How to Export Contacts to a CSV in HighLevel

Modified on: Thu, 15 May, 2025 at 7:16 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

Why Export Contacts
Limitations to Keep in Mind
How to Export Contacts
Frequently Asked Questions
Related Articles

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.

Limitations to Keep in Mind

You can export all contacts or a filtered selection.
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

These steps depict a direct export functionality, where once you select the contacts and press the Export button, the system immediately processes the request and downloads the CSV file directly to your local system’s Downloads folder. There is no additional confirmation or email retrieval needed—the file is instantly available on your computer storage.

Step 1: Navigate to the Contacts Page

The Contacts page is where all your leads, customers, and business contacts are stored. This is the starting point for exporting your data. Navigate to Contacts → Smartlists.

Step 2: Selecting Contacts for Export

If you only need a specific group of contacts (e.g., leads from a particular campaign or customers from a certain location), use the filter options to narrow down the list. Otherwise, you can export all contacts at once.

Use the filters at the top to refine your selection (e.g., filter by tags, Smart Lists, or specific attributes).
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 Columns (Optional)

Click on the Columns 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.

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.

Step 4: Export Contacts

Once you confirm your selection, click the "Export" button, the system processes the data and downloads a CSV file to your local system without any extra steps.

HighLevel exports only the data that is currently visible in your Contacts table. If certain columns were hidden during export, they won’t be included in the CSV file.

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: 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.