The Salesforce Data Loader vs Data Import Wizard choice comes down to volume, object and operation. Use the wizard for smaller loads of a supported object. Use Data Loader for any object, deletes, exports, scheduled jobs and very large files.
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Salesforce sets both limits in its When to Use Data Loader guide. The wizard covers accounts, contacts, leads, solutions, person accounts, campaign members and custom objects.
What is the difference between Data Loader and the Data Import Wizard?
The Data Import Wizard is a browser tool inside Salesforce Setup for simple imports. Data Loader is a free desktop client application from Salesforce for bulk import and export of data. The wizard guards you with duplicate matching. Data Loader gives you every object and every operation, with fewer guardrails.
| Question | Data Import Wizard | Data Loader |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | In the browser, from Setup | Desktop app on macOS or Windows |
| Records per job | Fewer than 50,000 | Up to 150 million per CSV file |
| Objects | Accounts, contacts, leads, solutions, person accounts, campaign members, custom objects | All standard and custom objects |
| Operations | Add new, update existing, or both | Insert, update, upsert, delete, hard delete, export, export all |
| Duplicate matching | Account.Name and Account.Site, Contact.Email, Lead.Email | None built in. Upsert matches on record ID or an external ID |
| Scheduled loads | No | Yes, from the command line (Windows only) |
| Install | None | Java Runtime Environment 17 or later, then the app |
| Source | Import Data Wizard help | When to Use Data Loader |
Both tools come with Salesforce at no extra charge. Data Loader is available in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited and Developer editions (Salesforce Developers).
The 50,000 line is the main rule. Salesforce's own guidance puts the wizard under 50,000 records and Data Loader from there up to 150 million (Trailhead).
When should you use the Data Import Wizard?
Use the wizard when all four of these are true. Salesforce lists the first three in its When to Use Data Loader page.
- You load fewer than 50,000 records.
- The object is on the wizard's list. Opportunities, cases and tasks are not.
- You want Salesforce to stop duplicates by account name and site, contact email or lead email.
- The job is a one-off, not a nightly feed.
To open it, go to Setup > Data > Data Import Wizard (or type "Data Import Wizard" in Quick Find), then click Launch Wizard. Pick Standard Objects or Custom Objects. Then choose "Add new records", "Update existing records" or "Add new and update existing records" (Salesforce Help).
Users who are not admins can open the wizard from their personal settings. That makes it the right tool for a sales manager loading a lead list from an event. One trap: when you update or upsert a custom object, matching by Name is case-sensitive (Salesforce Help).
When should you use Data Loader?
Use Data Loader when any one of these is true (Salesforce Developers):
- You load 50,000 records or more, up to 150 million in one CSV file (Salesforce lists a maximum of 150,000,000 records).
- The object is not on the wizard's list, such as
Opportunity,Case,TaskorOpportunityLineItem. - You must delete, hard delete or export records.
- The same field mapping runs again and again. Data Loader saves it as an
.sdlmapping file. - You want a scheduled load, such as a nightly import, or a backup export.
Data Loader needs more from you. You install Java 17 or later, and your user needs the API Enabled permission plus the right object access, such as Create on Account to insert accounts (Salesforce Developers). Hard delete also needs the Bulk API Hard Delete permission. Salesforce does not put it on the standard System Administrator profile, so you add it with a permission set (Salesforce Help).
For the click-by-click steps, read our step-by-step Data Loader guide.
Which tool fits three common jobs?
Here is how the rules play out on real objects.
- Event leads into
Lead. A short list of trade-show contacts goes through the wizard. Match onLead.Emailso returning people update instead of duplicating. - New owners on every
Account. Export with the querySELECT Id, OwnerId FROM Account, changeAccount.OwnerIdin the CSV, then run an update matched onAccount.Id. - Product lines on deals.
OpportunityLineItemis not on the wizard's list, so Data Loader is the only native choice. LoadOpportunityfirst and carry its new ID intoOpportunityLineItem.OpportunityId.
How do you choose? Answer these 5 questions in order
- Do you need to delete or export? Use Data Loader. The wizard only adds and updates.
