The fastest way depends on what phone you're switching to

The speed and ease of transferring your data depends on whether you're staying within the same operating system or switching between them. If you're moving from iPhone to iPhone or Android to Android, your phone's built-in tools will move most of your data automatically. If you're switching from iPhone to Android or Android to iPhone, you'll need to use a combination of cloud services and manual steps, and some data won't transfer at all.

Before you start, back up your old phone completely. This takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much data you have, and it's your safety net if something goes wrong during the transfer.

Key Takeaways

  • iPhone to iPhone transfers happen through iCloud backup or Quick Start, and take 30 minutes to several hours depending on data size.
  • Android to Android transfers use Google Account sync or Samsung Smart Switch, and most data moves automatically once you sign in.
  • Switching between iPhone and Android requires using cloud services like Google Photos, OneDrive, and Gmail, since no single tool moves everything.
  • Some data like banking apps, payment methods, and app-specific settings will not transfer and must be set up again on your new phone.
  • Back up your old phone before starting any transfer, because the process cannot be reversed if something fails.

iPhone to iPhone: Using iCloud or Quick Start

Quick Start is the fastest method if you have both phones in front of you. Turn on your new iPhone and hold it near your old iPhone. Your old phone will prompt you to set up the new one. Tap "Continue," then scan the animation on the new phone's screen with your old phone's camera. Sign in with your Apple ID, and your new phone will read your apps, photos, contacts, messages, and settings over Wi-Fi. This process takes 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have.

If you don't have both phones at the same time, use iCloud backup instead. On your old iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then tap "Back Up Now." This uploads your data to Apple's servers. When you set up your new iPhone, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" during setup and sign in with your Apple ID. Your new phone will read everything from that backup. This method is slower than Quick Start but works when your old phone isn't available.

Both methods transfer your apps, photos, messages, contacts, calendar events, notes, reminders, and most settings. They do not transfer banking apps (you'll need to reinstall and log in), payment methods (you'll re-add these in Wallet), or app-specific data like game progress (unless the app itself syncs to the cloud).

Android to Android: Using Google Account or Smart Switch

The simplest method is to sign into your Google Account on your new Android phone. During setup, enter your Google email and password. Your new phone will automatically sync your contacts, calendar, Gmail, Google Photos, and any apps you installed from the Google Play Store. This happens in the background over the next few hours and requires no additional steps from you.

If you want to transfer data faster or you're switching between different Android manufacturers (like Samsung to Google Pixel), use Samsung Smart Switch or your new phone's equivalent transfer tool. For Samsung phones, read Smart Switch on both your old and new phone, open it on both devices, select "Send Data" on the old phone and "Receive Data" on the new phone, then choose Wi-Fi or USB cable transfer. The process takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on data size. Google Pixel phones have a similar built-in tool called Pixel Transfer that works the same way.

Google Account sync transfers contacts, email, calendar, photos (if you use Google Photos), and apps. It does not transfer text messages, call history, or app data like game saves unless the app itself backs up to Google Drive. To move text messages, you'll need a third-party app like SMS Backup+ or your carrier's backup service.

iPhone to Android: Using cloud services for each data type

There is no single tool that moves everything from iPhone to Android, so you'll transfer different types of data through different services. Start by backing up your iPhone completely, then work through each category below.

Contacts and calendar: On your iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and make sure Contacts and Calendar are turned on. Wait for them to sync to iCloud. Then on your new Android phone, go to Settings > Accounts > Add Account, select "Google," and sign in. Go to Settings > Accounts > iCloud, enter your Apple ID email, and turn on Contacts and Calendar. Your contacts and calendar events will sync to your Google Account and appear on your Android phone within a few minutes.

Photos and videos: Use Google Photos on both phones. On your iPhone, read Google Photos from the App Store, sign in with your Google Account, and tap the menu icon, then "Photos Settings," then "Backup & Sync." Turn it on and select "High Quality" or "Original" depending on your storage. Let it finish uploading (this can take hours for large libraries). On your new Android phone, read Google Photos, sign in with the same Google Account, and your photos will appear automatically.

Email: Gmail transfers automatically if you sign into your Google Account on your new Android phone. For other email providers like Outlook or Yahoo, read the app on your new phone and sign in with your email address and password. Your messages won't transfer, but you'll have access going forward.

