How-to
How to Transfer Everything to Your New Phone (iPhone and Android)
iPhone to iPhone: Quick Start. Android to iPhone: Move to iOS. To Android: the cable or Smart Switch. Here's each one, step by step.
Do it during setup on the new phone, with both phones charged and side by side. iPhone to iPhone: use Quick Start. Android to iPhone: use the Move to iOS app. iPhone or Android to Android: use the cable transfer, or Samsung Smart Switch on a Galaxy.
⚠️ Back up the old phone first
Transfers usually go fine, but if one fails halfway you'll want a backup. Two minutes now saves your photos later. See how to back up. Don't reset the old phone until you've checked everything arrived.
Before you start
- Charge both phones above 50%, or keep them plugged in.
- Connect both to the same Wi-Fi.
- Update the old phone's software if you can.
- Know your Apple Account or Google password. You'll need it.
- Moving your number? Put your SIM in the new phone, or set up eSIM transfer when the phone asks.
Pick your switch
- Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to the old one.
- Quick Start pops up on the old iPhone. Tap Continue.
- Scan the animation on the new iPhone with the old iPhone's camera.
- Enter your old passcode on the new phone, and set up Face ID.
- Choose "Transfer from iPhone". Keep the phones close until it finishes. Big photo libraries can take an hour or more.
- Prefer the cloud? Choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" instead, after doing a fresh backup on the old phone.
- Install Move to iOS from the Play Store on the Android phone.
- Set up the new iPhone until you see Apps & Data (or Transfer Your Apps & Data). Choose From Android.
- Open Move to iOS on the Android and enter the code shown on the iPhone.
- Pick what to move: contacts, messages, photos, videos, calendars, mail accounts and WhatsApp chats.
- Leave both phones alone until the iPhone says it's done, even if Android says it finished.
- Reinstall apps from the App Store. Free apps that exist on both may get suggested. Paid Android apps don't carry over.
- Turn off iMessage and FaceTime on the iPhone first (Settings → Messages, Settings → FaceTime). Otherwise texts from iPhone users can go missing.
- Galaxy: during setup, choose to copy data and pick iPhone. Use a USB-C to Lightning (or USB-C to USB-C) cable, or let Smart Switch pull from iCloud.
- Pixel: during setup, choose "Copy apps & data" and connect the iPhone with a cable. Follow the prompts.
- Photos: large iCloud libraries move faster with Apple's "Transfer a copy to Google Photos" tool at privacy.apple.com.
- Already reset the iPhone? Deregister your number from iMessage on Apple's website so texts don't get stuck.
- Turn on the new phone and connect to Wi-Fi.
- Choose to copy apps and data. Connect the phones with a USB-C cable for the fastest transfer, or go wireless.
- Galaxy to Galaxy: Smart Switch handles it and also brings over Samsung settings and home screen layout.
- From a Google backup: sign into the same Google account and pick the backup when asked.
- Check apps with their own backups: WhatsApp, Signal, banking apps and 2FA apps often need extra steps.
Don't forget these
- Two-factor apps (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator): export or move accounts before wiping the old phone, or you can get locked out of accounts.
- Banking apps: usually need you to sign in again and re-verify.
- Smartwatch: unpair from the old phone and pair to the new one.
- eSIM: follow your carrier's transfer steps.
After the transfer
- Open Photos, Messages and Contacts to check everything landed.
- Wait a day of normal use.
- Then reset the old phone and sell or trade it in. Get a quote here.
Still shopping for the new phone?
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FAQ
How long does it take to transfer data to a new phone?
Anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. Big photo and video libraries take the longest. A cable is faster than Wi-Fi.
Can I transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone?
Yes. Move to iOS can transfer WhatsApp chats during setup. Choose WhatsApp in the list and follow the prompt in WhatsApp on the Android phone.
Do my apps transfer between iPhone and Android?
Your data does, apps don't. You reinstall apps from the new phone's store. Paid apps usually need to be bought again on the other platform.
Can I transfer data after I've already set up the new phone?
On iPhone, you need to erase and set it up again to use Quick Start or Move to iOS. On Galaxy, Smart Switch works any time. On other Android phones, you can copy photos and files manually.
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