- Is the object on the wizard's list? If not, use Data Loader.
- Is the file under 50,000 rows? If not, use Data Loader.
- Will the job repeat on a schedule? Use Data Loader's command line on Windows, or a scheduled tool from our list of Data Loader alternatives.
- Do you need duplicate checks on email or account name? Use the wizard.
If you reach the end with no Data Loader answer, the wizard is the safer pick. It catches duplicates that Data Loader would load.
A file over 150 million records needs neither tool. Salesforce recommends a partner or a partner product for that volume (Salesforce Developers).
What goes wrong with each tool?
Most failed loads come from a few known traps.
| Trap | Tool | What happens | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard delete | Data Loader | Records skip the Recycle Bin and cannot be restored | Export a backup first. Hard delete only runs with Bulk API on (Enable Bulk API) |
| Blank cells on update | Data Loader | With Bulk API on, empty values are ignored, so fields keep their old value | Turn off Bulk API and tick "Insert null values" (Bulk API behavior) |
| Wrong match key | Wizard | Case-sensitive Name matching creates new custom records instead of updates | Match on a Salesforce ID or clean the names |
| Duplicates | Data Loader | Insert has no duplicate matching | Use upsert on an external ID, or dedupe the CSV first |
| Scheduling on a Mac | Data Loader | The command-line mode is Windows only | Run it on a Windows machine or use a scheduled tool (CLI prerequisites) |
How do you undo a bad load?
Plan the undo before you click Finish in Data Loader or Start Import in the wizard. Each operation has its own undo.
- Before any update or delete, run File > Export in Data Loader on the target object, keeping
Idand every field you will touch. That file is your backup. - After a bad update, run a second Data Loader update with the backup file, matched on
Id. The old values go back. - After a soft delete, restore the records from the Recycle Bin. Deleted records stay there for 15 days (Salesforce Help).
- After a bad wizard insert, export the new rows with
SELECT Id FROM Lead WHERE CreatedDate = TODAY AND CreatedById = '005xx000001AbCd', then delete them with Data Loader. - After a hard delete, no undo exists. Only your backup export can rebuild the records, with new IDs.
Bulk loads also hit platform limits. With the Bulk API, one batch holds at most 10,000 records (Bulk API limits).
When does neither tool fit?
Both tools copy CSV rows into fields. Neither one fixes a value, so a phone stored as Contact.Phone text stays as messy as the file. Three jobs fall in that gap:
- Messy source data. Neither tool normalizes
Contact.Phoneor merges "Acme Inc" and "ACME, Inc." into oneAccount. - Multi-object loads. You load accounts, then contacts, then opportunities, in order, and carry the new IDs across by hand.
- Repeat jobs on a Mac. The scheduled mode needs Windows.
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FAQ: common questions about Data Loader vs the Data Import Wizard
Can the Data Import Wizard delete records?
No. The wizard adds new records, updates existing ones, or does both. Use Data Loader to delete, hard delete or export.
Can the Data Import Wizard import opportunities?
No. Opportunities are not on the wizard's list of objects. Use Data Loader, which supports every standard and custom object.
Does Data Loader work on a Mac?
Yes. Data Loader runs on macOS and Windows with Java version 17 or later. Only the command-line batch mode is limited to Windows.
How many records can Data Loader handle?
Data Loader supports CSV files of up to 150 million records, per Salesforce. For more, Salesforce recommends a partner or a partner product.
Does Data Loader check for duplicates?
No. It matches only on the record ID, or on an external ID when you upsert. Clean duplicates in the file before you load it.
Sources
Salesforce documentation
- When to Use Data Loader
- Import Data with the Data Import Wizard
- Download and Install Data Loader
- Data Loader Behavior with Bulk API Enabled
- Enable Bulk API
- Command-line prerequisites
- Bulk API and Bulk API 2.0 Limits and Allocations
- How to Enable the Bulk API Hard Delete Permission
- Import Data, Trailhead
Last reviewed October 2026
Last updated: October 22, 2026
