How to View Your Gmail Contacts in macOS Contacts

Set macOS Contacts to copy your Gmail contacts automatically

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Updated on December 27, 2021

Macs
iPad

What to Know

Back up contacts first by going to Contacts > File > Export > Contacts Archive > Save As.
To sync contacts, navigate to Contacts > Add Account > Google and follow the on-screen instructions.
If you're signed in to Google, go to Contacts > Accounts, select your Gmail account, and check the Contacts box.

Having up-to-date contacts everywhere you go is a snap when you set up the Contacts application in macOS Catalina (10.15) and later to mirror your Gmail contacts. If you change one of your Gmail contacts or add or delete a contact, that information is synced to the Contacts application on your Mac seamlessly.

Back Up Your macOS Contacts Before Beginning

Before you make any changes, create a backup of your contacts so you can restore everything to its current state if an error occurs during the process.

To back up your contacts:

Open the Contacts application on your Mac.
From the File menu, select Export.
Select Contacts Archive.
In Save As, use the default name, or enter a file name of your choosing. In Where, choose where you want to save the backup file. Select Save when you're done.

Synchronize Gmail Contacts With macOS Contacts

If you don't use Google services on your Mac and you just want to add Gmail contacts to the Contacts application on your Mac, complete the instructions that follow. If you have Google services on your Mac, skip ahead to the section, "If You Already Have Google Services on Your Mac."

On your Mac, open the Contacts application.
From the menu bar, select Contacts > Add Account.
Select Google, and then select Continue.
You'll be prompted to authenticate in your web browser. Select Open Browser.
Enter your Google account email address and click Next.
Enter your Google account password and click Next.
Select Allow to give macOS permission to access your Google account info.
In Select the apps you want to use with this account, select the Contacts checkbox, and then select Done.
The contact information from Gmail appears in the Contacts application on your Mac. To access your Gmail contacts, in the navigation pane on the left side of the Contacts application, select All Google (or the name of your Gmail account).

To view the contacts from every account at once, in the navigation pane of the Contacts application, select All Contacts.

If You Already Have Google Services on Your Mac

If you have Google services on your Mac, such as a Gmail account in the macOS Mail application, linking your address book with Gmail Contacts is easier.

From the Contacts menu bar, select Contacts > Accounts.
Select your Gmail account.
Select the Contacts check box.

Synchronizing vs. Importing Contacts

The steps above show you how to synchronize your contacts with macOS. When you use this method, your Gmail contacts remain on Google's servers, but changes appear on your Mac. If you don't want to worry about moving your contacts around, use synchronization to access contacts on your Mac.

In contrast, by importing your Gmail contacts, you completely merge your Gmail contacts with the Contacts application on your Mac. This is a useful option if you want to move away from Google services but want to keep your Gmail contacts. The process begins when you export your Gmail contacts, and then import them to a new service.

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