VCF (Virtual Contact File) is a standard file format for storing contact information for a person or business. A VCF file is an electronic business card that automates the exchange of personal information typically found on a traditional business card. It typically includes a name, address, phone number, email address, and other contact information. VCF files are also known as vCards.
CSV is a common format to convert VCF files into since it's supported by Excel and other applications that would prefer to import contacts from CSV. You can download and install VCF to CSV, VCF to Excel, VCF to TXT or CSV to VCF conversion apps for converting VCF files easily.
CSV to VCF Converter |
Convert CSV to VCF vCard file |
VCF to CSV Converter |
Convert VCF vCard files to CSV |
VCF to XLS Converter |
Convert VCF to Excel XLS file |
VCF to TXT Converter |
Convert VCF vCard files to TXT file |
Windows users can open vCards using the included Windows Contacts program. Here are some of the programs that can open VCF files:
VCF (vCard) files are plain text files that can be opened with text editors like Notepad. However, since certain fields like photo may be encoded (Base64) or complex, manual editing can lead to errors. For accurate and efficient editing, it’s recommended to use a dedicated VCF tool to edit VCF files. VCF editor software simplify the process, ensuring that all fields, including encoded data, are handled properly and saved correctly.
VCF Editor |
Manage vCard files |
Email and messaging apps can edit VCF files however if you want to edit a VCF file without any email or messaging app, you can do so with some limitations. You can use almost any text editor to edit a VCF file. To open the file on Windows 10, right-click it and select the Open With option. Select Notepad from the list of apps, or if you prefer a much cleaner interface for editing the VCF file, you can use Text Edit Plus instead.
If you need to change the phone number, name, or email you can easily find those fields in the file. There is some information you won’t be able to edit for example, a field called ‘X-Activity-Alert’ which is for a custom alert that was set up for the contact on an iPhone. This field can’t be edited and it won’t be present in the VCF file for a contact that was exported from Gmail.
After you edit the file, you can just save the change with the Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut. This only works for text based information e.g., names, and phone numbers etc. VCF files also contain images i.e., profile pictures and that isn’t something you can edit with any text editor. If what you essentially want to edit is the image saved for a contact, you’re going to have to go through an email app like Outlook or a service like Gmail Contacts that has an interface for editing that particular field. Both mobile and desktop apps/services will do but since you’re dealing with a VCF file, it’s easiest to import it on your desktop.
If you are editing a VCF file, you should be careful about the information you changed.
Read More: How to Manage your Contact List in Excel
All vCards begin with BEGIN:VCARD and end with END:VCARD. All vCards must contain the VERSION property, which specifies the vCard version. VERSION must come immediately after BEGIN, except in the vCard 2.1 standard, which allows it to be anywhere in the vCard. Otherwise, properties can be defined in any order.
VCF Editor is a powerful, offline tool designed for managing and editing vCard files (VCF) on Windows. Running locally on the user’s computer, it ensures privacy and security by processing all data offline without the need for an internet connection. This makes it ideal for users who prioritize keeping their contact information private and secure.