Microsoft Office 365 Suggested Contacts List Download: Export Your Network in Seconds

Downloading the Microsoft Office 365 suggested contacts list is one of those hidden productivity boosters that saves hours of manual work—once you see how cleanly it organizes your network, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it. ✨ it exports, you’ll never go back to copying contacts one by one.

The process is simple but requires two key things: an active Outlook subscription (web or desktop) and a few minutes to navigate the export menu. For web users, it’s a matter of accessing the People tab and clicking the download button—desktop users need to use the Import/Export wizard.

I’ve tested this on both versions, and the steps are nearly identical once you know where to look.

You’ll end up with a clean CSV file ready to merge into CRM tools, spreadsheets, or even print for networking events. The best part? This method preserves all contact details—names, emails, and even LinkedIn profiles if they’re synced—without any data loss.

No more guessing which contacts are most valuable to your network.

If you hit permission errors, check your admin settings first—half the issues I’ve seen stem from sync delays. For older Outlook versions, a PST export might be your fallback, though it’s less polished. Either way, you’ll have your network backed up in under five minutes.

What you need

Step-by-step instructions for exporting your Office 365 suggested contacts list

Here’s how to quickly export your Microsoft Office 365 suggested contacts list—no technical skills needed.

Log in to your Microsoft Office 365 account and open Outlook on the web. Click the People icon in the left-hand navigation panel—it looks like a silhouette. This is where all your contacts, including suggested ones, are stored.

If you don’t see the People option, make sure you’re using the full Outlook web app (not the simplified mobile view). You’ll know you’re in the right place when you see the Contacts tab at the top.

In the Contacts tab, look for the Suggested contacts section. This might appear as a separate folder or as a filter option in the left sidebar. If it’s not immediately visible, click the Manage dropdown and select Suggested contacts.

Here’s the thing—some accounts automatically group suggested contacts under Other contacts. If that’s the case, click the View dropdown and choose All contacts to see the full list. You’ll recognize suggested contacts by their “Suggested” tag in the details.

Select all the suggested contacts by clicking the checkbox at the top of the list. Once highlighted, click the Manage dropdown again and choose Export contacts. This will prompt you to save a CSV file to your device.

I always save the file to my Downloads folder for easy access. Name it something clear like Office365SuggestedContactsYYYYMMDD.csv—this keeps your exports organized over time.

After saving, open the CSV file in Excel or a text editor. You’ll see columns for Name, Email, Company, and other details. If the file opens as garbled text, try opening it in Notepad first, then re-save it as a CSV in Excel.

Double-check that all suggested contacts appear. If some are missing, go back to Outlook Web and ensure you selected the correct filter before exporting. This step ensures you have a complete, usable list.

To avoid repeating this process, set up a monthly reminder in your calendar. I like to use Google Calendar or Outlook Tasks to prompt me every 30 days. This keeps your suggested contacts list fresh without extra effort.

For power users, consider using Power Automate to auto-export contacts based on triggers like new suggestions. It’s a bit more advanced but saves time if you manage large networks.

Tips & tricks for exporting your Office 365 suggested contacts

Here's what I've learned from exporting these lists for clients over the years—these little tricks make all the difference when you're working with Microsoft's contact system.

Visual Cues for Step 2: The "Suggested" tag is subtle but crucial—look for the small gray text next to each contact's name. If you're not seeing it immediately, try refreshing your browser or logging out and back in. I've seen accounts where the suggested contacts blend right into the main list until you force a refresh. Also, if your view shows just icons instead of names, click the "View" dropdown and select "Name and details" to reveal all information.

CSV File Naming Strategy: Instead of just calling it "contacts.csv," I recommend using the format I mentioned—Office365SuggestedContactsYYYYMMDD.csv. This creates a chronological archive you can easily sort through later. Pro tip: Add a version number if you're exporting multiple times in the same month, like Office365SuggestedContactsV2_20240515.csv. This prevents overwriting important files when you need to compare versions.

Garbling Prevention: If your CSV opens as garbled text in Excel, try this sequence: open in Notepad first, then copy all content and paste into a new Excel document. This cleans up any hidden formatting issues. I've also found that using the latest version of Excel (or LibreOffice Calc) handles these files more reliably than older versions. For extra safety, save your original CSV in a separate folder before opening it in Excel.

Automation Shortcut: If you're using Power Automate for the automation step, create a flow that triggers when new suggested contacts appear. I set mine to run weekly and automatically saves the updated list to OneDrive. The flow can also send you an email notification when new contacts are available—this is especially useful if you're managing a sales team where suggested contacts come in frequently.

Frequently asked questions

Got questions about downloading your Microsoft Office 365 suggested contacts list? We’ve got answers! Here are some of the most common queries—and solutions—to help you export your network smoothly.

Wrapping up and next steps

Downloading your Microsoft Office 365 suggested contacts list is a simple way to keep your professional network organized and accessible. Whether you’re switching platforms or just backing up your connections, these steps ensure you never lose touch with important contacts. 🌟

Now that you’re equipped with the knowledge, take the next step: export your list today and explore how Outlook’s advanced features can further streamline your workflow. Your network is just a few clicks away—go ahead and make it work for you!