The fastest way: use iCloud to sync automatically

If your old phone and new iPhone both use the same Apple ID, your contacts move over on their own during setup. When you turn on your new iPhone, you'll see a screen asking you to sign in with your Apple ID. Use the same one you used on your old phone, and iCloud will restore your contacts within a few minutes — no manual work required.

This works whether your old phone was an iPhone or an Android device, as long as your contacts were backed up to iCloud. If you're not sure whether your contacts synced to iCloud on your old phone, check before you wipe it. On an iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and look for Contacts — if the toggle is on, they're already there.

The advantage of this method is that it's automatic and handles everything at once. The downside is that it only works if you have an Apple ID set up and your old contacts were actually stored in iCloud or synced there before.

Key Takeaways

  • If you use the same Apple ID on both phones, your contacts restore automatically during setup without any action on your part.
  • You can manually transfer contacts by exporting them as a file from your old phone and importing them into your new iPhone using a computer.
  • If your old phone is an Android device, you can sign into your Google account on your new iPhone to bring over contacts stored in Google Contacts.
  • A USB cable and a computer running macOS or Windows gives you the most control and works even if your old phone is damaged or won't turn on.
  • Contacts stored only in individual apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) won't transfer automatically and must be exported from each app separately.

Transfer from Android using your Google account

If you're switching from an Android phone, your contacts are likely stored in Google Contacts. On your new iPhone, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account, select Google, and sign in with the same Google account you used on your Android phone. Then toggle on Contacts, and your Google contacts will sync to your iPhone.

This method is straightforward and doesn't require a computer. However, it only brings over contacts that were actually saved to your Google account on the Android phone. Contacts stored only in your phone's local storage won't transfer this way — you'll need to export those separately before you switch phones.

Export and import contacts using a computer

If you want complete control or your old phone won't turn on, you can export your contacts as a file and import them into your new iPhone using a Mac or Windows PC. On an iPhone, connect it to your computer with a USB cable, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), select your phone, and go to the Info tab. Check the box for "Sync Contacts" and choose where to sync from — Contacts app on Mac or Outlook on Windows.

On Android, the process is different. Open Google Contacts on a computer at contacts.google.com, click the menu icon, select Export, and download your contacts as a .vcf file. Then on your new iPhone, you can email this file to yourself, open it on the phone, and tap "Add All Contacts."

This method works even if your old phone is broken or lost, as long as you exported the file before that happened. It also gives you a backup copy of your contacts on your computer, which is useful insurance against losing them again.

Transfer contacts one at a time if you only need a few

If you only need to move a handful of contacts, you can do it manually without any files or syncing. On your old phone, open each contact, tap Share or Export, and send it via email or text to yourself. On your new iPhone, open the message, tap the contact card, and select "Add to Contacts."

This is slow for large contact lists but works in a pinch and doesn't require a computer or any setup. It's most useful when you're switching phones and only need to preserve a few important numbers.

What to do if contacts are stuck in a single app

Some apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal store contacts within the app itself, separate from your phone's main contact list. These won't transfer automatically no matter which method you use. You'll need to export them from each app individually.

In most apps, you can find an export option in Settings or by long-pressing a contact. Export to a file, email it to yourself, and import it on your new iPhone. Some apps also let you back up your data to iCloud or Google Drive, which you can then restore on your new phone — check the app's settings for a backup or export option.

Verify your contacts arrived before you delete the old phone

After you've transferred your contacts, spend a few minutes checking that they all came through. Open the Contacts app on your new iPhone and scroll through to spot-check a few names and numbers. Look for any that are missing or have incomplete information.

Don't wipe your old phone or remove your SIM card until you've confirmed everything is there. If something went wrong, you still have the original data to try again or use a different method. Once you're confident the transfer worked, you can safely erase the old phone or return it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my contacts transfer if I use a different Apple ID on my new iPhone?

No. Contacts sync through iCloud using your Apple ID, so if you sign in with a different account, you won't see contacts from your old phone. If you need to use a different Apple ID, you'll have to export your contacts as a file and import them manually using a computer.

What if I don't remember my old Apple ID password?

You can reset your Apple ID password on any web browser by going to iforgot.apple.com. Once you've reset it, use the new password to sign in on your new iPhone. If you can't access the email address associated with your Apple ID, you may need to contact Apple Support to regain access to your account.

Can I transfer contacts if my old phone is completely dead?

If your old phone was an iPhone and your contacts were synced to iCloud, yes — just sign in with your Apple ID on the new phone. If your old phone was Android or the contacts weren't backed up, you'll need a file you exported before the phone died. Without a backup file or cloud sync, there's no way to recover contacts from a dead phone.

Do I need to delete contacts from my old phone after I transfer them?

No. Transferring creates a copy on your new phone; it doesn't remove them from the old one. You can safely keep them on your old phone or delete them to free up space — it won't affect the contacts on your new iPhone.

Why do some of my contacts show up twice on my new iPhone?

Duplicates usually happen when you sync from multiple sources at once — for example, iCloud contacts plus Google contacts plus a manually imported file. Open the Contacts app, find the duplicate, tap Edit, scroll down, and tap "Link Contacts" to merge them into a single entry.