How we test our tools
Last updated · By Team ToolkitHere
Every ToolkitHere tool is tested with sample files we create ourselves, in several browsers, with automatic checks that no file data leaves the page. We never test with real people's personal data.
What sample files do we use?
We build our own test files with made-up names and numbers. For the VCF to CSV Converter they include:
| Sample file | What it checks |
|---|---|
| vCard 3.0 in the style of an iPhone export | Labels, custom labels, multi-line addresses, photos |
| vCard 2.1 in the style of an older Android export | Quoted-printable text, accented and Chinese names, unindented photo data |
| vCard 4.0 | Phone numbers as links, preferred entries, dates without a year |
| Windows-1252, UTF-16 and Shift_JIS files | Files that are not saved as UTF-8 |
| A file with garbled characters | Automatic repair of text like José |
| A deliberately broken file | Missing end lines, junk lines, nested cards, broken encoding |
| A generated file with 5,000 contacts | Speed, and a smooth preview |
| A CSV file, an empty file and a zip file | Clear error messages for the wrong kind of file |
For the ICS Viewer they include:
| Sample file | What it checks |
|---|---|
| A calendar in the style of a Google export | A weekly series across a daylight-saving change, a skipped date, a moved meeting, all-day and multi-day events |
| A calendar in the style of an Outlook export | A Windows time zone name with its own rules, accented text |
| Events with time zones but no zone rules | Standard, prefixed and Windows zone names, and an unknown zone |
| Edge cases | A series that never ends, a cancelled occurrence, an untitled event, two calendars in one file |
| Two overlapping calendars | Merging, with exact duplicates removed and tasks kept |
| A deliberately broken file | Junk lines and an event with no start time |
For the Chat Export Viewer they include:
| Sample file | What it checks |
|---|---|
| An export in the style of an iPhone | Brackets and seconds, hidden characters, system lines, multi-line, edited and deleted messages |
| The same export as a .zip with a photo and a voice note | Attachments shown inside the chat, loaded on demand |
| An export in the style of a US Android phone | 12-hour times, month-first dates, captions, omitted media, emoji |
| A German-style group chat | 24-hour times, dotted day-first dates, umlauts, phone numbers as names |
| Dates that could be read either way | Day/month detection and the switch to correct it |
| A generated chat with 50,000 messages | Speed, smooth scrolling and jump to date |
What do the automatic tests check?
- The reader itself: unit tests check that every sample file gives exactly the expected names, numbers, labels and dates.
- The whole tool in a browser: the tests add a file, check the preview, download the CSV and Excel files, and check what is inside them.
- Privacy: the tests record every network request after a file is added and fail if any request could carry file data. They also check that the part of the page that reads your file cannot reach the internet at all.
- Error messages: the tests add a wrong file, an empty file and a zip file, and check the message that appears.
- Speed and accessibility: every page is checked with Lighthouse on a simulated mid-range phone.
Which browsers and devices do we test on?
| Setup | How | Last checked |
|---|---|---|
| Chrome (desktop) | Automated tests | October 11, 2026 |
| Firefox (desktop) | Automated tests | October 11, 2026 |
| Safari engine (desktop) | Automated tests | October 11, 2026 |
| Android phone size | Automated tests, simulated | October 11, 2026 |
| iPhone size | Automated tests, simulated | October 11, 2026 |
How do we check export steps for other apps?
Steps like "how to export your contacts from an iPhone" are checked against the app maker's own help pages, such as Apple Support, Google Help, Microsoft Support and the WhatsApp Help Center. Each page shows the date of its last check. When a menu changes, we update the steps and the date.
Where can I see this for myself?
You can repeat our privacy check at home. The How it works page shows how, using airplane mode or your browser's network tab.