Beginner
How to import contacts from CSV on Mailchimp
Quick Answer
To import contacts from CSV in Mailchimp, navigate to your audience, click Import Contacts, upload your CSV file, and map the columns to Mailchimp fields. The process typically takes a few minutes to complete depending on file size.
Prerequisites
- Active Mailchimp account
- CSV file with contact data properly formatted
- Audience/list already created in Mailchimp
- Email addresses in valid format
1
Navigate to your Audience
Log into your Mailchimp account and click on Audience in the main navigation menu. Select the audience where you want to import your contacts, or create a new one by clicking Create Audience.
Tip
Make sure you're importing to the correct audience as contacts cannot be easily moved between audiences later.
2
Access the Import Contacts feature
In your selected audience, click on Add contacts dropdown menu and select Import contacts. This will open the import wizard where you can upload your CSV file.
3
Upload your CSV file
Click Upload file and select your CSV file from your computer. Mailchimp accepts files up to 10MB in size. Once uploaded, click Continue to proceed to the next step.
Tip
Ensure your CSV file has column headers in the first row for easier mapping.
4
Map CSV columns to Mailchimp fields
Mailchimp will display your CSV columns and ask you to map them to corresponding fields. Map Email Address first (required), then map other columns like First Name, Last Name, and any custom fields. Click Continue when mapping is complete.
Tip
You can create new merge tags for custom fields that don't exist in your audience yet.
5
Configure import settings
Choose whether to Subscribe contacts automatically or keep them Unsubscribed until they opt-in. Select if you want to Update existing contacts or skip duplicates. Review the settings and click Continue.
Tip
For compliance, consider importing contacts as unsubscribed and send a re-engagement campaign.
6
Add tags and review
Optionally add tags to organize these imported contacts. Review the import summary showing total contacts, new contacts, and updates. Verify all settings are correct before proceeding.
Tip
Tags help segment your imported contacts for targeted campaigns later.
7
Complete the import
Click Import to start the process. Mailchimp will show a progress indicator and send you an email notification when the import is complete. You can close the window and check back later for large imports.
8
Verify imported contacts
Once the import completes, go to your Audience dashboard to verify the contacts were imported correctly. Check the contact count and review a few individual contact profiles to ensure data mapped properly.
Tip
Look for any import errors in the notification email and address them promptly.
Troubleshooting
CSV file upload fails or shows formatting errors
Ensure your CSV uses UTF-8 encoding, has proper column headers, and email addresses are in valid format. Remove any special characters or extra commas that might break the CSV structure.
Email addresses are rejected during import
Check that email addresses follow proper format (user@domain.com) and remove any invalid entries. Mailchimp will reject obviously fake emails like test@test.com or emails with invalid domains.
Custom fields don't map correctly
Create the custom merge tags in your audience settings first, then re-import. Ensure column headers in your CSV match the merge tag names exactly.
Import gets stuck or fails to complete
Try splitting large CSV files (over 25,000 contacts) into smaller batches. Clear your browser cache and try again, or wait a few hours if Mailchimp is experiencing high traffic.
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