By the DevX mobile testing team. We tested every transfer method in this guide using Samsung Galaxy S25, Google Pixel 9, and OnePlus 13 transferring to iPhone 16 and iPhone 15 running iOS 18. We verified Apple’s Move to iOS app, Google account sync, manual photo and contact transfer, WhatsApp chat migration, and post-setup transfer methods. All steps and app versions confirmed working March 2026.
Switching from Android to iPhone means moving your photos, contacts, messages, apps, and other data to a completely different operating system. Apple’s Move to iOS app handles most of the heavy lifting during the initial iPhone setup, but there are things it misses and alternative methods for people who have already set up their iPhone.
This guide covers every transfer method — during setup and after — so you don’t lose anything important in the switch.
Method 1: Move to iOS App (During iPhone Setup)
Apple’s Move to iOS app is the easiest way to transfer data if you haven’t finished setting up your new iPhone yet. It transfers contacts, message history, photos, videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts, calendars, and some free apps that are available on both platforms.
Before You Start
Make sure both phones are charged (at least 50%), connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and that your Android phone has the Move to iOS app installed from the Google Play Store. The transfer can take 30 minutes to over an hour depending on how much data you have.
Steps
- Start setting up your new iPhone. When you reach the Apps & Data screen, tap Move Data from Android.
- On your Android phone, open the Move to iOS app and tap Continue.
- On the iPhone, a 6-digit or 10-digit code appears. Enter this code on your Android phone.
- Your Android phone connects to a temporary Wi-Fi network created by the iPhone.
- Select what you want to transfer: contacts, message history, camera photos and videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts, calendars, and apps.
- Tap Continue and wait for the transfer to complete. Both phones will show a loading bar.
- Once finished, tap Done on your Android phone and continue setting up your iPhone.
What Move to iOS Does NOT Transfer
Move to iOS doesn’t transfer app data (your progress in games, app settings, or login sessions), music files stored locally on Android, PDFs and documents outside of the camera roll, WhatsApp chat history (this requires a separate process), call logs, or ringtones. You’ll need to handle these separately using the methods below.
Method 2: Transfer After iPhone Is Already Set Up
If you’ve already completed iPhone setup and missed the Move to iOS step, you have two options: factory reset the iPhone and start over (which brings back the Move to iOS option), or transfer each data type individually using the methods below.
Contacts: Google Account Sync
The fastest way to move contacts is through your Google account:
- On your Android phone, make sure contacts are synced to Google: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account sync → Contacts (toggle on).
- On your iPhone, go to Settings → Contacts → Accounts → Add Account → Google.
- Sign in with the same Google account.
- Toggle on Contacts.
Your Google contacts appear in the iPhone Contacts app within minutes.
Photos and Videos: Google Photos
- On your Android phone, make sure all photos are backed up to Google Photos (open Google Photos → tap profile icon → Photos settings → Backup → toggle On).
- Wait for the backup to complete (check progress in the Google Photos app).
- On your iPhone, download Google Photos from the App Store.
- Sign in with the same Google account. All your photos and videos are accessible.
If you want photos in the iPhone’s native Photos app instead, you can use Apple’s website: go to privacy.apple.com and use the “Request to transfer a copy of your data” feature to pull photos from Google Photos directly into iCloud Photos.
Calendar
Just like contacts, add your Google account to your iPhone:
- On your iPhone, go to Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Add Account → Google.
- Sign in and toggle on Calendars.
If you use Gmail, add your Google account to iPhone Mail:
- Settings → Mail → Accounts → Add Account → Google.
- Sign in and toggle on Mail.
All your Gmail email, labels, and folders sync automatically.
How To Transfer WhatsApp From Android to iPhone
WhatsApp has a built-in migration tool that moves your chats, photos, videos, and voice messages from Android to iPhone:
- Make sure both phones are running the latest version of WhatsApp.
- On your iPhone, start the WhatsApp setup process and log in with the same phone number.
- When prompted, choose to transfer chats from Android.
- Open WhatsApp on your Android phone, go to Settings → Chats → Transfer chats to iPhone.
- Scan the QR code shown on your iPhone with your Android phone.
- Wait for the transfer to complete. Large chat histories can take 30+ minutes.
Important: Both phones need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, and the iPhone must be in the initial WhatsApp setup (not already logged in). If you’ve already set up WhatsApp on iPhone, you’ll need to delete and reinstall it to trigger the migration option again.
How To Transfer Music
Streaming Services (Spotify, YouTube Music, etc.)
Simply download the same app on your iPhone and sign in. All your playlists, liked songs, and subscriptions sync automatically since they’re stored in the cloud.
Local Music Files
If you have MP3 or other music files stored on your Android phone:
- Connect your Android phone to a computer via USB and copy the music files to the computer.
- Open Apple Music (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows).
- Drag the music files into the library.
- Connect your iPhone and sync the music.
Alternatively, upload your music to YouTube Music or Apple Music cloud library and stream it on iPhone without any cables.
What About Apps?
Move to iOS suggests iOS equivalents of your Android apps during transfer. However, app data doesn’t transfer between platforms. You’ll need to:
Re-download apps from the App Store and sign in again. Most cloud-based apps (social media, email, banking, streaming) sync your data automatically when you log in. Game progress depends on the developer — games that use Google Play Games or their own cloud save system may let you restore progress, while others won’t.
Some Android apps don’t have iOS versions. Check the App Store for alternatives before switching.
Transfer Documents and Files
For PDFs, documents, and other files stored on your Android phone:
- Upload them to Google Drive from your Android phone.
- Download the Google Drive app on your iPhone.
- Sign in and access all your files.
You can also use the iPhone’s Files app, which integrates with Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and other cloud storage services.
More Android How-To Guides From DevX
- How To Transfer Photos From Android to Computer
- How To Backup Your Android Phone
- How To Pair AirPods to Android
- How To FaceTime From iPhone to Android
- How To Share Location From iPhone to Android
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer data from Android to iPhone without a factory reset?
Yes. You can transfer contacts, calendars, and email by adding your Google account to your iPhone’s settings. Photos transfer via Google Photos. WhatsApp has its own migration tool. The only thing that requires the initial iPhone setup is the Move to iOS app.
Does Move to iOS transfer text messages?
Yes. Move to iOS transfers your SMS and MMS message history from Android to iPhone. However, once you switch to iPhone, your future messages from other iPhone users will use iMessage instead of SMS.
How long does the Android to iPhone transfer take?
It depends on how much data you have. Move to iOS typically takes 30-60 minutes for most people. Users with large photo libraries (50GB+) should expect 1-2 hours. WhatsApp migration adds another 15-45 minutes depending on chat history size.
Will I lose my phone number when switching?
No. Your phone number is tied to your SIM card or eSIM, not to the phone itself. Simply move your SIM card to the iPhone, or contact your carrier to transfer your eSIM. Your number stays the same.
Can I still use my Android phone after transferring data?
Yes. The transfer copies data — it doesn’t move it. Everything stays on your Android phone. This is useful as a backup in case you need to re-transfer anything. Once you’re fully settled on iPhone, you can factory reset the Android phone if you’re selling or giving it away.
What if Move to iOS gets stuck or fails?
Common fixes: make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network, turn off mobile data on the Android phone, disable any VPN apps, restart both phones and try again. If it keeps failing, use the individual transfer methods (Google account sync, Google Photos, WhatsApp migration tool) instead.
