Convert SBU to VCF

An older Samsung phone’s contacts may exist only in a Samsung Kies backup, while a replacement phone or address-book app accepts VCF imports. Exporting the contacts lets you move them without restoring the entire backup.

What the SBU format is

.sbu is Samsung Kies’s proprietary backup format. A backup can contain contacts along with other device data, so contact apps generally cannot open the file directly.

What the VCF format is

VCF, also called vCard, is a contact format supported by many phones, email programs, and address books. A VCF file can hold one or multiple contact records and commonly includes names, phone numbers, email addresses, and postal addresses.

How to convert SBU to VCF

1. Make a copy of the original .sbu file and keep it unchanged.
2. Open the backup in SBU Extractor, select the contacts, and use its vCard or VCF export option. Save the exported file with a .vcf extension.
3. Use the destination app’s contact-import function to import the VCF. Check several entries, including contacts with multiple numbers or email addresses, before deleting or replacing the backup.

Export options and compatibility can depend on the backup version. If SBU Extractor cannot read the file, try the Samsung Kies version compatible with the backup to restore the contacts to a compatible device, then export them from that device’s Contacts app as a vCard. Take care not to overwrite current device data during restoration. Online converters are a poor choice for personal address books because they require uploading contact information.

Compatibility and data limits

Some fields may not map between the backup and VCF formats. Custom fields, labels, groups, or contact photos may be omitted, and apps can differ in how they import a VCF containing multiple contacts. Confirm that the destination app displays the important details before relying on the exported file.