If you’re in sales or marketing and using LinkedIn Sales Navigator, you know it’s great for finding leads—until you try moving those leads into your CRM. Then it suddenly feels like you’re being punished for wanting to work efficiently.
There’s no “Export to CRM” button (thanks, LinkedIn), and there’s a lot of noise online about hacks, shady browser extensions, or pricey third-party tools. This guide is for anyone who wants the real, current ways to get lead lists out of Sales Navigator and into your CRM—without breaking rules or wasting hours on manual entry.
Let’s skip the fluff. Here’s what actually works, what doesn’t, and how to keep your workflow sane.
Quick Reality Check: What LinkedIn Actually Allows
First, a little tough love: LinkedIn Sales Navigator is not designed to let you export lead lists directly. That’s by design. LinkedIn wants you using their platform, not mass-exporting data.
Here’s what you can do, above board:
- Export Account lists (companies) directly to CSV (if you’re on certain plans)
- Sync leads to some CRMs with official integrations (but it’s limited)
- Use third-party tools at your own risk (some are against LinkedIn’s terms)
- Manually copy/paste or use browser tricks (tedious, but sometimes necessary)
If you see a tool claiming “full lead export—one click,” be skeptical. It’s usually not as clean as advertised.
Step 1: Figure Out What You Really Need
Before you start, get clear on:
- Are you exporting leads (people) or accounts (companies)?
- What CRM are you using? (Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, etc.)
- How often will you need to do this? (One-time? Weekly?)
Why? The method you use depends on these answers. For example, exporting company lists is easier than exporting individual leads.
Pro tip: If you just need a handful of contacts, manual methods are fine. If you need hundreds regularly, look at integrations or automation.
Step 2: Exporting Account Lists (Companies) from Sales Navigator
If you’re trying to move a list of companies—not individual people—LinkedIn actually gives you a built-in export option (sort of). Here’s how:
- Go to your Account List in Sales Navigator.
- Select the list you want.
- Look for the “Export to CSV” option. (This is only available on Advanced or Advanced Plus plans.)
- Download the CSV.
- Import the CSV into your CRM. Most CRMs have an “Import” or “Upload” feature for company lists.
What works:
- Straightforward, official, and doesn’t break any rules.
- Fields are pretty basic: company name, website, industry, etc.
What doesn’t:
- You can’t export lead (person) lists this way.
- The exported data is limited—don’t expect emails or phone numbers.
If you’re not on a plan with CSV export, you’re stuck with manual copy/paste or using a third-party tool.
Step 3: Exporting Lead Lists (People)—Your Options
Here’s where things get tricky. LinkedIn won’t let you export a list of leads (people) directly, no matter what plan you’re on. Here are your real-world options:
Option A: Use a CRM Integration (If Your CRM Supports It)
Sales Navigator has “native” integrations with some big CRMs—mostly Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365. Here’s how it works:
- Ask your admin to connect Sales Navigator to your CRM (this usually requires admin rights on both platforms).
- Once connected, you can sync leads/accounts directly from Sales Navigator to your CRM.
- You’ll typically see a “Save to CRM” or similar button when viewing a lead.
What works:
- It’s legit and automated.
- Best for teams using Salesforce or Dynamics 365.
- Keeps CRM records updated with LinkedIn info.
What doesn’t:
- Only works with a handful of CRMs.
- You need the right (more expensive) Sales Navigator plan.
- Doesn’t export everything—just profile links, names, and some company info. No emails or phone numbers unless LinkedIn has them, which is rare.
Ignore this if:
- You’re using HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho, or anything else not officially supported.
Option B: Manual Copy and Paste
If you only need a few leads, or you’re doing a one-time export, sometimes the best way is the old-fashioned way:
- Open your lead list in Sales Navigator.
- Open your CRM in another tab.
- Click through each lead, copy the info you need (name, title, company, LinkedIn URL), and paste into your CRM or a spreadsheet.
- Import the spreadsheet into your CRM if needed.
What works:
- No tools or subscriptions needed.
- No risk of violating LinkedIn’s terms.
What doesn’t:
- Painfully slow for big lists.
- Easy to make mistakes or miss data.
Pro tip:
If you have to do this regularly, set up a spreadsheet template to speed things up.
Option C: Use Browser Extensions or Data Scraping Tools (Proceed with Caution)
There are Chrome extensions and third-party tools that claim to export lead lists from Sales Navigator. Examples include “Dux-Soup,” “Phantombuster,” and “Wiza.” Here’s what you need to know:
- Technically, most of these are against LinkedIn’s terms of service. If LinkedIn catches you, your account could get restricted or banned.
- Data quality varies. Some tools just pull public info (name, company, LinkedIn URL). Premium tools may try to find emails, but accuracy is hit-or-miss.
- Most aren’t free—expect to pay monthly fees.
- Some CRMs have direct integrations with these tools, which can make importing easier.
If you go this route:
- Use a burner LinkedIn account if you can afford to lose it (seriously).
- Don’t go overboard—scraping too much data too quickly is a red flag.
- Always check local privacy laws and your company’s policies.
What works:
- Fast for bulk exports.
- Can save hours if you need lots of leads regularly.
What doesn’t:
- Risky for your LinkedIn account.
- Data often needs cleaning before import.
Ignore this if:
- Your company is strict about compliance.
- You can’t risk losing access to LinkedIn.
Option D: Zapier and Automation Tools
If you want to get fancy, some automation platforms (like Zapier or Make/Integromat) can semi-automate the process, but there’s a catch: LinkedIn doesn’t officially support automation APIs for lead lists.
The usual workaround is combining LinkedIn with email finders or CRMs that have browser integrations, but it’s never a true “export” and almost always requires manual review.
Worth it? For most people, probably not. These are best for tech-savvy teams who don’t mind tinkering and understand the risks.
Step 4: Cleaning and Importing Data Into Your CRM
No matter how you get your lead data, odds are it’ll need cleaning before it’s usable in your CRM.
- Standardize fields: Make sure you have columns for First Name, Last Name, Company, Title, LinkedIn URL, Email (if you have it).
- Remove duplicates: Especially if using scraping tools or combining lists.
- Check for missing info: Many leads won’t have email addresses. Decide if you want to fill them in with email finder tools (again: privacy and compliance matter here).
- Save your import template: Most CRMs let you map spreadsheet columns to CRM fields—save this mapping to speed things up next time.
Pro tip:
Import a small batch first to make sure everything lands in the right place. Nothing’s worse than importing 500 leads and realizing all the names ended up in the “Notes” field.
What to Ignore (and Why)
- Any tool promising “100% verified emails” from LinkedIn: Nope. LinkedIn doesn’t let anyone export private contact info in bulk.
- “One-click export” browser plugins: If it sounds too good to be true, it is. At best, you’ll get basic info. At worst, you’ll get your account flagged.
- Manual LinkedIn “Data Download”: This only exports your connections—not leads or saved lists.
Wrapping Up: Keep It Simple and Safe
Getting your lead lists out of Sales Navigator and into your CRM isn’t effortless, but it’s doable. Stick to official integrations or manual exports if you can. If you need to scale up, weigh the risks of scraping tools. Don’t overcomplicate it—start simple, get your process dialed in, and only add automation if your workflow really needs it.
And remember: No tool will magically solve bad data or a messy CRM. Clean inputs, clear process, and a little patience beat flashy hacks every time.