How to transfer data from Android to iPhone

So, you’ve decided to make the switch from an Android™ device to an iPhone®. That’s exciting, but you may be worried about losing important data like message history, contacts, photos, videos, apps, and other files in the setup process. We’ll show you how to safely transfer all your crucial information from your old device to your new one.  

At Asurion, we protect and take care of your tech. Here’s our step-by-step guide on how to transfer data from Android to iPhone. 

Prepare to transfer your data from an Android to an iPhone  

Here are a few things to do before you start transferring your data:

1. Plug both phones into a power source. 
2. Confirm that your Android device has a stable Wi-Fi connection. 
3. Check that the data you’re moving will fit on your new iPhone. If you need help, check out our guide on how to free up storage space on your phone. 
4. If you want to transfer your Chrome® bookmarks, update to the latest version of Chrome on your Android device. 
5. Make sure you have your Apple® ID for your iPhone and that you have a Google® account and password for your Android. 
6. Set up an iCloud® account if you haven’t done so already. 

Ready to go? There are several ways to transfer your data from your Android phone to an iPhone. We’ll walk you through the simple steps and share tips for each one. 

Transfer your data from Android to iPhone using the move to iOS app

The fastest and easiest way to transfer your data from Android to iPhone to use the Move to iOS® app. Just make sure you complete the data transfer before you set up your new iPhone. Otherwise, you’ll need to factory reset your iPhone and start over.

Here are the steps for iOS 17: 

1. Download the Move to iOS app (available on Google Play™) on your Android device.
2. Tap Continue to read the terms and conditions, then tap Agree. 
3. Open the Move to iOS app on your Android. 
4. On your iPhone, look for an Apps & Data screen, then tap Move Data from Android.
5. You’ll see a ten-digit or six-digit code. (You may see an alert on your Android device that you have a weak internet connection. This is a common bug and nothing to worry about. You can ignore it.) 
6. Enter the ten or six-digit code on your Android device. 
7. Your iPhone will create a temporary Wi-Fi network. When prompted, tap Connect to join the network on your Android device.
8. Wait for the Transfer Data screen to appear. 
9. On your Android device, select the content you’d like to transfer, then tap Continue. 
10. Keep both devices plugged in and near each other until the loading bar on your iPhone shows that the transfer is complete. Depending on how much data you have, this could take 30 minutes or longer. 
11. When the loading bar finishes, tap Done on your Android screen. Then tap Continue on your iPhone and follow the onscreen instructions to finish your setup. 

For more tips, check out our guide to how to set up your new iPhone. 

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Manual data transfer

If you don’t want to use the Move to iOS app, or if you set up your iPhone before you transfer your data, you can transfer your important files from your Android to your iPhone manually using your Google account or, for apps, using the Google Play store.  Fair warning: manually transferring your data is more complicated. But just in case, here’s what to do:

Transfer your contact list via your Google account

1. Open Settings on your Android phone.
2. Find the Google tab, then tap Backup, and select Contacts. Open Settings on your iPhone, then go to Mail > Accounts > Add Account and enter your Gmail login credentials. 

Your Google contacts should sync with your iPhone, then transfer to your Android.

Transfer photos and videos using Google photos 

1. Open the Google Photos app on your Android device.
2. Click on Settings > turn on Backup & Sync. All your photos will automatically sync to your Google Photos. 
3. Install the Google Photos app on your iPhone and sign in with the same Gmail account. 
4. Select and download each photo you’d like to transfer. 

Transfer your apps using the App Store

Most apps that you downloaded on the Google Play store on your Android device are available in the App Store on your iPhone. Go to the App store, find the apps you’d like to move, and download them on your iPhone. 

Troubleshooting tips

Here are a few tips for troubleshooting common problems when transferring data from Android to iPhone:

• Make sure you leave both devices alone while you’re transferring data. If you use your device or get a phone call before the process is finished, it won’t work. 
• Turn off apps or settings on your Android device that might affect your Wi-Fi connection. You can also go to Wi-Fi in Settings, touch and hold your known networks, and forget the network. Then, start the transfer again. 
• Restart both devices and try again.
• Turn off the cellular data connection on your Android phone, then try once more.

Now that your transfer is complete, you can start using your new device. Need help? Check out our guide to how to set up your iPhone.