Apple's Move to iOS app is the fastest way to transfer your Android data to iPhone

Apple built Move to iOS specifically to pull your contacts, messages, photos, videos, mail accounts, calendars, and app data from Android to a new iPhone during setup. You run the app on your Android phone, scan a code on your iPhone, and the transfer happens over Wi-Fi — no computer needed. It works best when you're setting up a brand-new iPhone for the first time, because the process is built into Apple's initial setup screen.

The transfer usually takes 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how much data you have. Your Android phone stays on and connected the whole time. Once it finishes, you can set your Android phone aside; the iPhone has what it needs.

If you've already set up your iPhone and didn't use Move to iOS during setup, you can still transfer some data manually, but you'll lose the convenience of the automated process. That's why most people do this transfer before they start using the new iPhone.

Key Takeaways

  • Move to iOS transfers contacts, photos, videos, messages, mail accounts, calendars, and some app data automatically during iPhone setup.
  • You need both phones, a Wi-Fi network, and about 30 minutes to an hour for the full transfer to complete.
  • Move to iOS works best on a brand-new iPhone that hasn't been set up yet; using it after setup is possible but more limited.
  • Some apps won't transfer automatically, so you'll need to download them from the App Store on your iPhone afterward.
  • Text messages and call history transfer, but some Android-specific features like Google Assistant shortcuts and Android-only apps won't move over.

What you need before you start

Have both phones in front of you, plugged in or fully charged. You'll need a Wi-Fi network that both phones can connect to — it should be the same network, and it needs to stay stable for the whole transfer. If your Wi-Fi drops halfway through, the transfer stops and you'll have to start over.

On your Android phone, download the Move to iOS app from Google Play. It's free and made by Apple. On your iPhone, you need either a brand-new device or one that's been factory reset and is sitting on the "Apps & Data" screen during initial setup. If your iPhone is already set up and running, you can still transfer some data, but the process is manual and slower.

Make sure you know your Apple ID and password before you start. You'll need it to sign into your new iPhone. If you don't have an Apple ID yet, create one on Apple's website before you begin.

The transfer process step by step

Start on your new iPhone during setup. When you reach the "Apps & Data" screen, tap "Migrate Data from Android." Your iPhone will show a 6-digit or 10-digit code on the screen — keep this visible.

On your Android phone, open the Move to iOS app. Tap "Continue" and agree to the terms. The app will ask for permission to access your contacts, photos, and other data — allow all of these. Then tap "Next" and hold your Android phone up to scan the code showing on your iPhone screen. If scanning doesn't work, you can type the code in manually.

Once the code is scanned or entered, your Android phone will connect to your iPhone over Wi-Fi. Select which data you want to transfer: contacts, message history, photos and videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts, and calendars all appear as options. You can uncheck anything you don't want. Then tap "Start Transfer" and wait. Both phones need to stay connected and on the same Wi-Fi network until the progress bar on your iPhone reaches 100%.

When the transfer finishes, tap "Continue" on your iPhone and complete the rest of the setup process. Your Android phone can be turned off or set aside at this point.

Apps that don't transfer automatically

Move to iOS brings over your data, but not the Android apps themselves — iPhones run a different operating system and can't use Android apps. However, the transfer does note which apps you had on Android and tries to find the iPhone versions in the App Store. When you finish setup, you'll see a list of suggested apps to download.

Some apps have direct iPhone equivalents and will download automatically or appear in a list for you to tap. Others don't exist on iOS, or the iPhone version is different enough that you'll need to set it up again. Banking apps, messaging apps, and social media apps usually have iOS versions. Niche Android-only apps may not.

Check the App Store on your iPhone after the transfer is done. Search for the apps you used most on Android and download the iOS versions. You may need to sign in again with your username and password for each app.

What transfers and what doesn't

Data that transfers: Contacts, text messages and iMessage history, call logs, photos and videos, mail accounts (Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and others), calendar events, web bookmarks, and some app data like notes or reminders if the app exists on both platforms.

Data that doesn't transfer: Android-only apps, Google Assistant shortcuts and routines, Android system settings, some third-party app data that isn't stored in the cloud, ringtones and notification sounds (you'll need to set these up again), and voicemail settings. If you use Google services like Google Photos, Google Drive, or Gmail, those accounts transfer, but the data stays in Google's cloud — you're just signing into the same account on your iPhone.

If you have photos or videos stored only on your Android phone and not backed up to Google Photos or another cloud service, make sure they transfer during the Move to iOS process. Once the transfer is done, you can delete them from your Android phone.

If you already set up your iPhone

If you didn't use Move to iOS during setup and your iPhone is already running, you can still move some data over, but it's slower and more manual. You'll need to transfer contacts, photos, and calendar events one category at a time using cloud services or by exporting files.

For contacts, sign into your Google account on your iPhone and let it sync your Android contacts. For photos, upload them to Google Photos on your Android phone, then download the Google Photos app on your iPhone and sign in. For email, add your email account to the Mail app on your iPhone — it will pull in your messages and calendar if it's a Gmail or other supported account.

Text messages are harder to move after the fact. If they're important, take screenshots on your Android phone or use a third-party backup app before you switch. Most people accept that older text conversations stay on Android and start fresh with iMessage on iPhone.

Troubleshooting common problems

The code won't scan: Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and that the code is fully visible on your iPhone screen. Try typing the code in manually instead of scanning it. If that doesn't work, restart both phones and try again.

The transfer keeps stopping: Wi-Fi connection is usually the culprit. Move both phones closer to your router, or restart your router and try again. If your Wi-Fi is unstable, consider using a wired connection on a computer if you have one, though Move to iOS doesn't support this — you'd need to use manual methods instead.

Some photos or videos didn't transfer: Very large video files or corrupted files sometimes fail to transfer. Check your Android phone's storage — if it's full, the transfer may have stopped early. Delete some files and try again, or manually upload the missing photos to Google Photos and access them from your iPhone.

Mail accounts aren't syncing: After the transfer, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts on your iPhone and check that your email account is set to sync. Some email providers require an app-specific password instead of your regular password — check your email provider's support page if you can't sign in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data from an older Android phone to an iPhone?

Yes. Move to iOS works with Android phones running Android 4.0 and newer, which covers almost every Android phone made in the last decade. Older phones may not have the Google Play Store or the ability to download Move to iOS, but you can still transfer data manually using cloud services like Google Photos and Gmail.

Will my text messages look the same on iPhone?

Text messages transfer as regular SMS messages, so they'll look the same. However, if you were using Google Messages or another third-party messaging app on Android, those conversations may not transfer — only the default Android messages transfer. Once you start using iMessage on iPhone, new messages will use Apple's format.

What happens to my Google account after I switch to iPhone?

Your Google account stays active and separate from your Apple ID. You can sign into Gmail, Google Photos, Google Drive, and other Google services on your iPhone using the same Google account you used on Android. The data stays in Google's cloud and syncs across devices.

Do I need to keep my Android phone after the transfer?

No. Once the transfer is complete and you've verified that your important data is on your iPhone, you can sell, recycle, or repurpose your Android phone. Just make sure to factory reset it first to erase your personal data.

Can I transfer data from iPhone to Android using the same method?

No. Move to iOS only works in one direction: Android to iPhone. If you ever switch back to Android, you'll need to use manual methods or cloud services like Google Photos and Gmail to move your data.