How to Transfer Data From iPhone to Android (Cable or Wireless)

If you are moving from an iPhone to a Pixel, a Galaxy or another Android phone, this guide shows how to transfer data from iPhone to Android without losing your photos, contacts, texts or WhatsApp chats. Plan on about an hour. The steps themselves are quick, but a big photo library can take a while to copy, and you will want both phones plugged in for the whole job.

Google now offers two ways to make the move. Which one you get depends on the Android phone you bought, so check that first and the rest of the process will make a lot more sense.

Before you start the move

Spend five minutes on this list. It prevents most of the problems people run into later.

• Charge both phones and keep them near a Wi-Fi network.
• Find a cable. Google's WhatsApp transfer requires a cable, and the classic transfer method only copies messages, apps and music over a wire. Your iPhone's own charging cable or a USB-C to Lightning adapter works.
• Update your iPhone in Settings > General > Software Update.
• Have your Google account password ready. You will sign in during setup. If you don't have a Google account, you can create one on the new phone.
• Keep your phone number the same if you plan to bring WhatsApp along. Google's help page says the new device must use the same number as the old one.
• Don't open WhatsApp on the new phone yet. Google warns that doing so before the chat transfer can overwrite your history.

Which transfer method your Android phone uses

According to Google's Switch to Android page, there is an upgraded method and a classic method.

• The upgraded method is available on select Google Pixel and Samsung phones running Android 17. It works wirelessly by scanning a QR code, or with a cable. It moves the most data, including app data, call history, Wi-Fi networks, passwords and passkeys, and on some carriers your eSIM.
• The classic method works on other Android phones. Over Wi-Fi it only copies calendars, contacts, photos and videos. With a cable it adds messages, free apps, music, downloaded files, notes, alarms, voice memos, wallpapers, your home screen layout and WhatsApp history.

If your phone supports only the classic method, use the cable. The wireless option leaves a lot behind.

Transfer data during Android setup

These steps happen on a brand new phone, or one you have factory reset, right after you turn it on.

1. Power on the Android phone, pick your language and connect to Wi-Fi.
2. When asked where your data is coming from, choose your iPhone. On the classic method this screen is labeled Copy apps and data, and you tap Copy from iPhone or iPad.
3. Sign in to your Google account.
4. For the upgraded wireless method, scan the QR code shown on the Android phone with your iPhone's camera. For a cable transfer, connect the two phones when prompted.
5. On the iPhone, tap Trust and enter your passcode. You may be asked for it more than once.
6. Choose what to copy. Leave Apps selected if you want WhatsApp chats moved during setup on the classic method.
7. If you are on a supported Pixel or Samsung phone, transfer your eSIM when the prompt appears.
8. Keep both phones close and plugged in until the copy finishes, then finish setting up the Android phone.

Samsung phones run the same idea through Samsung's own tool. Samsung's Switch to Galaxy page says you can scan a QR code during setup to move photos, contacts, passwords, eSIMs and more without an extra app, or use a cable with the Smart Switch app.

Move WhatsApp chats after setup

WhatsApp is the step people miss most. On the upgraded QR code method, chats are not copied during setup, so you need to do it afterward. Google's WhatsApp transfer help page lists the steps.

1. On the Android phone, open Settings > Accounts & backup > Android Switch and tap Transfer WhatsApp Chats.
2. Connect the two phones with a cable.
3. Tap Trust on the iPhone and enter your passcode.
4. Scan the QR code on the Android phone with the iPhone's camera.
5. Wait for the transfer to finish, unplug, then open WhatsApp on Android and sign in with the same number.

If the QR scan doesn't work during a classic setup, open WhatsApp on the iPhone and go to Settings > Chats > Transfer chat history > Transfer to Android, then tap Start and Start transfer.

Skipped it entirely? Google says you have 3 to 7 days after setup to restore chats from your iPhone through Settings > Accounts and backup > Copy data using Android Switch. On Samsung phones, look for Smart Switch and choose the option to transfer data for device setup. Moving data onto a phone that is already fully set up can require a factory reset in some cases.

Turn off iMessage and FaceTime on the iPhone

This is the step that keeps your texts arriving. If your number stays registered with iMessage, other iPhone users may keep sending you blue bubble messages that never show up on your new phone.

Apple's Deregister iMessage page lists these steps if you still have the iPhone:

1. If you already moved your SIM card to the Android phone, put it back in the iPhone.
2. Make sure the iPhone is connected to your cellular data network.
3. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages and turn off iMessage.
4. Go to Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn off FaceTime.

No longer have the iPhone? On the same Apple page, enter your phone number, solve the captcha, then type in the six digit code Apple texts to your number. Your number is then removed from iMessage.

Things the transfer won't handle for you

A few items need a manual step no matter which method you use.

• Paid apps. Purchases from Apple's App Store don't carry over. Google's page says to contact the developer about paid subscriptions, and billing for existing subscriptions doesn't change on its own.
• Passwords on the classic method. Only the upgraded method moves Apple passwords into Google Password Manager. On other phones, export them yourself or use a cross platform tool. Our look at whether you need a password manager covers the options.
• iCloud photos that aren't on the phone. If you use Optimize iPhone Storage, many originals live only in iCloud. Google says you can request a copy of your iCloud photos and videos at privacy.apple.com and send it to Google Photos.
• Apple only apps. iMessage, FaceTime and AirDrop don't run on Android, so tell your group chats about the switch.

When the iPhone to Android transfer doesn't work

Start with the simple causes. The QR code won't scan if the phones are too far apart or the iPhone camera can't focus, so hold the iPhone steady over the screen. If a cable transfer isn't detected, check that you tapped Trust on the iPhone, then try a different cable or adapter, since some charge only cables don't carry data.

If you already finished setup and skipped the transfer, you don't have to start over. Open Settings > Accounts & Backup > Android Switch on most phones, or Smart Switch in the same menu on Samsung, and run the copy again.

Is your iPhone broken? If it won't connect to the new phone at all, you can still move the essentials. Request your iCloud photos and videos at privacy.apple.com for Google Photos, and if your contacts and calendars sync to iCloud, you can bring them over once you sign in to the same accounts on Android.

Still deciding which Android phone fits you? Our iPhone vs Android comparison and guide on how to choose a smartphone can help. Going the other way later? See our steps to move from Android to iPhone, and browse more phone guides in Gadgets.

One last check before you wipe the iPhone: open Google Photos, Contacts and WhatsApp on the new phone and confirm your newest items made it across. Once you erase the old phone, there is no going back.