The fastest way: iCloud syncing during setup

When you turn on a new iPhone for the first time, Apple walks you through a setup screen that asks if you want to restore from an iCloud backup. If you choose yes and sign in with the same Apple ID you used on your old phone, your contacts transfer automatically — usually within a few minutes. This is the method most people use because it requires almost no work on your part.

The catch is that iCloud must have already synced your contacts from the old phone. If you've never turned on iCloud syncing, or if you turned it off, this won't work. You can check whether iCloud has your contacts by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on your old phone and looking for Contacts in the list. If the toggle is on and green, you're ready to restore.

If you don't want to restore your entire backup (because you want a fresh start on the new phone), you can still transfer just contacts. During setup, skip the restore option, finish setting up the phone, then go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and turn on Contacts. Your phone will ask whether to merge or replace — choose merge to add them to whatever's already there.

Key Takeaways

  • The easiest method is restoring from an iCloud backup during initial setup, which transfers contacts along with everything else on your old phone.
  • If iCloud syncing was never turned on for contacts, you'll need to use a different method like AirDrop, a computer, or exporting a file.
  • You can transfer contacts only (without a full backup) by turning on iCloud Contacts after setup and choosing to merge with existing data.
  • If you're switching from Android or an older iPhone without iCloud access, exporting contacts as a file and importing them on the new phone is the most reliable path.

Using AirDrop if both phones are in front of you

If you have both your old and new iPhone nearby, AirDrop is a wireless method that takes about two minutes. Open Contacts on the old phone, tap Edit in the top left, then tap Select Contacts. Tap each contact you want to move, or tap Select All at the top right. Once you've chosen them, tap Share at the bottom, then tap AirDrop.

Your new iPhone should appear in the AirDrop menu if it's unlocked and within about 30 feet. Tap it, then accept the transfer on the new phone when the prompt appears. The contacts land in your Contacts app immediately. This method works well if you only need to move a handful of contacts or if you want to be selective about which ones you transfer.

AirDrop requires both phones to have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi turned on, though they don't need to be connected to the same network. If AirDrop isn't showing the other phone, make sure both have it enabled in Control Center and that neither is in airplane mode.

Moving contacts through a computer with Finder or iTunes

If you have a Mac or Windows PC, you can connect your old iPhone and export contacts, then import them on the new one. On a Mac with macOS Catalina or newer, plug in your old iPhone and open Finder. Click the phone name in the sidebar, then click Info. Check the box next to "Sync Contacts" and choose which contact groups to sync (usually "All Contacts"). Click Apply, and Finder copies them to your computer.

On Windows or older Mac versions, use iTunes instead. Plug in the old phone, click the device icon, go to the Info tab, check "Sync Contacts," and click Apply. Either way, your computer now holds a copy of your contacts.

Next, plug in the new iPhone. In Finder or iTunes, go through the same steps and check "Sync Contacts" again. Your computer will merge the contacts it saved from the old phone into the new one. This method is slower than iCloud or AirDrop but works reliably even if you don't have iCloud set up or if you're moving contacts between very different phone models.

Exporting contacts as a file for maximum control

If you want a backup copy of your contacts or need to move them to a phone that isn't an iPhone, you can export them as a vCard file (.vcf). On your old iPhone, open Contacts, tap Edit, select the contacts you want, tap Share, and look for an option to save as vCard. Not all iOS versions show this option directly in the Share menu, so you may need to use a computer instead.

On a Mac, open Contacts, select the contacts you want to move, then go to File > Export > Export vCard. On Windows, you'll need to use iCloud.com: sign in, click Contacts, select the ones you want, and look for an export option (this varies by browser and iCloud version).

Once you have the .vcf file, you can email it to yourself, save it to cloud storage, or transfer it however you prefer. On your new iPhone, open the file (usually by tapping it in Mail or Files), and iOS will ask whether to add these contacts to your phone. Tap Add All, and they'll appear in your Contacts app.

Transferring from an Android phone or older device

If you're moving from Android, the iCloud restore method won't work because Android doesn't back up to iCloud. Instead, export your contacts from Android as a .vcf or .csv file. On most Android phones, open Contacts, tap the menu (three lines), go to Settings, and look for Export or Backup. Save the file to Google Drive, email it to yourself, or transfer it via USB.

Once you have the file on your computer or in cloud storage, download it to your new iPhone or open it in the Files app. Tap the file, and iOS will prompt you to add the contacts. If the file is very large or won't open, try uploading it to iCloud.com, signing in with your Apple ID, and importing it through the Contacts web interface.

For older iPhones or devices without modern backup options, the computer method (Finder or iTunes) is usually most reliable. Connect the old device, export what you can, then import into the new phone the same way.

What to do if contacts don't appear after transfer

If you've transferred contacts but don't see them on your new phone, first check that you're looking in the right place. Open Settings > Contacts and make sure "Default Account" is set to iCloud or your primary email account. Contacts stored under a different account (like Gmail or Exchange) may appear in a separate section.

If contacts still aren't showing, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and toggle Contacts off, wait 10 seconds, then toggle it back on. This forces your phone to sync again. If you transferred via AirDrop or a file and nothing appeared, try the transfer again — sometimes the first attempt doesn't complete.

For iCloud transfers, sign out of iCloud on the new phone (Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out), then sign back in. Choose "Keep on My iPhone" when prompted, then turn Contacts back on. This refreshes the sync and often recovers missing contacts. If you're still missing contacts after trying these steps, check your old phone to confirm the contacts were actually there before the transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my contacts transfer if I don't have an Apple ID?

No, iCloud syncing requires an Apple ID. If you don't have one, create one for free at appleid.apple.com before setting up your new iPhone. Once you have an ID, you can use iCloud to sync contacts. If you prefer not to create an ID, use AirDrop (if you have both phones), a computer with Finder or iTunes, or export contacts as a file.

Can I transfer contacts without losing anything on my new phone?

Yes. If your new phone already has data on it, use AirDrop, a file transfer, or turn on iCloud Contacts and choose "Merge" rather than "Replace." A full iCloud restore will overwrite everything on the new phone, so only use that method if the phone is brand new or you don't mind losing what's on it.

How long does it take for contacts to show up after transfer?

AirDrop and file transfers are instant — contacts appear within seconds. iCloud syncing can take a few minutes, especially if you have hundreds of contacts. If contacts don't appear within 10 minutes, check your internet connection and try toggling iCloud Contacts off and on again.

What if my old phone is broken and I can't turn it on?

If your old phone is completely dead, your contacts are safe if iCloud syncing was turned on — sign into iCloud on your new phone with the same Apple ID, and they'll download automatically. If iCloud wasn't set up, contacts are lost unless you have a backup from a computer or cloud service. Going forward, turn on iCloud Contacts to prevent this.

Can I transfer just some contacts, not all of them?

Yes. With AirDrop, you can select individual contacts before sharing. With a file export, you can choose which contacts to include before creating the .vcf file. With iCloud, all contacts sync together, but you can delete unwanted ones after they transfer. A full backup restore also brings all contacts, so if you want to be selective, use AirDrop or file export instead.