by Isabella Torres · Last updated: 2026-07-12

How to Export LinkedIn Contacts and Build an Email List

To export LinkedIn contacts, open Settings and Privacy, go to Data Privacy, then Get a copy of your data, select Connections, and request the archive. LinkedIn emails you a CSV of names, headlines, companies, and any emails your connections chose to share, usually within 24 hours.

That CSV is a starting point, not a mailing list. LinkedIn only includes an email address when a connection has allowed connections to see it, so your export will be partial. What you do next, cleaning, confirming consent, and importing into a proper sending platform, is what separates a compliant email program from a spam complaint.

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

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How do you export your LinkedIn contacts?

You export LinkedIn contacts through the data export tool, not the connections page. LinkedIn removed the one-click “Export contacts” button years ago and folded it into the broader data archive request. The whole process takes about five minutes of clicking, then a short wait while LinkedIn compiles your file.

Here is the current path on desktop. The mobile app hides some of these settings, so a laptop or desktop browser is the reliable route.

When the file arrives, unzip it and open Connections.csv. You will see one row per connection with first name, last name, the URL of their profile, current company, position, and the date you connected. An email column appears only where the person permitted it, which is the first thing that surprises most people.

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What data does LinkedIn include in the export?

Your export includes profile fields, not a verified marketing database. LinkedIn gives you name, headline, company, position, profile URL, and connection date for every connection. Email addresses are the exception: they only show up when a connection set their address to be visible to first-degree connections.

Here is what a typical Connections.csv gives you, and how usable each field is for email marketing.

Because the email column is patchy, many exports return usable addresses for only a fraction of connections. That is by design. LinkedIn treats a connection as a networking relationship, not a subscription. Scraping the missing addresses with third-party tools breaks LinkedIn’s User Agreement and puts your account at risk, so it is not a shortcut worth taking.

Is it legal to export and email LinkedIn contacts?

Exporting your own connections is allowed, but emailing them without consent is where you cross legal lines. Under GDPR in the EU and CAN-SPAM in the US, a LinkedIn connection accepting your request is not consent to receive marketing email. You need a lawful basis and a clear opt-out on every message.

The practical distinction is between a one-to-one message and a bulk campaign. Writing to a specific person you know, referencing your connection, is normal business correspondence. Loading hundreds of connections into a sending tool and blasting a newsletter is bulk marketing, and that triggers consent rules. Get this wrong and you risk spam complaints, a damaged sender reputation, and in the EU, regulatory exposure.

The safest move is a re-permission step. Send a short, personal note that explains what you will send, how often, and offers a one-click subscribe. Only the people who say yes go into your marketing list. It feels slower, but the resulting list is engaged, legal, and far better for your deliverability.

How do you turn exported LinkedIn contacts into an email list?

Turn the export into a list by cleaning the CSV, confirming consent, then importing the qualified rows into an email platform. The raw LinkedIn file is messy: blank email cells, duplicate companies, inconsistent capitalization, and people who never opted in. Fix that before it ever touches a sending tool.

Work through it in this order. Each step shrinks the list but raises its quality, which is exactly the trade you want.

1. Delete rows with no email. You cannot mail a blank cell, so remove them or set them aside for manual outreach.
2. Standardize the columns. Split full names into first and last, trim whitespace, and fix stray capitalization so personalization tokens read cleanly.
3. Remove duplicates and role addresses. Drop repeat entries and generic inboxes like info@ or sales@ that will not engage.
4. Tag by segment. Add a column for industry, role, or how you know the person, so you can send relevant campaigns instead of one generic blast.
5. Import and re-permission. Upload the cleaned CSV, then send the consent invite as your first message.

The platform you import into matters more than the export itself. Consumer inboxes like Gmail were never built for hundreds of recipients and will throttle or flag you fast. A dedicated email marketing software handles authentication, unsubscribe management, and deliverability so your carefully re-permissioned list actually reaches inboxes.

Once your contacts are in, segmentation is where the value shows up. Because your export carries company and role data, you can group a founders segment, an agency segment, and a former-colleague segment, then write to each with a different angle. Segmented sends consistently beat one-size-fits-all campaigns on open and reply rates.

How much does it cost to email your LinkedIn contacts?

For most people, emailing an exported LinkedIn network costs nothing to start. A typical connection list of a few hundred to a few thousand fits inside a free or entry tier, so you only pay once your list and sending volume grow. Pricing below is as of 2026-04-15.

Start on the Free plan to run your re-permission campaign and see who engages. If your qualified list outgrows 500 contacts, the Basic tier at $39 per month annual covers 5,000 contacts, which is more than most personal networks ever produce. You can review every tier on the Mailsoftly pricing page before committing, and there is no credit card required to test the workflow end to end.

The hidden cost to avoid is a bad reputation. Blasting an unconsented export gets flagged, and once spam filters distrust your sending domain, even your legitimate mail suffers. Paying a small monthly fee for a compliant platform is cheaper than rebuilding a burned sender reputation later.

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

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are most email addresses missing from my LinkedIn export?

Email addresses appear only when a connection has set their address to be visible to first-degree connections. Most people leave this private, so your CSV will show a name and company but a blank email cell for the majority of contacts. That is a LinkedIn privacy setting, not an error in your export.

Can I upload my LinkedIn export straight into an email tool and send?

You can upload it, but you should not immediately blast it. A connection accepting your request is not marketing consent under GDPR or CAN-SPAM. Clean the file, then send a personal re-permission invite first. Only the contacts who opt in belong in your ongoing marketing list.

How long does the LinkedIn data export take?

A connections-only request often lands in your inbox within minutes. The full data archive can take up to 24 hours because LinkedIn compiles far more information. If nothing arrives, check your spam folder and confirm you requested the correct data category.

Is using a scraper to fill in missing emails safe?

No. Third-party scrapers violate LinkedIn’s User Agreement and can get your account restricted or banned. Scraped addresses also lack consent, which raises the same legal and deliverability risks as any unpermissioned list. Stick to the addresses connections chose to share and re-permission the rest.

What is the best first email to send an exported connection?

Send a short, personal re-opt-in note. Remind them how you connected, explain what you plan to send and how often, and include a one-click way to subscribe or unsubscribe. This keeps you compliant and builds a list of people who genuinely want to hear from you.

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Isabella Torres

Growth Marketing Specialist at Mailsoftly

Isabella is a Growth Marketing Specialist at Mailsoftly with expertise in list building, subscriber retention, and subject line optimization. She writes actionable guides for marketers who want measurable results from email.