Emily Ferron
Have you decided to drop your Android in favor of an iPhone? Here's how to switch phones and operating systems without losing your data (or mind) in the process.
Things to know before you start
Chances are, you'll have to abandon many of your hardware accessories. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus do have adapters to accommodate the missing audio jack, but the iPhone's Lightning charging ports are incompatible with any 'droid. Say goodbye to chargers, cases and microSD cards. Of course, some other items, like docks, speakers and wearable tech products, might be compatible, so double-check before ditching anything.
Even though you'll have to re-purchase and download all new apps, all of the best core Google apps are available for iOS. The Google suite, and the accompanying Google Drive storage, are going to be your best friends in the migration process. In fact, we recommend continuing to use them after becoming an iPhone user.
You can also seek Apple's help for this process - it seems to place gleaning Android customers at the top of its priorities. According to its website, Apple Store employees will help you transfer from an Android to an iPhone for free, and there is an official Apple app in the Android store that may also be of service.
The easy, less involved way: Move to iOS app
The official Move to iOS app in the Google Play Store automates content migration. It transfers contacts, message history, photos and videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts and calendars all at once. If you have a new or reset iPhone and you're not picky about configurations, the free app will get you through in minutes.
You will need both phones and Wi-Fi connection for the process. The iPhone needs to be either brand new or factory reset. For best results, set up an Apple ID ahead of time.
1. Download the Move to iOS app on your Android and follow the starting prompts. The app will ask you for a code, which you will get from your iPhone.
2. Turn on your iPhone. You'll receive a "Hello" message. When it comes to Apps & Data, choose the "Move Data from Android" button.
3. You'll be prompted to download Move to iOS. Hit continue.
4. When your iPhone generates a code, switch back to the Android and enter it there.
5. Once you enter the code, your iPhone creates a private Wi-Fi connection between the two 6. You'll be asked which content you'd like to transfer. Make your selection.
7. The transfer begins. It may take several minutes, but the duration depends on how much data you have.
Once the transfer is complete, you'll have to answer a few more questions to set up your iPhone.
You may be looking for your old apps on the iPhone. The Move to iOS instructions suggest that it re-downloads iOS versions of your free Android apps, if available. However, that isn't quite the case, and the service doesn't work in all areas.
In most cases, Move to iOS adds iOS versions of your Android apps to the App Store Wish List. You'll have to download them manually. From your iPhone, go to App Store and tap the list icon in the top right corner of the screen to access your Wish List.
Not all Android apps have iOS equivalents, so do not expect to have everything available to you. You will also have to re-purchase paid apps.
The manual way, if you want to understand what's going on
The Move to iOS app doesn't give you much power over exactly how your new iPhone is configured. For example, if you want to continue mostly relying on Google Drive storage instead of the iCloud, some of the default presets will not work in your favor.
Also, the Move to iOS app may be easy to use, but the simplified process does not impart much knowledge about how the Apple ecosystem works. From an organizational and efficiency standpoint, you may be better off in the long run if you get to know your iPhone during the setup process.
What you'll need
In this tutorial, we assume you have both phones, a Wi-Fi connection and a computer. It's OK if you don't have both phones, but you will need to migrate your data from your Android before you get rid of it.
You'll also need an Apple ID if you do not already have one. You can check for/create an Apple ID. You can also create an account on your iPhone during the setup process.
Email accounts, phone contacts and calendars
If your contacts and calendars are connected to an email address (Google or otherwise) then it's very easy to move this info. You can add each email account and its associated contacts and calendars to your iPhone at the same time.
Some Android phones store contact information to the local device's SIM card instead of Google Contacts. If that's the case (and you don't plan on transferring the actual SIM card to the new device) you'll have to start by importing SIM card contents to Google Contacts.
Moving SIM card contents to Google Contacts
1. On your Android, open the Contacts app.
2. Click the menu icon and look for Import/Export. In Android Nougat, this is usually found under Settings, but it does vary between different manufacturers and their takes on the operating system.
3. Choose Import/Export > Import from SIM card.
4. You'll be asked which Google account to save your contacts to. If you have more than one, choose your primary email.
You will receive a confirmation when the process is complete. After that, you'll be ready to add email accounts and sync their associated data.
