# Create a list and import a file

Source: https://listplus.ai/en/help/lists-and-import/create-list-and-import-file
Last updated: 2026-09-28

Lists are where the work happens: quality checks, enrichment, AI commands and
export all run on a list. You create one from the **New List** button on Home,
or by dropping a file anywhere on the Home page — both open the same wizard.
A new list is created in your active **workspace**, so every member of that
workspace sees it (see "What is a workspace").

## The Lists start page ("No lists yet")

Before your workspace has any list, clicking **Lists** in the rail shows
**No lists yet** ("A list comes from your own data or from a search.") with
six **Ways to your first list**:

- **Import a file** → **Choose file** (Excel, CSV or JSON).
- **From Segment Search** → **Open segments** (find an audience by filters).
- **From AI Research** → **Start research** (leads no database has).
- **From Saved** → **Open Saved** (turn contacts you saved into a list).
- **Connect an app** → **Connect** (HubSpot, Google Sheets and more, gated
  by plan).
- **Empty list** → **Create list** (set up your own columns, free — see
  "Starting without data").

A box **Just want to look around?** offers **Open a sample list**, which
loads the sample contacts straight into the import preview (see "Trying
ListPlus with a sample list").

## Starting the wizard

The wizard asks "How do you want to start?" with two groups. **Use existing
data**: **Import a file** (drop an Excel, CSV or JSON file, or click to choose
one) or **Or connect your system** (Google Sheets, Airtable, HubSpot and other
tools, gated by plan). **Build a new list**: **Find Contacts** (Person Search,
Segment Search or AI Research), **Collect web data** from LinkedIn, or **Start
without data** from a template or a blank column set. Dropping a file
directly onto the Home page skips straight to this same wizard with your file
already attached — you need to be signed in first. Dropping or attaching an
Excel file — or a CSV/JSON table file — inside the **Inbox (Eingang)** instead goes straight into this
same wizard too, rather than becoming an Inbox entry.

## Importing a file

1. Drop or select the file. CSV, Excel (.xlsx, .xlsm, .xls), JSON, TXT and TSV
   are accepted, up to 100 MB; encoding and delimiters are detected
   automatically.
2. For Excel files with multiple tabs, pick the worksheet or table to import.
3. Check the preview (the first 20 rows) and the detected field types. By
   default ListPlus uses AI to recognise what each column holds — email, first
   name, company, phone and so on — because checks and enrichment rely on it
   later. A **Skip AI Enhancement** button appears only if AI is unavailable or
   the analysis fails; otherwise the AI step always runs.
4. Name the list and click **Create List**.

A file import costs 1 credit, checked against your balance before the import
starts; see "What happens when I don't have enough credits?" if your balance
is too low. Column type detection itself is billed separately, by AI usage —
see "[AI, research and import costs](https://listplus.ai/en/help/plans-credits-billing/price-list-ai-research-imports)" for that cost.

## Record limit

The workspace owner's plan caps how many records all lists together can
hold, counted across every workspace that person owns — see
"What is the record limit?" for the exact numbers and what happens when an
import is larger than your remaining capacity.

## Duplicates

Files are not deduplicated on import; use the duplicate checks in the list
afterwards, or **Consolidate Lists** on Home to merge several lists with
duplicate detection.

## Starting without data

Choosing **Start without data** and picking a template and clicking
**Create list** creates the list with an empty row — via **Start without
data** this costs nothing, since only file, connected-tool and LinkedIn
imports are billed. Fill it later by import or enrichment. The sample-list
buttons ("Open a sample list", "Try a sample list") and a finder's "…or
create a new list" option are not this path —
they create the list from a file behind the scenes, so they cost the usual
1 credit.

## After the import

To rename, duplicate, group or delete lists, see "Projects and list
management".

**Related topics:** record-limit · not-enough-credits ·
price-list-ai-research-imports · import-file-details · column-detection ·
import-from-url · empty-list-and-templates · projects-and-list-management.

## FAQ

### How do I import an Excel or CSV file?

Click **New List** on Home, then drop or select your file (Excel, CSV, JSON, TXT or TSV, up to 100 MB). Pick the worksheet if it is an Excel file, check the preview and the detected field types, name the list and click **Create List**. A file import costs 1 credit.

### Which file formats can I import?

Excel (.xlsx, .xlsm, .xls), CSV, TSV, TXT and JSON, up to 100 MB per file. You can also load a file from a direct link or a Google Sheets share link, or connect a tool such as Google Sheets or Airtable directly — see "Which apps can I connect?".

### Can I just drop a file onto the Home page?

Yes — dropping a supported file (.csv, .xlsx, .xls or .json) anywhere on the Home page takes you straight into the New List wizard with that file already attached; you don't have to click New List first. You do need to be signed in.

### How many contacts can I import?

As many as the workspace owner's record limit still has room for, counted across all lists in every workspace they own — Basic 10,000, Pro 100,000, Premium 1,000,000. See "What is the record limit?" for what happens when a file is larger than your remaining capacity.

### Why does the import ask about field types?

ListPlus needs to know what each column holds — email, first name, company, phone and so on — because checks and enrichment depend on it. AI recognises this automatically during every import; you can adjust the detected types in the preview afterwards, or skip the AI step with the **Skip AI Enhancement** button when it's offered.

### Does the import remove duplicates?

No, files are imported as they are. Run the duplicate checks in the list afterwards to find and merge duplicates by email, phone, LinkedIn URL or name and company, or use **Consolidate Lists** on Home to merge several lists into one with duplicate detection.

### Can I paste contacts instead of uploading a file?

Not in the import wizard. Paste notes, signatures or a small table into **Inbox (Eingang)** instead and click **Recognize contacts** (0.5 credits or more per run); a table with more than 10 rows and at least 3 columns is offered as **Import as list** instead, opening this same wizard with the table pre-loaded. Inbox entries — recognized or not — expire after 14 days unless you save the people or add them to a list.

### Can I import contacts from LinkedIn?

Yes, through the wizard's LinkedIn options: a Sales Navigator search, the employees of a LinkedIn company page, a LinkedIn profile search, or the people who reacted to or commented on a post. These imports deliver names, job titles, companies and LinkedIn URLs but no email addresses — you add those with enrichment afterwards; ListPlus never uses your own LinkedIn account. To start, your balance must cover the maximum cost; the actual charge follows once the import finishes.

### What are the ways to create my first list?

With no lists yet, the Lists page shows "No lists yet" with six ways: Import a file, From Segment Search, From AI Research, From Saved, Connect an app, and Empty list. A file import costs 1 credit, an empty list is free, and the finders charge for their searches as usual. To just look around first, click Open a sample list on the same page.

### Which workspace does a new list go into?

Every new list — imported, created empty or added from a finder — is created in the workspace that is active when you create it, and every member of that workspace can see and edit it. Check the workspace name in the Home page header before importing, and switch there if needed. Lists can't be moved between workspaces afterwards, only exported and imported again.

### Can I start a list with no data at all?

Yes — choose **Start without data** in the wizard, pick a template (Contacts, Companies, HubSpot, Outbound or Custom structure), adjust the columns if you like, name the list and click **Create list**. The list opens with an empty row, ready to fill. This is free; fill it later with an import, a finder or enrichment.