Messages and call history: These do not transfer between iPhone and Android. You can export your iPhone messages to a file using a third-party tool like PhoneRescue or iMazing, but you cannot import them into Android's default messaging app. Most people straightforward start fresh with messaging on their new phone.

Android to iPhone: Using iCloud and cloud services

Like iPhone to Android, there is no single transfer tool. You'll move data through cloud services instead.

Contacts and calendar: On your Android phone, open Google Contacts and Google Calendar to make sure they're synced to your Google Account. On your new iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and turn on Contacts and Calendar. Then go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account, select "Google," and sign in with your Google Account. Your contacts and calendar will sync to iCloud and appear on your iPhone within a few minutes.

Photos: Use Google Photos on both phones. On your Android phone, open Google Photos, tap your profile picture, then "Photos Settings," then "Backup & Sync," and turn it on. On your new iPhone, read Google Photos from the App Store, sign in with the same Google Account, and your photos will appear.

Email, messages, and call history: Email transfers the same way as Android to Android — read the app and sign in. Messages and call history do not transfer and must be started fresh on your iPhone.

Data that never transfers between phones

Some information cannot move to a new phone no matter which method you use. Banking apps, payment apps like Apple Pay or Google Pay, and two-factor authentication codes must be set up again on your new phone. Before you switch, write down which banking and payment apps you use, then read and log into each one on your new phone.

App-specific data like game progress, saved preferences in social media apps, and custom settings in productivity apps will not transfer unless the app itself syncs to the cloud. Check the settings in apps you care about before switching — many have an option to back up to the cloud or link to your account so your data follows you.

Passwords stored in your phone's password manager will transfer if you use iCloud Keychain (iPhone to iPhone) or Google Password Manager (Android to Android). If you're switching between operating systems, you'll need to manually enter passwords or use a third-party password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password that works on both platforms.

What to do if the transfer fails or gets stuck

If your transfer stalls or doesn't complete, restart both phones and try again. Make sure both phones are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and that your old phone has at least 20% battery. If you're using a cable transfer method like Smart Switch, try a different USB cable — some cables are data-only and work better than others.

If data is missing after the transfer completes, check whether it's in a cloud service instead of on the phone itself. Photos might be in Google Photos, contacts might be in Google Contacts, and email might be in Gmail. These services sync to your phone automatically, but sometimes the sync takes several hours.

If you backed up your old phone before starting, you can always restore from that backup and try again. On iPhone, you can restore from iCloud Backup by going to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings, then choosing "Restore from iCloud Backup" during setup. On Android, you can factory reset your phone and sign back into your Google Account to restore from your backup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data if my old phone is broken?

If your old phone won't turn on, you cannot use Quick Start or Smart Switch. If you backed up your old phone to iCloud or Google before it broke, you can restore from that backup on your new phone. If you didn't back up, you'll lose data that wasn't synced to the cloud, like text messages and app data. Going forward, turn on automatic backups in your phone's settings so this doesn't happen again.

How long does a data transfer usually take?

Quick Start and Smart Switch take 15 to 45 minutes over Wi-Fi. iCloud Backup and Google Account sync can take several hours depending on how much data you have and your internet speed. Cloud service transfers like Google Photos happen in the background and may take hours or days for large photo libraries. Start the transfer when you have time to let it run uninterrupted.

Will my apps transfer with their login information?

Apps transfer, but you'll usually need to log in again. Your app passwords are not stored in the app itself — they're stored in your phone's password manager or in the app's own servers. When you open an app on your new phone, it will ask you to sign in. If you use iCloud Keychain or Google Password Manager, your passwords will be available to fill in automatically.

What if I want to keep my old phone as a backup?

You can keep your old phone, but stop using it for calls and texts after the transfer. If you keep both phones active on the same phone number, messages and calls will split between them and you'll miss some. If you want to keep your old phone for reference or as a backup device, turn off cellular service and use it only on Wi-Fi for photos or notes.

Can I transfer data to multiple new phones?

You can restore the same backup to multiple phones, but they'll all have identical data and will sync to the same accounts. If you restore your iCloud backup to two iPhones, both will receive the same messages and calendar events. This works for personal backups but causes problems if you're setting up phones for different people. For that, create separate Apple IDs or Google Accounts before restoring.