Adding email accounts
Even if you plan on using Gmail for iOS instead of Apple's native Mail app (or your main email address isn't Gmail) you should still add your Gmail account to your iPhone settings. That way, you'll have easy access to all of your associated Google data.
To add an e-mail account to a brand new or factory reset iPhone, open the Mail app. You'll be prompted to add an account when you open it for the first time. If your phone is not starting from scratch, or if you have several email address to add, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account.
Image
After you enter username, password and any other required information, you'll see a screen with the account name at the top and a few services listed. It depends on which email service you use, but you will probably see Mail, Contacts and Calendars (and perhaps a few more options) with toggle switches next to them.
Turn these toggle switches to the green on position in order to sync the data. Once you do, you'll be able to access it from your stock iOS apps (Contacts, Calendar, Mail).
A note on using stock iOS vs. Google apps
Of the iPhone's Contacts, Calendar and Mail stock apps, Contacts is the only missing piece (though that's irrelevant as long as you tick the Contacts toggle when setting up your Google account).
There is no reason for you to start using Apple's Mail or Calendar apps if you don't want to. You can download Gmail and Google Calendar for iOS and delete pre-installed Mail and Calendar apps from your iPhone.
Sticking to Google services has a few benefits. For one, you'll never have to worry about a learning curve. In addition, Google offers more free cloud storage through Google Drive (15 GB) than Apple does through the iCloud (5 GB), so it's a good way to preserve iCloud storage.phones, and the transfer begins.
Have you decided to drop your Android in favor of an iPhone? Here's how to switch phones and operating systems without losing your data (or mind) in the process.
Things to know before you start
Chances are, you'll have to abandon many of your hardware accessories. The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus do have adapters to accommodate the missing audio jack, but the iPhone's Lightning charging ports are incompatible with any 'droid. Say goodbye to chargers, cases and microSD cards. Of course, some other items, like docks, speakers and wearable tech products, might be compatible, so double-check before ditching anything.
Even though you'll have to re-purchase and download all new apps, all of the best core Google apps are available for iOS. The Google suite, and the accompanying Google Drive storage, are going to be your best friends in the migration process. In fact, we recommend continuing to use them after becoming an iPhone user.
You can also seek Apple's help for this process - it seems to place gleaning Android customers at the top of its priorities. According to its website, Apple Store employees will help you transfer from an Android to an iPhone for free, and there is an official Apple app in the Android store that may also be of service.
The easy, less involved way: Move to iOS app
The official Move to iOS app in the Google Play Store automates content migration. It transfers contacts, message history, photos and videos, web bookmarks, mail accounts and calendars all at once. If you have a new or reset iPhone and you're not picky about configurations, the free app will get you through in minutes.
You will need both phones and Wi-Fi connection for the process. The iPhone needs to be either brand new or factory reset. For best results, set up an Apple ID ahead of time.
1. Download the Move to iOS app on your Android and follow the starting prompts. The app will ask you for a code, which you will get from your iPhone.
2. Turn on your iPhone. You'll receive a "Hello" message. When it comes to Apps & Data, choose the "Move Data from Android" button.
3. You'll be prompted to download Move to iOS. Hit continue.
4. When your iPhone generates a code, switch back to the Android and enter it there.
5. Once you enter the code, your iPhone creates a private Wi-Fi connection between the two 6. You'll be asked which content you'd like to transfer. Make your selection.
7. The transfer begins. It may take several minutes, but the duration depends on how much data you have.
Once the transfer is complete, you'll have to answer a few more questions to set up your iPhone.
You may be looking for your old apps on the iPhone. The Move to iOS instructions suggest that it re-downloads iOS versions of your free Android apps, if available. However, that isn't quite the case, and the service doesn't work in all areas.
In most cases, Move to iOS adds iOS versions of your Android apps to the App Store Wish List. You'll have to download them manually. From your iPhone, go to App Store and tap the list icon in the top right corner of the screen to access your Wish List.
Not all Android apps have iOS equivalents, so do not expect to have everything available to you. You will also have to re-purchase paid apps.
The manual way, if you want to understand what's going on
The Move to iOS app doesn't give you much power over exactly how your new iPhone is configured. For example, if you want to continue mostly relying on Google Drive storage instead of the iCloud, some of the default presets will not work in your favor.
