE

Platinum Member
Sep 6, 2007
2,956
1
81
I don't fully understand how everything is stored, but I had expected the guys at T-Mobile to know a little something about how my contacts were stored and be able to help me move them from one phone to another. I have had to lower my expectations.

Anyway, my contacts are not all on my sim card - too many I think, so I cannot just move the contacts by moving the sim card.

1. Is there some sort of software that will easily pull them off the phone onto my pc so I can update/purge them on the PC, and then load them back onto the new phone? I would think the software ideally would not be phone specific so that it would be easier to download from one brand of phone ad upload to a different brand of phone.

2. In case I cannot find the correct plugs, is there a way to do this wirelessly?

Bitpim is a universal software for doing this type of thing.
 

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Ah, BitPin.
I need a cable.
Fortunately, both phones use the same size port.
Will RadioShack have a USB to phone cable?
Heck, is RS still around?
 

heymrdj

Diamond Member
May 28, 2007
3,999
63
91
RS still exists at its still exorbitant prices. Even walmart will do better on the cable. It's probably mini or micro USB. You haven't told us the phones so we can't tell you. Just be careful that it actually is USB, kyocera a few years ago made phones that were USB but that was charging only, data had to be transferred by way of what looked like a headphone jack to usb converter.
 

Ksyder

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2006
1,829
1
81
Judging by glen's other thread here it looks like the phone is a g2. If that is the case, are they stored on the micro sd card in a contacts folder? I think they are .vcf files that you should be able to drag and drop.

Also, I recommend pairing the two phones with bluetooth if possible and transferring them that way (if you are using feature phones (aka non smart phone) , for example) With android it is easier because usually either the sd card goes from phone to phone so the contacts get read automatically or else you can back them in your google account.
 
Last edited:

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
glen, if you are talking about your g2, there should be no need to sync via a cable. all your contacts can be synced to your google account automatically. you can download them from gmail/contacts to your computer if you so desire though.

if you're trying to get contacts from an old phone onto the G2, you need to find software that will allow you to get contacts off the old phone and into the vcf format. you can then upload this to google contacts, and they will magically appear on your g2 (assuming you have a google account set up on the g2)
 

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Moto cliq (POS) ans G2
If contacts are on SD, well I have a 2GB on old phone and 8GB on new...
so, are the contacts in 3 places" cloud, sim, and SD?
 

Ksyder

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2006
1,829
1
81
If the moto cliq is android, did you try putting the old sd card in the new phone? When you logged into your google account on the new phone did it sync contacts? There is always the bluetooth option if nothing else

If they are both android, just copy the contacts folder from one sd card's root folder to the new root folder.
 

the DRIZZLE

Platinum Member
Sep 6, 2007
2,956
1
81
Moto cliq (POS) ans G2
If contacts are on SD, well I have a 2GB on old phone and 8GB on new...
so, are the contacts in 3 places" cloud, sim, and SD?

All contacts should be in the cloud, you shouldn't need to do anything at all.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
ksyder, android doesn't store contacts on the SD card, unless you specifically export. they're stored in your google account in the cloud.

glen, did your contacts not sync when you signed in with your google account on the g2? are you using the same google account on both phones?
 

glen

Lifer
Apr 28, 2000
15,995
1
81
Heck, maybe I am imagining things, but although hundreds of contactsmoved over, I swear I think I am missing some.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
Heck, maybe I am imagining things, but although hundreds of contactsmoved over, I swear I think I am missing some.


it is possible that some of your contacts may have been set to "phone only." you should be able to export to the sd card and then import on the g2. hopefully it won't create duplicates. I'm not familiar with the cliq (and its motoblur overlay) so i'm not sure exactly how to go about this.
 

Ksyder

Golden Member
Feb 14, 2006
1,829
1
81
ksyder, android doesn't store contacts on the SD card, unless you specifically export. they're stored in your google account in the cloud.

I've been moving the same sd card over to 3 different android phones, so the folder must have been created when I originally sent the contacts over from my pre-android phone which was done via bluetooth. So I take that to mean, if you create a contact on a blank phone, it is stored on the internal memory instead?
Sorry for creating any misinformation.
 

the DRIZZLE

Platinum Member
Sep 6, 2007
2,956
1
81
I've been moving the same sd card over to 3 different android phones, so the folder must have been created when I originally sent the contacts over from my pre-android phone which was done via bluetooth. So I take that to mean, if you create a contact on a blank phone, it is stored on the internal memory instead?
Sorry for creating any misinformation.

No when you put set up the new phone its automatically pulling your contacts from the cloud. It has nothing to do with the SD card.
 

vshah

Lifer
Sep 20, 2003
19,003
24
81
it is possible on some android phones to create a "phone only contact" you'll know if, when creating a new contact, you get a prompt where you can select "phone only" or your google account.