The fastest way depends on whether you have an iPhone or Android
If you're moving to a new iPhone, you can transfer most apps automatically during setup using iCloud or by signing into your Apple ID on the new phone. If you're moving to a new Android phone, Google Play automatically restores apps you've downloaded when you sign in with your Google account. The process is largely hands-off, though a few apps may need manual reinstallation or login information.
The real work comes after: making sure your app data (saved games, login credentials, photos within apps) transfers along with the app itself. Some apps sync this automatically; others require you to back it up before switching phones or to log back in on the new device.
Key Takeaways
- iPhone to iPhone: sign into your Apple ID during setup and iCloud will restore your apps automatically within a few hours.
- Android to Android: sign into your Google account during setup and Google Play will reinstall your apps automatically.
- Switching between iPhone and Android requires manually downloading apps from the new platform's app store, since the two systems don't share app libraries.
- App data (login info, saved progress, photos) often requires separate backup or manual login on the new phone, even when the app transfers.
- Before switching phones, back up any app data you can't afford to lose, especially for banking, email, and games with progress you want to keep.
iPhone to iPhone: using iCloud or direct transfer
When you set up a new iPhone, you'll see an option to restore from an iCloud backup or to transfer data directly from your old iPhone. Both methods will restore your apps automatically. If you choose iCloud, make sure your old iPhone has backed up to iCloud within the last day — go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap "Back Up Now" if the last backup is old.
Direct transfer (called "Quick Start" on newer iPhones) is faster if both phones are in front of you. Hold the new phone next to your old one, follow the on-screen prompts, and the new phone will copy your apps, settings, and data directly. This usually takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how many apps you have.
After transfer, your apps will appear on your home screen, but they may still be downloading in the background. Open the App Store and tap your profile icon at the top right, then tap "Purchased" to see the full list of apps being restored. If an app doesn't appear after a few hours, you can tap the cloud icon next to it to download it manually.
Android to Android: using your Google account
During setup on your new Android phone, you'll be asked to sign into your Google account. Once you do, Google Play will automatically begin restoring apps you've previously downloaded. This happens in the background and can take several hours depending on how many apps you have and your internet speed.
You can check the progress by opening Google Play, tapping your profile icon in the top right, selecting "Manage my apps & games," and then tapping "Manage." Apps that are still downloading will show a progress bar. If an app fails to download, you can tap it and select "Install" manually.
Some apps may not restore automatically if they're no longer available in Google Play or if they were sideloaded (installed from outside the Play Store). For those, you'll need to download them manually or find an alternative app that serves the same purpose.
Switching from iPhone to Android or Android to iPhone
Moving between operating systems means your apps won't transfer directly — the iPhone App Store and Google Play are separate ecosystems. You'll need to download each app manually on your new phone by searching for it in the new app store.
Before you switch, make a list of the apps you use regularly. Open your old phone's app store (App Store for iPhone, Google Play for Android), search for each app by name, and note which ones exist on the other platform. Some apps have direct equivalents (Gmail, Google Maps, Spotify exist on both), while others may have a different name or a different app altogether that does the same thing.
The bigger challenge is app data. If you have saved games, photos, or other data stored only within an app, that data usually won't transfer. Before switching, check each app's settings for an option to back up or export your data. Many apps let you save your progress to the cloud or email yourself a backup file. Some apps (like banking apps) require you to simply log in again on the new phone to access your account.
Backing up app data before you switch phones
App data lives separately from the app itself. Your photos in Instagram, your saved games in Candy Crush, your login to your bank — these are stored on the app's servers or on your phone, not in the app file. When you transfer an app, the app itself moves, but the data may not.
For apps you care about, check their settings before switching phones. Look for options like "Back Up," "Export," "Cloud Save," or "Sync." Many apps (Gmail, Google Photos, Dropbox) sync your data automatically to the cloud, so logging in on your new phone restores everything. Others (games, note-taking apps, fitness trackers) may require you to manually back up or to pay for a premium account to enable cloud sync.
For banking and financial apps, you typically don't need to back anything up — just log in on your new phone and your account information appears. For social media apps, your posts and photos are on the company's servers, so logging in restores them. The apps most likely to lose data are games and productivity apps that store everything locally on your phone.
What to do if an app won't transfer or download
If an app doesn't appear on your new phone after a few hours, it may be unavailable in your region, no longer supported by the developer, or incompatible with your new phone's operating system. Open the app store on your new phone and search for the app by name. If it doesn't appear, it's no longer available.
In that case, look for an alternative. Search the app store for keywords related to what the app did — if you're looking for a note-taking app, search "notes" and browse the results. Read the reviews and descriptions to find something similar. Many popular apps have multiple alternatives that work just as well.
If an app does appear in the store but won't download, try restarting your phone and trying again. If it still fails, check that you have enough storage space (go to Settings and look for Storage or About Phone). If storage is full, delete photos, videos, or other large files to free up space, then try downloading the app again.
Transferring login information and passwords
Most apps store your login information on their own servers, so you just sign in again on your new phone. However, if an app stored your password locally on your old phone, you may not have it memorized. Before you switch phones, write down or take a screenshot of any usernames you use, or use your app's "Forgot Password" feature to reset it while you still have access to your old phone.
If you use a password manager (like 1Password, LastPass, or Bitwarden), install it on your new phone first and sign in. It will restore all your saved passwords, making it easy to log into apps without having to reset anything. If you don't use a password manager, consider setting one up — it's especially useful when switching phones.
For two-factor authentication (the extra security code some apps ask for), make sure you have access to the phone number or email address associated with your account. If an app sends a code to your old phone number and you've switched carriers, you won't receive it. Before switching phones, update your recovery phone number or email in any apps that use two-factor authentication.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my app subscriptions transfer to my new phone?
Yes. Subscriptions are tied to your Apple ID (iPhone) or Google account (Android), not to the phone itself. When you sign into your account on the new phone, your subscriptions remain active. You'll continue to be charged on the same schedule, and you can use the subscribed features immediately.
Do I need to delete apps from my old phone before transferring them?
No. Deleting apps from your old phone won't affect the transfer. The transfer process reads your account history (which apps you've downloaded), not the apps still installed on the old phone. You can delete apps from your old phone whenever you want.
What if I don't remember all the apps I had installed?
On iPhone, open the App Store, tap your profile icon, and select "Purchased" to see every app you've ever downloaded. On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile icon, select "Manage my apps & games," and tap "Manage" to see your full history. Use this list to manually download any apps that didn't restore automatically.
Can I transfer apps to a used phone I just bought?
Yes, but only if you set it up with your own account. If the phone is already set up with someone else's account, you'll need to factory reset it first (Settings > General > Reset on iPhone, or Settings > System > Reset Options on Android). After the reset, set it up with your account and your apps will restore.
How long does it take for all my apps to transfer?
Automatic transfer usually completes within a few hours, though it depends on how many apps you have and your internet speed. Apps download in the background, so you can use your new phone while they're still installing. If you're in a hurry, you can manually download your most-used apps first and let the rest download overnight.