Also, the Move to iOS app may be easy to use, but the simplified process does not impart much knowledge about how the Apple ecosystem works. From an organizational and efficiency standpoint, you may be better off in the long run if you get to know your iPhone during the setup process.
What you'll need
In this tutorial, we assume you have both phones, a Wi-Fi connection and a computer. It's OK if you don't have both phones, but you will need to migrate your data from your Android before you get rid of it.
You'll also need an Apple ID if you do not already have one. You can check for/create an Apple ID. You can also create an account on your iPhone during the setup process.
Email accounts, phone contacts and calendars
If your contacts and calendars are connected to an email address (Google or otherwise) then it's very easy to move this info. You can add each email account and its associated contacts and calendars to your iPhone at the same time.
Some Android phones store contact information to the local device's SIM card instead of Google Contacts. If that's the case (and you don't plan on transferring the actual SIM card to the new device) you'll have to start by importing SIM card contents to Google Contacts.
Moving SIM card contents to Google Contacts
1. On your Android, open the Contacts app.
2. Click the menu icon and look for Import/Export. In Android Nougat, this is usually found under Settings, but it does vary between different manufacturers and their takes on the operating system.
3. Choose Import/Export > Import from SIM card.
4. You'll be asked which Google account to save your contacts to. If you have more than one, choose your primary email.
You will receive a confirmation when the process is complete. After that, you'll be ready to add email accounts and sync their associated data.
Adding email accounts
Even if you plan on using Gmail for iOS instead of Apple's native Mail app (or your main email address isn't Gmail) you should still add your Gmail account to your iPhone settings. That way, you'll have easy access to all of your associated Google data.
To add an e-mail account to a brand new or factory reset iPhone, open the Mail app. You'll be prompted to add an account when you open it for the first time. If your phone is not starting from scratch, or if you have several email address to add, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account.
Image
After you enter username, password and any other required information, you'll see a screen with the account name at the top and a few services listed. It depends on which email service you use, but you will probably see Mail, Contacts and Calendars (and perhaps a few more options) with toggle switches next to them.
Turn these toggle switches to the green on position in order to sync the data. Once you do, you'll be able to access it from your stock iOS apps (Contacts, Calendar, Mail).
A note on using stock iOS vs. Google apps
Of the iPhone's Contacts, Calendar and Mail stock apps, Contacts is the only missing piece (though that's irrelevant as long as you tick the Contacts toggle when setting up your Google account).
There is no reason for you to start using Apple's Mail or Calendar apps if you don't want to. You can download Gmail and Google Calendar for iOS and delete pre-installed Mail and Calendar apps from your iPhone.
Sticking to Google services has a few benefits. For one, you'll never have to worry about a learning curve. In addition, Google offers more free cloud storage through Google Drive (15 GB) than Apple does through the iCloud (5 GB), so it's a good way to preserve iCloud storage.phones, and the transfer begins.
In terms of app specifics - the iOS Calendar allows you to view Google calendars, but not post to them. If you stick with the Google calendar exclusively, you won't have the headache of dealing with semi-compatible calendars.
The Gmail app and iOS Mail apps work very differently. If you only use Gmail, go for its namesake app: Its interface will be much more familiar, so you can maintain your current methods of inbox triage. If you use non-Gmail addresses, you'll need to use Apple Mail instead.
Photos & videos
Before you get rid of your Android, keep your photos and videos by backing them up to Google Photos.
1. To start, download the Google Photos app to your Android, if you don't already have it.
2. Open Google Photos. Tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines, in the top left corner) and go to Settings. Then, choose "Back up & sync." From there, you can choose which account you'd like these photos to be associated with, along with other preferences.
The Gmail app and iOS Mail apps work very differently. If you only use Gmail, go for its namesake app: Its interface will be much more familiar, so you can maintain your current methods of inbox triage. If you use non-Gmail addresses, you'll need to use Apple Mail instead.
Photos & videos
Before you get rid of your Android, keep your photos and videos by backing them up to Google Photos.
1. To start, download the Google Photos app to your Android, if you don't already have it.
2. Open Google Photos. Tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines, in the top left corner) and go to Settings. Then, choose "Back up & sync." From there, you can choose which account you'd like these photos to be associated with, along with other preferences.
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