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How to Switch From Android to iPhone, or iPhone to Android

Switching phone platforms is far easier than it used to be. Use the official transfer tool during setup, prepare a few things beforehand, and know what will not come with you.

By Trends Editorial

Published 4 min read

In brief

How to move contacts, photos, messages, WhatsApp chats and apps when you change phone platform, what does not transfer, and the iMessage step people forget.

The short version

  • Android to iPhone: install Apple's Move to iOS app on the Android phone, then follow the prompts while setting up the new iPhone.
  • iPhone to Android: during the new Android phone's setup, choose Copy apps and data and connect the iPhone with a cable or wirelessly. Recent versions of iOS also include a Transfer to Android option.
  • Before you start: turn off iMessage and FaceTime if you are leaving iPhone, charge both phones, and connect both to Wi-Fi.

Before you switch: a short checklist

  1. Update both phones to the latest software.
  2. Back up the old phone to iCloud or Google, and check the backup finished.
  3. Know your passwords, especially for your Apple ID or Google account, email and banking apps. Two-factor codes sent by an authenticator app will need moving too.
  4. Move authenticator apps carefully. Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator can export or back up accounts. Do this before wiping the old phone, or you can lock yourself out.
  5. Plug both phones into power. Transfers can take an hour or more with lots of photos.

Android to iPhone

Apple's Move to iOS app does the work. It must be used during the iPhone's initial setup.

  1. On the Android phone, install Move to iOS from Google Play.
  2. Start setting up the new iPhone. On the Transfer Your Apps and Data screen, choose From Android.
  3. The iPhone shows a code. Enter it in the Move to iOS app on Android.
  4. Choose what to transfer: contacts, message history, photos and videos, mail accounts, calendars, and WhatsApp.
  5. Keep both phones close together and untouched until it finishes.

What moves: contacts, SMS history, camera roll, calendars, Google account mail, bookmarks, and free apps that exist on both stores (they are added to your download list).

What does not: music files bought outside major services, app data for most apps, and paid apps.

iPhone to Android

Using the Android setup (most phones):

  1. Start setting up the Android phone and choose Copy apps and data when asked.
  2. Pick the option for an iPhone, and connect with a USB-C to Lightning or USB-C to USB-C cable, or follow the wireless instructions.
  3. Sign in with your Google account, then choose contacts, photos, messages, WhatsApp chats and free apps.

Samsung phones offer Smart Switch, which does the same during setup.

Using Apple's Transfer to Android: iOS 26.3 and later include Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Transfer to Android, which moves photos, messages, notes, apps and phone numbers, including eSIMs, wirelessly. When it launched in early 2026, compatibility depended on the Android phone and software version, so check Apple's support page if it does not appear.

The iMessage step (do not skip it)

If you leave iPhone without turning off iMessage, other iPhone users' texts may keep going to iMessage and never reach your new phone.

  1. On the old iPhone, go to Settings > Apps > Messages (or Settings > Messages) and turn off iMessage.
  2. Turn off FaceTime in its settings too.
  3. If you no longer have the iPhone, use Apple's Deregister iMessage page online, where you enter your phone number and a confirmation code.

WhatsApp, photos and other important data

  • WhatsApp has an official cross-platform transfer that runs during the setup methods above. Your iCloud or Google Drive WhatsApp backup alone will not restore on the other platform.
  • Photos: if they are in Google Photos, simply sign in on the new phone. If they are only in iCloud, the transfer tools copy what is on the device; photos stored only in iCloud may need downloading first, or you can use Apple's transfer request to Google Photos from your Apple account privacy settings.
  • Passwords: Apple Keychain and Google Password Manager do not sync with each other directly. A cross-platform password manager makes this painless, or export and import with care.
  • Health and fitness data usually does not transfer. Export it if it matters to you.

Things to redo on the new phone

  • Sign in to banking apps, which often need re-verification with your bank.
  • Set up your smartwatch again. Apple Watch only works with iPhone.
  • Re-buy paid apps, and move subscriptions billed by the old app store.
  • Check that eSIM or physical SIM service works, and call your carrier if not.
  • Turn on your new phone's find-my-device feature. Our guide to tracking a lost phone explains how.

Key takeaways

  • Use the official tool during setup: Move to iOS, Copy apps and data, or Transfer to Android.
  • Turn off iMessage before leaving iPhone.
  • Move authenticator apps and passwords before wiping the old phone.
  • Paid apps, Health data and app data for many apps do not transfer.

Questions readers ask

Can I transfer data to an iPhone after setting it up?

Apple's Move to iOS app only works during the initial setup of the iPhone. If you have already set it up, you can erase it from Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone and start again, or move things manually, such as syncing contacts through your Google account and uploading photos to a cloud service.

Will my WhatsApp chats transfer to my new phone?

Yes, if you use WhatsApp's official transfer. From Android to iPhone, the chats move during the Move to iOS process. From iPhone to Android, they move during the Android setup or with a cable. Google Drive and iCloud chat backups do not work across platforms on their own.

Do I lose my paid apps when I switch?

Apps bought on one store do not carry over to the other, so paid apps generally need to be bought again. Subscriptions billed through the app store must be cancelled there and restarted on the new platform. Services billed directly, such as many streaming apps, continue when you sign in.

Why am I not receiving texts after leaving iPhone?

Your number is probably still registered with iMessage, so other iPhones keep sending messages as iMessages that never arrive. Turn off iMessage on the old iPhone before switching, or deregister your number on Apple's online deregistration page if you no longer have the phone.

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