How to Move Your Data From Samsung to iPhone

You can move photos, contacts, messages, and calendar events from Samsung to iPhone using Apple's Move to iOS app or by syncing through cloud services

Samsung and iPhone use different operating systems, so there's no single button that transfers everything at once. Instead, you'll move different types of data through different routes. The easiest method is Apple's Move to iOS app, which handles photos, messages, contacts, calendars, and some app data during the initial setup. For everything else — like email accounts, notes, and third-party app data — you'll set those up manually or through cloud services like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Samsung Cloud.

The process takes 30 minutes to a few hours depending on how much data you have and which method you use. You'll need both phones, a Wi-Fi connection, and your passwords for email and cloud accounts.

Key Takeaways

Apple's Move to iOS app transfers photos, videos, contacts, messages, calendars, and free apps during iPhone setup — you run it on your Samsung phone while setting up your new iPhone.
You must start the transfer during iPhone setup; you cannot use Move to iOS after you've already finished setting up your new phone.
Email accounts, notes, reminders, and paid apps must be set up separately on iPhone, either by signing into your existing accounts or downloading apps from the App Store.
Cloud services like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Samsung Cloud let you back up Samsung data and access it on iPhone, and work even if you've already finished iPhone setup.
Some Samsung-specific features like Samsung Health data and Samsung Notes may not transfer completely and may require exporting to a compatible format first.

Using Apple's Move to iOS App During Setup

The Move to iOS app is built into Samsung phones and is the fastest way to transfer the bulk of your data. You start the transfer while setting up your new iPhone, before you finish signing in. On your new iPhone, when you reach the "Apps & Data" screen during setup, tap "Migrate Data from Android." This generates a temporary code that appears on your iPhone screen.

On your Samsung phone, download the Move to iOS app from the Google Play Store if it's not already installed. Open it, tap "Continue," agree to the terms, and enter the code from your iPhone. The two phones will connect over Wi-Fi, and you'll select what to transfer: photos, videos, contacts, messages, calendars, Google Play apps, and accessibility settings. The transfer happens in the background while you continue setting up your iPhone. Do not disconnect either phone or close the app until the transfer finishes.

Move to iOS does not transfer email accounts, notes, reminders, or paid apps. It also does not transfer data from Samsung-specific apps like Samsung Health or Samsung Notes. You'll set those up separately after the transfer completes.

Transferring Email Accounts and Settings

Email accounts do not transfer automatically, but setting them up on iPhone is straightforward. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account. Choose your email provider — Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or another service — and sign in with your username and password. iPhone will automatically configure the incoming and outgoing mail servers for most major providers.

If you use a work email or a less common provider, you may need to enter server details manually. Your Samsung phone still has this information: go to your email app, open settings, and look for account settings or server information. Write down the incoming mail server (IMAP or POP3), outgoing mail server (SMTP), and any port numbers, then enter them on your iPhone when prompted.

If you want to keep emails from your Samsung phone, export them before switching. Most email providers let you download your message history through their web interface or through your phone's email app settings. Gmail and Outlook both allow you to back up messages to your account, which will then appear on iPhone once you sign in.

Moving Photos, Videos, and Files

Move to iOS transfers photos and videos that are stored on your Samsung phone's internal storage. If your photos are in Samsung Cloud, Google Photos, or another cloud service, you'll need to download the app on your iPhone and sign in — your photos will appear automatically.

For files stored on your Samsung phone or microSD card, use Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox. On your Samsung phone, open the file manager, select the files you want to keep, and upload them to your cloud service. On your iPhone, download the same app and sign in. Your files will be there. This method also works if you've already finished setting up your iPhone and realized you missed something.

If you have a large photo library, consider using Google Photos instead of relying on Move to iOS. Google Photos backs up your entire library to the cloud and works on both Android and iPhone. Install it on your Samsung phone, let it back up your photos, then install it on your iPhone and sign in with the same account.

Handling Samsung-Specific Apps and Data

Samsung Health, Samsung Notes, Samsung Keyboard, and other Samsung apps do not have direct equivalents on iPhone, and Move to iOS cannot transfer their data. You have two options: export the data to a format iPhone apps can read, or manually recreate it.

For Samsung Health, open the app and look for an export or backup option in settings. Many fitness apps on iPhone — like Apple Health, Strava, or MyFitnessPal — can import data from CSV or other standard formats. Export your Samsung Health data, then import it into the iPhone app of your choice. For Samsung Notes, take screenshots or export notes as PDFs, then store them in iPhone's Notes app, OneNote, or another note-taking app.

For other Samsung apps, check the Google Play Store to see if the developer offers an iPhone version. If they do, download it on your iPhone and sign in with your account — your data may sync automatically. If there's no iPhone version, look for a similar app in the App Store and manually recreate your data or export it if the app supports it.

Using Cloud Services as a Backup Plan

If you've already finished setting up your iPhone and realize you missed data, or if you want a second backup, use cloud services. Google Drive, OneDrive, and Samsung Cloud all let you back up data from your Samsung phone and access it from iPhone.

On your Samsung phone, open Settings and look for "Backup and restore" or "Cloud and accounts." Choose your cloud service and sign in. Select what to back up — contacts, calendar, photos, documents — and let it complete. On your iPhone, download the same app from the App Store, sign in with the same account, and your data will appear. This method is slower than Move to iOS but works anytime, even weeks after you've switched phones.

Google Contacts and Google Calendar are particularly useful because they sync across devices. If your contacts and calendar are in your Google account on Samsung, signing into Google on your iPhone will automatically pull them in. You don't need to do anything else.

What Doesn't Transfer and Why

Paid apps purchased on Google Play do not transfer to iPhone because the two app stores are separate. You'll need to repurchase them on the App Store, though many developers offer discounts or free versions. Free apps transfer through Move to iOS, but you may need to sign into them separately on iPhone.

Text messages from Samsung do transfer through Move to iOS, but only SMS and MMS messages. Messages sent through third-party apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Facebook Messenger do not transfer; you'll need to reinstall those apps on iPhone and sign in to access your message history (if the app stores it in the cloud).

Voicemail, call history, and some system settings do not transfer. Call history can be recreated by signing into your phone carrier's account on iPhone, and voicemail will work once you set up your carrier's voicemail service on your new number. Some accessibility settings and display preferences transfer, but you may need to reconfigure others in iPhone's Settings app.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Move to iOS if I've already finished setting up my iPhone?

No. Move to iOS only works during the initial iPhone setup, before you finish signing in. If you've already completed setup, use cloud services like Google Drive or Samsung Cloud instead. You can also manually download apps and sign into accounts on your iPhone.

Will my text messages transfer to iPhone?

SMS and MMS text messages transfer through Move to iOS. Messages from apps like WhatsApp or iMessage do not transfer, but you can reinstall those apps on iPhone and sign in to access your message history if the app stores it online.

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

No, but it's helpful to keep it nearby for a few days in case you need to look up information or retrieve something you missed. After you've confirmed everything important is on your iPhone, you can factory reset your Samsung phone or give it away.

What if the Move to iOS transfer fails or gets interrupted?

If the transfer fails, disconnect both phones and try again. Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and have good signal. If it fails repeatedly, use cloud services to transfer your data instead. You can also set up your iPhone without transferring data and add your accounts and files manually afterward.

Can I transfer data from multiple Samsung phones to one iPhone?

Move to iOS only works once per iPhone setup. If you need data from multiple Samsung phones, use cloud services. Back up each Samsung phone to Google Drive or another cloud service, then download those apps on your iPhone and sign in with each account to access the data.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.