Getting a new phone is enjoyable until you realise everything important is still on the old one. Contacts, photos, apps, messages, app settings — moving all of it used to mean hours of work. The process is now much simpler if you know which method to use.
This guide covers iPhones (iOS) and Android phones. Steps, menu names and app names change between versions and brands, so check your own phone’s screens if they look different.
Before you start: two-step codes
Authenticator apps create the codes that protect your online accounts. The codes are tied to the phone where the app was set up, so they do not move automatically. Before you lose access to the old phone, check each authenticator app for a transfer or export option. Many offer a QR code that you scan with the same app on the new phone. If the transfer works, the accounts and codes should appear in the app on the new phone. If an app has no transfer option, do not remove it from the old phone yet. Use the online service’s own instructions to add the new phone while the old one still works. If you cannot get these codes back, you can be locked out of email, banking and social media accounts.
Messages and call history
The way messages and call history move depends on the phone. If your messages sync through a cloud account, the history usually appears on the new phone after you sign in to the same account. If messages are stored only on the phone, the transfer tool may copy them, but this may not work for every messaging app. If a messaging app has its own backup option, use it before you move. Call history may move with the transfer, but some mobile network providers (carriers) keep a separate log that does not. After the move, open your messaging and phone apps and check that recent conversations and calls are there. If they are missing, export or save them from the old phone before you wipe it.
Apps that need you to sign in again
Many apps tie their login to the phone they were set up on. After the move, some will open and then ask you to sign in again. This is normal for banking apps, streaming services and other apps with extra device security. Have your login details ready before you start. If you use a password manager, make sure it is synced and signed in on the new phone before you wipe the old one.
iPhone to iPhone
Apple has made same-ecosystem transfers very straightforward. The easiest method is Quick Start, which works when both phones are running iOS 12.4 or later.
Place both phones near each other with the old phone unlocked. The new iPhone should prompt you to begin the transfer automatically. Follow the instructions: you will scan an animation on the new phone using the old phone’s camera, enter your passcode, choose whether to transfer data wirelessly or over a cable, and wait. When the transfer has finished, your contacts and apps should be on the new iPhone.
Wireless transfer over a 5GHz Wi-Fi connection is slow for large amounts of data. If you have many photos or large apps, a USB cable is considerably faster. Check the charging port on your iPhone: newer iPhones use USB-C and older iPhones use Lightning, so use a cable that fits your port.
Alternatively, restore from an iCloud backup. Back up the old iPhone to iCloud (Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now), then set up the new iPhone and choose Restore from iCloud Backup. This works without both phones being physically together but requires sufficient iCloud storage.
Android to Android
Most Android manufacturers include their own transfer tool. Google Pixels use Google’s built-in setup, Samsung devices offer Smart Switch, and OnePlus uses their own app. In all cases, the process is similar: open the transfer app on both devices, connect them either wirelessly or with a cable, and select what to transfer.
Google’s cross-manufacturer backup is also reliable for contacts (stored in your Google account), calendar events, and most app data — because apps that use Google Play’s backup API restore their data automatically when you reinstall them on a new device. Photos sync automatically if you use Google Photos.
The USB cable method is more reliable for large data transfers. Use the cable that came with your new phone, as these are usually designed for data transfer rather than charging only.
iPhone to Android or Android to iPhone
Cross-platform transfers are more limited because the two ecosystems store data differently.
For Android to iPhone, Apple’s Move to iOS app (available on Google Play) transfers contacts, message history, photos and videos, web bookmarks, and some accounts. Apps need to be reinstalled from the App Store — there is no way to transfer the apps themselves.
For iPhone to Android, Google’s setup process can import contacts and photos if you connect your Google account. The Switch to Android app (available on the App Store on newer iPhones) handles photos, contacts, calendar events, and messages if your Android device is running a recent version.
Neither cross-platform path transfers your SMS message history fully, and app data from paid apps may not transfer because the purchase is tied to the original platform’s store.
Photos: The Most Important Thing to Protect
If you use iCloud Photos or Google Photos with auto-sync enabled, your photos are already backed up independently of the transfer process. Verify that sync is up to date before you factory-reset the old phone.
Before doing anything, check that all your photos appear in the cloud library on another device or a computer. Only then should you wipe the old phone.
Keep the old phone for a few days
After the new phone appears to have everything, keep the old phone powered on and nearby for at least a few days. Test the things that matter: send a message, make a call, open your important apps, and check that your two-step codes work. If something is missing, you can still get it from the old phone. Do not wipe it until you are sure.
Wipe the old phone safely
Erasing the old phone removes the personal data on it. Before you erase it, check that you have a copy of anything else you still need, such as messages and documents, somewhere else. Then use the factory reset option in the old phone’s settings. Once the reset is done, the phone should restart and show its first set-up screens. Before you erase a memory card, check that you have copied anything you need from it. After the reset, remove any memory card and erase it separately. Only give the phone away or throw it out after you have checked that the reset finished.
Last updated: October 9, 2026