by Didem Kiran · Last updated: 2026-07-04

How to Export Contacts from Constant Contact (Every List, Segment, and Report)

To export contacts from Constant Contact, open the Contacts page, select the contacts you want, choose Actions and then Export selection, pick the fields you need in the export overlay, and click Export. You can export everyone or narrow it to a single list, segment, or tag, and download the file as CSV or Excel.

The whole thing takes a couple of minutes once you know where the buttons live. The two details that trip people up are where the finished file actually lands, and the permission-status setting that stays switched off by default. This guide walks through both, plus how to pull your reporting data and your suppression list so nothing gets left behind.

Whether you are tidying up, running a backup, or planning a move to a simpler tool, the export process is the same. Let us get your data out cleanly.

New here? Start with our primer on Email Platform Comparisons for the fundamentals, then come back to this guide.

Quick context: Mailsoftly offers transparent pricing, free hands-on migration, and human support. 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, no credit card.
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What Can You Export from Constant Contact (and What You Cannot)?

You can export your full contact database or any slice of it: a single list, a segment, or a tag. For each contact you choose which fields to include, and you can download the file as a CSV or an Excel spreadsheet. You can also export reporting data, either across all emails or for one specific campaign.

The important limit is not about how many contacts you can pull. It is about what data travels with them. By default the contact export does not carry permission status, meaning the consent record that tells you a subscriber opted in. If you need that for compliance, you have to switch it on first, which we cover in its own section below.

If your only reason for exporting is to leave, you may also want to read how to cancel your Constant Contact subscription cleanly once your data is safely out. Export first, cancel second: that order protects you if you ever need to re-download something before the account closes.

Read enough? Try Mailsoftly free with 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month, no credit card.Start free with Mailsoftly →

How Do You Export Contacts from Constant Contact Step by Step?

Go to the Contacts page, select the contacts you want, click Actions and then Export selection, choose which fields to include in the export overlay, and click Export. Then head to the import and export activity page to download the finished file. That is the entire flow, start to finish.

1. Open the Contacts page. This is where all of your lists, segments, and tags live.
2. Select your contacts. Check everyone, or filter to a single list, segment, or tag first so you only export the group you need.
3. Click Actions, then Export selection. This opens the export overlay where you set up the file.
4. Choose your fields. Pick the columns you want in the file, such as email, first name, last name, and any custom fields.
5. Pick your format and click Export. You can export as CSV or Excel. CSV is the safest choice for importing into another tool later.
6. Retrieve the file. Go to the import and export activity page and download it from there. It will not arrive by email.

CSV is almost always the better pick over Excel when you plan to load the data somewhere else. Nearly every email platform, including Mailsoftly, accepts a plain CSV without fuss, whereas Excel files can carry formatting quirks that need cleaning up before import.

How Do You Get the Unsubscribe or Suppression List Out (and Keep Honoring It)?

Export your unsubscribed and suppressed contacts the same way you export any other group, then keep that list intact and honor it in your next platform. Anyone who opted out of your Constant Contact emails must stay opted out everywhere. This is not optional: it is a legal and ethical requirement.

When you move to a new tool, import your suppression list as suppressed or unsubscribed contacts before you send a single campaign. Emailing someone who previously unsubscribed is one of the fastest ways to damage your sender reputation and land in spam folders, and depending on your region it can breach anti-spam law.

Consent records matter because they prove, per contact, that someone actively agreed to hear from you. If you ever need to demonstrate compliance, that history is your evidence. So the practical order is: enable Advanced Email Permissions, export contacts with permission status included, then separately export your suppression list. Now you have both the people you can email and the people you must never email.

How Do You Export Campaign and Reporting Data?

You can export reporting data for all of your emails at once, or for a single campaign on its own. This gives you a spreadsheet of the performance history: opens, clicks, and engagement that you have built up over time, so it does not vanish when you leave.

This step is easy to skip, and worth the two minutes. Your campaign history is a record of what worked with your audience: which subject lines earned opens, which offers drove clicks, and which sends fell flat. Losing it means relearning your list from scratch in a new tool. Exporting it means you carry your hard-won knowledge with you.

• All emails: Pull one combined report for a bird’s-eye view of long-term trends.
• Per campaign: Export a single send when you want to study one specific result in detail.
• Keep it dated: Name each file with the send date so your archive stays readable months later.

Store these reports alongside your contact CSV in one clearly named folder. When you set up your next platform, you will have your audience, your suppression list, and your performance history all in one place, ready to reference.

After the Export: Moving Somewhere Simpler?

Once your CSV is downloaded, you can import it into any email platform you like. If part of your reason for exporting is that Constant Contact felt heavy or expensive, this is the natural moment to try something lighter. Mailsoftly imports your CSV directly, with a free hands-on migration and real human support to help you land cleanly.

The Mailsoftly free plan gives you 500 contacts and 2,000 emails per month with no credit card required, which is enough to move a smaller list over and test everything before you commit. Constant Contact, by contrast, has no free plan, only a 60-day trial. Here is how the paid tiers compare (as of 2026-04-15).

If you want a fuller walkthrough of the switch, we have a dedicated guide on switching from Constant Contact to Mailsoftly that covers importing your CSV, rebuilding your lists, and keeping your suppression records in place. It picks up exactly where this export guide leaves off, so you never lose momentum.

Not sure Mailsoftly is the right fit yet? It is worth seeing the field before you decide. Our roundup of Constant Contact alternatives lays out the main options so you can weigh price, ease of use, and support against your own needs. Take your CSV, compare calmly, and choose the tool that actually fits how you work.

For the broader picture on this topic, see our complete Email Platform Comparisons guide, which covers strategy, fundamentals, and advanced playbooks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the Constant Contact export file go?

The file is retrieved from the import and export activity page inside your account. It is not emailed to you. After you click Export, go to that page and download the finished CSV or Excel file from there.

Does the export include permission or consent status?

No, not by default. Permission status is only included if Advanced Email Permissions is enabled in your account before you export. If you need CASL or GDPR consent records, turn that setting on first, then run the export again.

Can I export just one list, segment, or tag?

Yes. On the Contacts page you can filter to a single list, segment, or tag before selecting contacts, then choose Actions and Export selection. Only the group you filtered to will be included in the file.

What format should I export, CSV or Excel?

Choose CSV if you plan to import the data into another email platform. Nearly every tool, including Mailsoftly, accepts a plain CSV cleanly, while Excel files can carry formatting quirks that need fixing before import.

Do I still have to honor unsubscribes after I export?

Yes, always. Anyone who unsubscribed in Constant Contact must stay suppressed in any new platform. Export your suppression list, import it as suppressed contacts before your first send, and never email those addresses again.

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Didem Kiran

Content Strategist at Mailsoftly

Didem is a Business Development Specialist at Mailsoftly, based in San Ramon, California. She has focused on building partnerships and helping businesses grow with email and marketing automation.