Mastering Contact Sharing: A Definitive Guide to Sending Contact Cards in Outlook

Sending contact information shouldn’t be a technological hurdle. In Outlook, sharing someone’s details is streamlined and intuitive. Let’s dive into how you do it.

How to send a contact card in Outlook? You can send a contact card, also known as a vCard (.vcf file), in Outlook in a few ways, primarily from either the People pane or directly from a new email message. The method varies slightly depending on the version of Outlook you’re using (desktop, web, or mobile), but the core principle remains the same: attach the contact as a vCard to your email. Here’s a breakdown of the most common methods:

Sending a Contact Card from the People Pane (Desktop Outlook)

This is generally the most straightforward method for desktop users.

1. Open Outlook and Navigate to the People Pane: Click on the People icon (it usually looks like two people) in the navigation bar at the bottom of the Outlook window. This will take you to your Contacts list.
2. Select the Contact: Find the contact you want to share. You can use the search bar to quickly locate the desired individual or browse through your contacts list.
3. Forward as vCard: Once you’ve selected the contact, right-click on their name. In the context menu that appears, select “Forward Contact”. A submenu will appear.
4. Choose the Format: Select “As a vCard”. This option creates a .vcf file that you can attach to an email. A new email message will automatically open with the selected contact attached as a vCard.
5. Compose and Send: Address the email, add a subject line and any message you want to include, and then click “Send”. The recipient will receive the email with the vCard attached, which they can easily save to their own contacts.

Sending a Contact Card Directly from a New Email Message (Desktop Outlook)

This method is useful when you’re already composing an email and realize you need to include a contact.

1. Create a New Email: Click on “New Email” to start a new message.
2. Insert Item: In the email message window, go to the “Insert” tab on the ribbon.
3. Attach Item: In the “Include” section of the “Insert” tab, click on “Attach Item”.
4. Choose Business Card: In the dropdown menu, select “Business Card”. This will open a list of your Outlook contacts.
5. Select the Contact: Choose the contact you want to send from the displayed list. If you have a lot of contacts, use the search bar to find the correct one.
6. Complete and Send: The contact will be inserted into the email message as a vCard. Complete the email with the recipient’s address, subject, and any message, and then click “Send”.

Sending a Contact Card in Outlook Web App (OWA)

The process in the web version of Outlook is similar.

1. Navigate to People: Open Outlook in your web browser and click on the People icon in the app launcher (usually located in the top left corner).
2. Select the Contact: Find and select the contact you want to share.
3. Share Contact: Select the Share option (it may look like an envelope with a small attachment icon or the word “Share”) in the top toolbar or within the contact details.
4. Create a New Email: A new email window will open with the contact attached as a vCard.
5. Compose and Send: Address the email, add a subject, and message, and then click “Send”.

Sending a Contact Card on Outlook Mobile

Sharing contacts on the Outlook mobile app is straightforward.

1. Open Outlook and Go to Contacts: Open the Outlook app and tap on the People icon (usually at the bottom of the screen).
2. Select the Contact: Find and tap the contact you want to share.
3. Share Contact: Look for a “Share Contact” option. This might be under the “…” (More Options) menu or directly visible.
4. Choose Sharing Method: A menu will appear allowing you to choose how to share. Select “Email”.
5. Complete and Send: A new email window will open with the contact information attached (usually as a vCard). Add the recipient’s email address, subject, and message, and then tap “Send”.

FAQs About Sending Contact Cards in Outlook

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about sending contact cards using Microsoft Outlook.

1. What is a vCard and why is it used?

A vCard (Virtual Contact File) is a standard file format (.vcf) used for storing contact information, including name, address, phone number, email address, and other relevant details. It’s used because it’s a universally recognized format that allows for easy exchange of contact details between different email clients and devices.

2. Can I send multiple contact cards in one email?

Yes, you can. In the desktop version of Outlook, you can either attach multiple vCard files by repeating the steps above for each contact, or you can create a contact group and send the group. To do this, select all the contact you want to share, then right-click and forward the selection as a vCard, it will create one vCard file containing all the selected contact details.

3. How do I save a received vCard to my Outlook contacts?

When you receive an email with a vCard attachment, simply double-click the .vcf file. This will open the contact information in Outlook. Review the details, make any necessary edits, and then click “Save & Close” to add the contact to your Outlook contacts. In the web version of Outlook, download the vCard attachment and then import it into your contacts list.

4. What if the recipient uses a different email client than Outlook?

vCards are designed to be universally compatible. Even if the recipient uses a different email client (like Gmail, Yahoo Mail, or Apple Mail), they should be able to open the .vcf file and save the contact information to their address book.

5. Can I customize the information included in a vCard?

Yes. The vCard will contain all the information you have stored in Outlook for that contact. Before sending the vCard, open the contact in Outlook, edit any fields you want to change, and then save the contact. Then, send the vCard. The recipient will receive the updated information.

6. Is there a limit to the size of a vCard file I can send?

While there isn’t a specific hard limit imposed by Outlook itself, email servers and recipient email clients may have size restrictions on attachments. It’s generally good practice to keep vCard files small by avoiding including large images or unnecessary data. Most vCards are quite small, so this is rarely an issue.

7. Why is the “Business Card” option greyed out in the Insert tab?

This usually occurs if your Outlook profile is not properly configured or if you’re working in plain text format. Ensure your Outlook profile is correctly set up and that you’re composing emails in HTML or Rich Text format. To change the format, go to “File” > “Options” > “Mail” and under “Compose messages,” change the format to HTML or Rich Text.

8. How do I import a vCard file into Outlook?

In Outlook (desktop version), go to “File” > “Open & Export” > “Import/Export”. Choose “Import from another program or file”, then select “vCard file (.vcf)”. Browse to the location of the vCard file and follow the prompts to import the contact. In the web version, navigate to “People”, then click “Manage” then “Import Contacts”.

9. Can I send a contact card directly from my address book on my phone?

Yes, you can. Most smartphones allow you to share contacts directly from the phone’s address book. The steps vary slightly depending on the phone’s operating system (iOS or Android), but the general process involves opening the contact, finding the “Share Contact” option, and choosing “Email” to send it as a vCard.

10. Is it possible to create a QR code for my contact information instead of sending a vCard?

Yes. There are many online QR code generators that allow you to create a QR code from your contact information. When scanned, the QR code will automatically populate the contact details on the recipient’s device. This is an alternative to sending a vCard.

11. What happens if the recipient already has the contact in their address book?

If the recipient already has the contact in their address book, their email client or device will usually prompt them to either update the existing contact with the new information from the vCard or to create a new contact.

12. Are there any security risks associated with sending or receiving vCards?

While generally safe, vCards can potentially contain malicious code or scripts, although this is rare. As a best practice, always scan vCard files with an antivirus program before opening them, especially if you receive them from an unknown or untrusted source. Be cautious of vCards with unusual file sizes or extensions.