Contacts - Export as CSV Upgrade

Modified on: Tue, 14 Oct, 2025 at 2:19 PM

Exporting contacts from HighLevel is a simple process that allows you to download and store customer information for various purposes. Whether you need to back up your contact list, migrate data to another CRM, or analyze customer details, exporting to a CSV (Comma-Separated Values) file makes it easy. This guide will walk you through the process step by step, explain key export settings, and answer common questions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What is Export Contacts as CSV Upgrade?
Key Benefits of Contacts Export Upgrade
Why Export Contacts
Prerequisites and Limitations
How to Export Contacts as a CSV
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Articles

What is Export Contacts as CSV Upgrade?

The Contacts Export Upgrade replaces the old, browser-based export with a scalable backend service. Instead of waiting for a CSV to download in the foreground, your export job is queued on HighLevel’s servers, processed in parallel, and tracked in real time from the Bulk Actions dashboard. Once complete, a ready-to-download file appears in Bulk Actions and remains available for 30 days.

Key Benefits of Contacts Export Upgrade

Work Uninterrupted: Exports run asynchronously—no UI blocking.
Scales to Big Data: Far fewer failures on multi-million-row datasets.
Real-time Visibility: Track progress on the Bulk Actions page.
Hands-free Alerts: Get notified when files are ready—no manual checks.
Built-in Retention: 30-day cloud storage protects against accidental loss.
Controlled Access: Admin-only downloads support security and compliance.

Why Export Contacts

The Export Contacts feature lets users download their HighLevel contacts into a CSV file. The exported file contains important details such as names, email addresses, phone numbers, tags, and custom fields (if selected). Some more reasons/use cases are as follows:

CRM Migration – Moving contacts to a different CRM platform.
Marketing & Outreach – Creating lists for email or SMS campaigns.
Data Backup & Security – Storing an offline copy of your contacts.
Team Collaboration – Sharing lists with colleagues or business partners.
Analytics & Reporting – Using data to generate insights.

Prerequisites and Limitations

The file will be in CSV format and can be opened in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet software.
Some data, such as notes exceeding 255 characters, may be truncated.
Exports do not include automation history (e.g., past emails, and SMS logs).
Only Admin Users Can Export Contacts. If you do not see the export option, check your user role permissions or contact an admin.

How to Export Contacts as a CSV

Step 1: Navigate to the Contacts Page

Navigate to Contacts from your sub-account.
Click on Smart Lists.

Step 2: Selecting Contacts for Export

Use the Advance Filters to refine your selection.
Check the boxes next to the contacts you want to export.
To export all contacts, click on the checkbox beside the filter fields (on the left) and click on Select All Contacts.

Step 3: Customize Fields (Optional)

Note: The CSV file will only contain the columns that are currently visible in the Contacts table. If a field is missing in your exported data, go back and check the column settings before exporting again.

Click on the Manage Fields button.
Check or Uncheck boxes to include or exclude specific columns in the export.
Once you’ve selected the desired columns, they will be reflected in the Exported CSV file.

Step 4: Export Contacts

After selecting contacts, click on More.
Click on Export.
or, click on the three dots beside + Add Contact button and click on Export.
Confirm your selection in the export modal and click on Export.
You’ll see a success message indicating that the export has started.
Click on Check Progress to see the status of the export in Bulk actions or simply dismiss.
You can continue working—export runs asynchronously in the background.
You’ll receive a push notification once the export file is ready for download.

Step 5: Downloading from Bulk Actions

Go to Contacts > Bulk Actions.
Locate your export row — you’ll see:
1. Operation: Export
2. Status: Complete
3. File name: e.g., Export_Contacts_All_Oct_2025.csv
Click Down Arrow(Download) icon to save the file to your system.
After 30 days, the download link will be disabled.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I export only specific data fields for each contact in the exported .csv file?

You can customize the columns in the exported .csv file by selecting or deselecting specific data fields before initiating the export. This way, you can focus on the most relevant information.

Q: What happens if a contact's latest note exceeds 255 characters?

Only the latest note of up to 255 characters is included when exporting contacts. If a contact's latest note is longer than this limit, it will be truncated to fit within the 255-character constraint.

Q: Can I export contacts from multiple accounts or locations simultaneously?

You must export contacts separately for each sub-account or location. However, you can combine the resulting .csv files in a spreadsheet application to consolidate contact data from multiple sources.

Q: Is it possible to schedule automatic exports of contact data?

This feature is not available at this time.

Q: Who can download exported files?
Only Agency Admins and Location Admins can download completed exports from Bulk Actions.

Q: How long are exported files available?
Export files are available for 30 days. After that, the download option is disabled.

Q: How do I import the exported .csv file into another contact management platform?

Most contact management platforms provide an import feature that supports .csv files. You will need to follow the specific import instructions for the target platform, which typically involves mapping the columns in the .csv file to the appropriate fields in the new system.