vCard 2.1 vs 3.0 vs 4.0 — Which Version to Use
July 13, 2026
vCard, also known as VCF (Virtual Contact File), is the universal standard for exchanging contact information. But here's the thing — not all vCards are created equal. The format's evolved through three major versions: 2.1, 3.0, and 4.0. Picking the right one determines whether your contacts import correctly with special characters, photos, and custom fields. This vcard version comparison explains exactly what changed and which version you should use.
If you've ever tried importing a contact file from an iPhone into Outlook and found garbled names or missing photos, you've probably run into a version mismatch. Understanding the differences between vCard 2.1, 3.0, and 4.0 saves you from data loss during contact migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
A vCard (VCF) file is a standard format for electronic business cards, containing contact information like name, phone, email, address, photo, and custom fields for exchange between devices and applications.
Apple's iOS uses vCard 3.0 as the default export format. iPhones also import vCard 2.1 and can read many vCard 4.0 files.
Outlook has limited vCard 4.0 support. For best compatibility with Outlook, use vCard 2.1 or 3.0.
Use a converter tool like VCF to CSV followed by CSV to VCF to re-export in a different version. Google Contacts also converts versions automatically on export.
vCard 3.0 uses UTF-8 instead of quoted-printable encoding, supports structured name components, multiple phone/email entries per contact, and inline BASE64 photos. vCard 2.1's limited to basic single-instance fields.