How to Extract Contacts from PST File?

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If you have an Outlook data file (PST) and want to move your address book to another email service, phone, or CRM, you first need to extract contacts from the PST file. This can be done either manually through Outlook or automatically using a professional utility like Cigati PST Converter.

Why Use a Tool Like Cigati PST Converter​

Cigati offers utilities that let you extract and convert contacts from a PST file without needing Microsoft Outlook installed — ideal if Outlook isn’t available or you want a simple GUI-based solution.

Key Benefits

• Works without Outlook installed.
• Lets you preview and select contacts before extraction.
• Can export contacts to standard formats (e.g., VCF/vCard, CSV).
• Supports PST files from all recent Outlook versions.

Steps to Extract Contacts Using Cigati PST Converter​

• Download & Install the Cigati PST Converter tool. Launch the software on your Windows machine.
• Add your PST file (choose single or multiple files).
• The tool scans and displays the file structure — locate the Contacts folder.
• Select the contacts or contact folders you want to extract.
• Choose the output format (e.g., VCF/vCard, CSV).
• Pick a destination folder, then click Convert/Export.

Alternative Manual Method (if Outlook Is Installed)​

If you do have Microsoft Outlook on your computer:

1. Open Outlook and go to File → Open & Export → Import/Export.
2. Choose Export to a file → Comma Separated Values (CSV).
3. Select your Contacts folder and export the contacts to a CSV file.
   • Then you can open the CSV in Excel or import it elsewhere.

This built-in method is free but requires Outlook and doesn’t give you as much flexibility as a converter tool.