Losing your phone doesn't necessarily mean you've lost your friends. Here we explain how to access the contacts on your phone from a PC, laptop or tablet that is logged into your Google account, and how to export them.
When properly stored, all contacts on your Android phone will also be available through a web browser on any PC, laptop, phone, or tablet where you're signed in to your Google account. So if your phone is lost or broken, you won't lose your friends too. Here we explain how you can access it via a PC. Also read: Secure your smartphone with a backup.
If you save your contacts on an Android phone, you can choose whether to save them to your SIM card, your phone, or your Google account. With Android, it makes sense to save them to your Google account, otherwise you'll have to transfer them every time you upgrade your phone or get a new SIM card.
To add new contacts to your Google account, open Settings, choose the People app, and click the plus sign. Choose Google under Contact type, fill in the remaining details and click Done.
It is also possible to back up contacts that you have already saved on your phone or SIM card to your Google account. To do this, open Settings > People and click on the three dots to get more options. Choose Manage contacts.
Copying contacts is a piece of cake.
On our HTC Desire Eye, the top option is Copy contacts. Press and choose to copy contacts from Phone. You will then be asked where you want to copy contacts to, so select Google account.
Now that your contacts are saved to your Google account, you can access them from a PC or laptop browser. Go to Google Contacts and sign in.
You can click on a contact to customize the information: add a photo, address, birthday, website and notes, as well as phone numbers and email addresses.
Google Contacts also allows you to export all your contacts, in Google CSV format to import into another Google account, in Outlook CSV format to import into Outlook or another application, or as vCard format for Apple Address Book. Select the contacts you want to export and choose More > Export contacts. Now choose a file format and click Export.
Simply export your contacts and you're done.
