Tools: import, export & cleanup
The Tools hub is where you move contacts in and out of SnapContact in bulk and keep them clean — importing from Google, Excel/CSV, vCard, and chat exports, exporting and backing up your data, validating fields, and detecting duplicates. It's the home for the operations you do to a whole list rather than one contact at a time.
Import
Bring existing contacts into SnapContact from the sources you already use:
| Source | What it reads |
|---|---|
| Google Contacts | Your Google address book via OAuth (Google People API). |
| Excel / CSV | Spreadsheet rows mapped to contact fields. |
| vCard (.vcf) | Standard contact-card files. |
| Chat / WhatsApp exports | Members and numbers from exported chats. |
Every import path runs duplicate detection so you don't end up with two copies of the same person — matches are surfaced for you to merge rather than blindly created. Google import uses OAuth and the People API; it does not use a device-contacts permission.
Export and backup
Your data is yours to take out. SnapContact exports selected contacts (for example to a spreadsheet) and supports backups, so you can keep an external copy or move your list elsewhere. This is also part of how the app honors data-portability expectations — see Data & privacy.
Validate
Validators check your contacts for problems — for example malformed emails or phone numbers — so your list stays usable for search, export, and any messaging you do. Cleaning data here prevents failed sends and bad matches downstream.
Detect duplicates
Duplicate detection scans your list for likely-same contacts and offers to merge them, consolidating notes and tags rather than discarding them. Running it after a big import is the fastest way to tidy a freshly grown list.
Honest scope
Imports depend on the quality of the source file — a messy CSV imports messy data, which is what the validators and duplicate detection are for. Google import reads your Google contacts through OAuth that you authorize; it does not read your device's native address book, and v1.1 requests no device-contacts permission.
Frequently asked questions
Which formats can I import? Google Contacts (OAuth), Excel/CSV, vCard, and chat/WhatsApp exports.
Will importing create duplicates? Imports run duplicate detection and surface matches to merge, so you avoid copies.
Can I get my data out? Yes — export selected contacts and back up your data at any time.
Does Google import read my phone's contacts? No. It uses Google's People API via OAuth you authorize; it does not use the device-contacts permission.
How do I clean up a messy list? Run the validators to flag bad fields, then duplicate detection to merge copies.