What is the safest way to remove copied address book entries from a large vCard file?

My vCard file has a large number of saved contacts, but many entries look copied or repeated. I do not want to lose phone numbers, emails, or names while cleaning the file. What is the safest way to handle this situation?

 

A large vCard file can not be cleaned by only checking contact names. Two entries can share the same name, but one may have a work email and the other a personal number. So, match the copied address book records using stronger fields, such as mobile number and email address.

Safe way to handle it:

• keep the original VCF file untouched
• create one copy for cleanup
• check duplicates by email, phone number, and name
• save the cleaned file in a separate folder
• open a few important contacts before importing it again

For this kind of field level cleanup, Softaken vCard Duplicate Remover provides filters for first name, last name, email address, and mobile number. It runs on Windows and keeps the contact file on your system, so the VCF data is not uploaded online.
Try the free demo on the copied file first. If the output looks correct, then clean the main address book.