vCard and VCF file guide
What is a vCard? A contact file your phone can save.
A vCard packages contact details into a standard format. It normally arrives as a .vcf file that a phone, address book, or email app can read.
joseph-chin.vcf
vCard contact file
Joseph Chin
Founder, MyDetails
joseph@example.com
+1 202-555-0142
Quick answer
A vCard is a standard format for exchanging contact details.
A vCard can store a person's name, phone number, email, company, role, address, website, photo, and other contact fields. The data is commonly saved in a file ending in .vcf, which contact apps can open and import into an address book.
vCard versus VCF
Two names, one contact-sharing system.
vCard names the format. VCF names the file you usually receive. The distinction is similar to a document format and the extension at the end of its filename.
The format
vCard
A structured way to represent contact information so different address-book and email programs can exchange it.
The file
.vcf
The filename extension commonly used for a file containing one or more vCard contact records.
What a vCard can contain
The familiar fields from an address book.
The Internet Engineering Task Force defines vCard as a format for representing and exchanging information about people and other entities. Apps decide which supported fields they show.
Name
Phone numbers
Email addresses
Company and role
Postal address
Website links
The standard can also represent photos, logos, notes, dates, time zones, languages, categories, and other contact data. A useful business vCard should include only the details the recipient needs.
Inside a VCF file
A vCard is structured text, not a picture of a card.
Each line names a property and its value. Contact software reads those properties and turns them into familiar address- book fields. This simplified example shows the basic shape.
BEGIN:VCARD
VERSION:4.0
FN:Joseph Chin
ORG:MyDetails
TITLE:Founder
EMAIL:joseph@example.com
TEL:+1-202-555-0142
URL:https://www.mydetails.me
END:VCARDHow a vCard works
From shared file to saved contact in four steps.
- 1
Someone shares it
The vCard arrives as a download, message attachment, email attachment, or contact export.
- 2
Your app reads it
A contacts or email app recognizes the .vcf file and maps its properties to contact fields.
- 3
You review it
Check the sender, name, phone, email, website, and any notes before adding the record.
- 4
You save it
The selected details become a contact in the address book or account you choose.
How to open a VCF file
Use the contacts app you already trust.
Exact labels differ by product and version. These paths come from the current support documentation for Google Contacts, iCloud Contacts, and Microsoft Outlook.
Google Contacts on Android
Open Contacts, choose Organize, then Import from file. Pick the account and the VCF file you want to import.
Google's VCF instructionsiCloud Contacts
On iCloud.com, open Contacts, use the Add menu, choose Import Contact, then select the vCard file.
Apple's vCard instructionsMicrosoft Outlook
Open a received vCard attachment, review the contact form, then save the contact to Outlook.
Microsoft's vCard instructionsvCard and digital business card
One is a portable snapshot. The other can stay current.
Saved vCard
- Puts the chosen fields into the recipient's contacts.
- Works as a portable contact file across common apps.
- Keeps the details that existed when the file was saved.
Live digital card
- Opens in a browser from a public link or QR code.
- Can show new details later through the same public link.
- Can still offer a vCard download for contact saving.
MyDetails uses both parts of this handoff. A recipient can open the public card in a browser, then save the current contact details as a vCard without creating a MyDetails account or installing an app.
vCards and QR codes
A QR code can shorten the handoff.
A contact QR code can carry contact data directly, while a link QR code can open a live card that offers a vCard save. The linked approach gives the sender a page they can update and the recipient a chance to review before downloading.
Read the QR business card guideScan, review, then save.
That sequence keeps the exchange fast while giving the recipient context before a new contact reaches their phone.
vCard FAQ
Direct answers to common questions.
What is a vCard?
A vCard is a standard format for storing and exchanging contact information. It can contain a name, phone number, email address, organization, job title, postal address, website, photo, and other contact fields.
What is a VCF file?
A VCF file is a file that contains vCard data and normally uses the .vcf filename extension. Contact apps can read the file and offer to add its details to an address book.
Are vCard and VCF the same thing?
They refer to two parts of the same contact-sharing system. vCard is the data format, while .vcf is the filename extension commonly used for a file containing that data.
How do I open a VCF file?
Open the file with a contacts or address-book app and review the details before saving. Google Contacts, iCloud Contacts, and Microsoft Outlook all document ways to import or open vCard files.
Can a vCard contain more than one contact?
Yes. The vCard specification allows a file to contain one or more vCard records. An app may import each record as a separate contact.
Does a saved vCard update automatically?
No. A downloaded vCard is a snapshot of the details at that moment. A live digital business-card link can show later edits, but a previously saved phone contact does not automatically change with it.