The fastest way: use iCloud during setup
When you turn on a new iPhone for the first time, Apple walks you through setup and asks you to sign in with your Apple ID. If you use the same Apple ID on both phones and iCloud is turned on, your contacts sync automatically — you do not have to do anything else. This happens in the background while you finish setup, usually within a few minutes.
This method works best if you are setting up a brand-new phone or one you have just erased. If your new phone already has data on it, you can still use iCloud, but you may end up with duplicate contacts. The sync happens one direction only: from iCloud to your new phone. If you made changes to contacts on your old phone after the last sync, those changes will appear on the new phone too.
To check that iCloud is actually syncing your contacts, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on either phone and make sure the Contacts toggle is turned on (it should be green). If it is off, turn it on and wait a few minutes for the sync to complete.
Key Takeaways
- iCloud sync during setup is the easiest method and requires only that you sign in with the same Apple ID on both phones.
- You can also use a computer with iTunes or Finder to transfer contacts by backing up your old iPhone and restoring to the new one.
- If you do not use iCloud, you can export contacts as a file and import them manually, though this is slower and more prone to errors.
- Contacts stored only in your phone's local storage (not synced to iCloud) will not transfer unless you back up and restore or export them manually.
- Duplicate contacts sometimes appear after transfer; the Contacts app has a built-in tool to merge them.
Backup and restore using a computer
If you have access to a Mac or Windows PC, you can back up your old iPhone and then restore that backup to your new phone. This transfers not just contacts but all your apps, photos, messages, and settings in one go. On a Mac with macOS Catalina or later, open Finder, plug in your old iPhone, and click it in the sidebar. On Windows or older Mac, use iTunes instead.
Click "Back Up Now" and wait for the backup to finish — this can take 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much data you have. Then plug in your new iPhone, select it in Finder or iTunes, and choose "Restore from Backup." Pick the backup you just made, and the phone will copy everything over. You will need to wait for the restore to finish and then set up Face ID or Touch ID again.
The downside is that a full restore also brings over any problems, corrupted files, or unwanted settings from your old phone. If your old phone was running slowly or had bugs, those may carry over. A restore also erases everything on the new phone first, so if it already had data you wanted to keep, you will lose it.
Export contacts manually if you need only those
If you want to move just your contacts and leave everything else behind, you can export them as a file. On your old iPhone, open the Contacts app, tap "Groups" in the top left (if you see it), and make sure "All Contacts" is checked. Then open Settings > Contacts > Export Contacts and choose where to save the file — usually email or cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox.
The file will be in VCF format, which most phones and services can read. On your new iPhone, download that file, tap it to open it, and choose "Add All Contacts" when prompted. The contacts will appear in your Contacts app within a few seconds.
This method is slower than iCloud or backup-and-restore, and it only works if you remember to export before you stop using your old phone. It also does not transfer contact photos or custom ringtones — only names, phone numbers, email addresses, and basic information. If you have hundreds of contacts, the file can be large and slow to transfer.
Why some contacts do not transfer
Contacts stored only on your SIM card will not transfer through iCloud or a backup file. If you have an older phone or switched carriers, some contacts may have been saved to the SIM instead of your phone's storage. To check, open Contacts on your old phone, tap "Groups," and see if there is a "SIM" group listed. If there is, tap it to see which contacts are there.
To move SIM contacts to your phone's storage, select them in the Contacts app, tap "Add to Contacts," and choose which group to save them to. Then they will sync through iCloud or transfer with a backup. Some carriers also let you download your contacts from their website or customer portal, which you can then import to your new phone.
Contacts from third-party apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or LinkedIn do not transfer automatically. Those apps store their own contact lists separately from your phone's Contacts app. You will need to log into each app on your new phone, and the app will usually find your contacts automatically or let you import them from a backup.
Merging duplicate contacts after transfer
If you end up with two copies of the same contact after transfer, the Contacts app can merge them for you. Open Contacts, find one of the duplicates, tap "Edit," scroll down, and tap "Link Contacts." Then search for and select the other copy. Tap "Link" and the two will merge into one entry, keeping all the information from both.
If you have many duplicates, this can take a while to do one by one. Some third-party apps like Contacts Cleaner or Duplicate Contacts can find and merge duplicates automatically, though you will need to download them from the App Store. The built-in method is free and works fine if you only have a handful of duplicates.
Transferring contacts from Android or other phones
If you are switching from an Android phone, the process is different. Android phones usually sync contacts to a Google account. On your new iPhone, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account, choose Google, and sign in with the same Google account you used on your Android phone. Then go to Settings > Contacts > Default Account and choose your Google account. Your Android contacts will appear in your iPhone's Contacts app within a few minutes.
If your Android contacts were stored only on the phone itself and not synced to Google, you will need to export them as a VCF file on the Android phone first, then import that file on your iPhone. The steps vary by Android phone model, but usually you open Contacts, tap the menu, and look for "Export" or "Share Contacts."
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to keep my old iPhone turned on while contacts transfer?
No. If you are using iCloud, the sync happens through Apple's servers, not directly between phones. Your old phone can be off or in another room. If you are using a backup and restore, both phones need to be plugged into the computer, but they do not need to be turned on.
What if I do not have an Apple ID or do not want to use iCloud?
You can export your contacts as a VCF file and import them on your new phone, or use a computer backup with iTunes or Finder. Both methods work without iCloud, though they take longer. You can also sign up for a free Apple ID if you want to use iCloud in the future.
Can I transfer contacts to my new iPhone before I get rid of my old one?
Yes. Set up your new iPhone with your Apple ID and iCloud turned on, and your contacts will sync automatically. You can keep using your old phone at the same time — they will stay in sync as long as both are signed into the same Apple ID and iCloud is on.
Will contact photos and custom ringtones transfer too?
Contact photos will transfer if you use iCloud or a backup-and-restore. If you export contacts as a VCF file, photos do not come along. Custom ringtones assigned to specific contacts will transfer with a backup-and-restore, but not with iCloud sync or VCF export.
What if the transfer fails or gets stuck?
If iCloud sync is stuck, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud, turn Contacts off, wait 30 seconds, and turn it back on. If a backup-and-restore fails, disconnect both phones, restart them, and try again. If you are exporting a VCF file and it will not open on your new phone, try emailing it to yourself instead of using cloud storage, which sometimes corrupts the file.