Read Google Contacts with Google Apps Script

This Google Apps Script with fetch all the entries from your Google Contacts including the physical addresses. It then uses the geocoding service of Google Maps to turn these addresses into latitude and longtude points which are finally written to a KML file for reading inside Google Maps.

function Generate_KML() {
  var ss = SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet();
  ss.toast('Scanning your Google Contacts. Please wait..', 'Scan Started', -1);

  var contacts = ContactsApp.getContacts();

  // Standard header of the KML File
  var kml = '<kml xmlns="http://www.opengis.net/kml/2.2"';
  kml += '<Document><name>Google Contacts</name>';

  for (var i = 0; i < contacts.length; i++) {
    var name = contacts[i].getFullName();
    var addr = contacts[i].getAddresses(ContactsApp.Field.HOME_ADDRESS);

    // Get the Work Address if Home Address is unavailable
    if (!addr.length) addr = contacts[i].getAddresses(ContactsApp.Field.WORK_ADDRESS);

    if (addr.length) {
      addr = addr[0].getAddress();
      addr = addr.replace(/\n/g, ', ');

      // Get the Latitude, Longitude for the address
      var geocode = Maps.newGeocoder().geocode(addr);

      if (geocode.status == 'OK') {
        var point = geocode.results[0].geometry.location;
        addr = geocode.results[0].formatted_address;

        kml += '<Placemark><name>' + name + '</name><description><![CDATA[';
        kml += addr + ']]></description><Point><coordinates>';
        kml += point.lng + ',' + point.lat + '</coordinates>';
        kml += '</Point></Placemark>';
      }
    }
  }

  kml += '</Document></kml>';

  var attach = [{ fileName: 'address.kml', content: kml }];

  // Send the KML file as an email attachment to the current user
  GmailApp.sendEmail(Session.getEffectiveUser(), 'Google Contacts Map', 'Open the KML inside Google Earth', {
    attachments: attach,
  });

  // On-screen notification
  ss.toast('The KML file has been sent to your mailbox. Goodbye!', 'Done', -1);
}
Amit Agarwal

Amit Agarwal

Google Developer Expert, Google Cloud Champion

Amit Agarwal is a Google Developer Expert in Google Workspace and Google Apps Script. He holds an engineering degree in Computer Science (I.I.T.) and is the first professional blogger in India.

Amit has developed several popular Google add-ons including Mail Merge for Gmail and Document Studio. Read more on Lifehacker and YourStory

Awards & Titles

Digital Inspiration has won several awards since it's launch in 2004.

Google Developer Expert

Google Developer Expert

Google awarded us the Google Developer Expert award recogizing our work in Google Workspace.

ProductHunt Golden Kitty

ProductHunt Golden Kitty

Our Gmail tool won the Lifehack of the Year award at ProductHunt Golden Kitty Awards in 2017.

Microsoft MVP Alumni

Microsoft MVP Alumni

Microsoft awarded us the Most Valuable Professional (MVP) title for 5 years in a row.

Google Cloud Champion

Google Cloud Champion

Google awarded us the Champion Innovator title recognizing our technical skill and expertise.

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