The fastest way to transfer everything is to sign into your Google Account on the new phone

When you turn on a new Android phone for the first time, it asks you to sign in with a Google Account. If you use the same account you had on your old phone, Android automatically restores your contacts, calendar, Gmail, photos in Google Photos, and most app data. This happens in the background while you set up the phone, and you do not have to do anything else.

This method works best if your old phone still has power and you can access it during setup. If the old phone is broken or lost, you can still sign in with your Google Account on the new phone — you will just get what was backed up to Google's servers, not anything stored only on the old device.

The trade-off is that this route does not transfer text messages, call history, or files stored only in your phone's internal storage (not backed up to Google Drive or Google Photos). For those, you will need a second method.

Key Takeaways

  • Signing into your Google Account on the new phone restores contacts, calendar, Gmail, photos, and most apps automatically during setup.
  • Text messages and call history do not transfer through Google Account sign-in and require a separate tool or manual export.
  • Android's built-in transfer tool (available during setup on some phones) can move texts, call history, and photos in one step if both phones are nearby.
  • Google Drive and Google Photos let you back up files and photos before switching phones if you want to move them manually.
  • Third-party apps like Samsung Smart Switch work for phones from the same manufacturer and can transfer almost everything at once.

Using Android's built-in transfer tool during setup

Some Android phones (particularly Samsung, Google Pixel, and OnePlus models) show a "Transfer your data" or "Copy from old phone" option when you first turn on the new device. If you see this screen, tap it and follow the prompts. You will need both phones nearby and connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

This tool copies contacts, text messages, call history, photos, videos, and some app data directly from the old phone to the new one. It usually takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on how much data you have. The old phone stays on and connected the entire time.

If you miss this screen during initial setup, you cannot go back to it later. In that case, use your Google Account sign-in (which you have already done) plus one of the other methods below for texts and call history.

Transferring text messages and call history manually

Text messages and call history are not backed up to your Google Account by default. To move them, you have two options: use a manufacturer tool or export them yourself.

If you have a Samsung phone, download Samsung Smart Switch on both the old and new phone. Open it on the old phone, select "Send data," choose what you want to move (texts, calls, contacts, apps), and follow the prompts. The new phone receives the data over Wi-Fi. This works even if the phones are different brands, though some features work better between Samsung devices.

If you do not have a Samsung phone or prefer not to use Smart Switch, you can export text messages to a file using a third-party app like SMS Backup+ or Titanium Backup. These apps save your texts to your Google Drive or another cloud storage. Download the same app on your new phone, sign in, and restore the messages. This method is slower but works across any Android phone.

Moving photos and videos to your new phone

If you turned on Google Photos backup on your old phone, your photos and videos are already stored in the cloud. Sign into the same Google Account on your new phone, open Google Photos, and they appear automatically. You do not need to do anything else.

If you did not have Google Photos turned on, or if you want to move only specific photos, connect your old phone to a computer with a USB cable. Your phone appears as a folder in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac). Drag the photos from your phone's DCIM folder to your computer, then connect the new phone and drag them back. This is slower but gives you full control over which files move.

Alternatively, email yourself the photos or upload them to Google Drive on the old phone, then download them on the new phone. This works for a small number of photos but is impractical for hundreds.

Transferring apps and app data

When you sign into your Google Account on the new phone, Google Play automatically offers to reinstall the apps you had on the old phone. Tap "Install all" or select individual apps. This downloads them from Google Play, not from your old phone, so it requires an internet connection and takes time depending on how many apps you have.

App data (like game progress, login information, or settings within an app) is restored only if the app developer set it up to sync with your Google Account. Most major apps do this, but smaller apps may not. You can check by opening an app on your new phone — if it asks you to log in, your data was not synced and you will need to sign in manually.

If you want to move apps faster or ensure app data transfers, use Samsung Smart Switch (if you have a Samsung phone) or Titanium Backup (for any Android phone). These tools back up the app itself plus its data, then restore both on the new phone.

What to do if your old phone is broken or lost

If you cannot access your old phone, you can still recover most of your data by signing into your Google Account on the new phone. Google restores everything that was backed up: contacts, calendar, Gmail, Google Photos, and app data. This usually takes a few minutes to an hour.

Text messages and call history cannot be recovered this way unless you exported them before the old phone stopped working. If you did not, those are lost. Files stored only in your phone's internal storage (not in Google Drive or Google Photos) are also lost.

To prevent this in the future, turn on automatic backup on your current phone. Go to Settings > Google > Manage your Google Account > Backup, and make sure "Backup to Google One" is on. This backs up texts, call history, and other data regularly.

Transferring files and documents

Files you saved to your phone's internal storage (PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets) do not transfer automatically. If they are in Google Drive, sign into the same Google Account on your new phone and open Google Drive — they appear there automatically. If they are stored only on your phone, you need to move them manually.

Connect your old phone to a computer with a USB cable and copy the files to your computer. Then connect the new phone and copy them back. Alternatively, upload the files to Google Drive on the old phone, then download them on the new phone. For a few files, you can also email them to yourself and download them on the new phone.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I lose my old data when I sign into a new Google Account on the new phone?

No. Signing in with your existing Google Account restores your backed-up data. If you sign in with a different account by mistake, you can change it later in Settings without losing anything. However, if you factory reset the new phone after signing in with the wrong account, you will lose the data from the first account.

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

Partially. You can manually move photos, contacts, and documents by uploading them to Google Drive or Google Photos on the iPhone, then downloading them on Android. Text messages and call history do not transfer between operating systems. Most apps have Android versions, so you download them fresh from Google Play on the new phone.

How long does it take to transfer everything?

Signing into your Google Account takes a few minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have. Using a built-in transfer tool or Samsung Smart Switch takes 15 to 45 minutes. Manual file transfers depend on file size and your internet speed — a few hundred photos might take 10 to 20 minutes.

What if I want to keep my old phone and the new phone in sync?

Use Google services: Google Contacts, Google Calendar, Gmail, and Google Photos all sync across devices automatically as long as you are signed into the same account. For text messages and call history, you would need to use a third-party app that syncs to the cloud, since Android does not offer this built-in.

Can I transfer data wirelessly without using Google?

Yes. Samsung Smart Switch, Titanium Backup, and similar apps transfer data over Wi-Fi without relying on Google. These tools are useful if you want to move everything at once or if you prefer not to use your Google Account for backup. They work best when both phones are on the same network and close to each other.