Transfer Data from Android to iPhone: 2026 Guide

Switching from Android to iPhone should be exciting — but one worry ruins the fun for most people: “What happens to all my stuff?” Knowing how to transfer data from Android to iPhone properly is the difference between a smooth afternoon and a week of hunting for missing contacts, lost photos, and WhatsApp chats that vanished into the void.

The good news: in 2026, this is easier than ever. Apple’s free transfer app does the heavy lifting, WhatsApp chats can migrate officially, and anything the automatic tools miss has a manual workaround. Here is every method, step by step.

Before You Start: The Pre-Transfer Checklist

A little prep prevents most failures when you transfer data from Android to iPhone. Run through this list first:

• Charge both phones — or better, keep them plugged in during the whole transfer. A dying battery mid-move can corrupt it.
• Connect your Android to Wi-Fi. The transfer uses a direct device-to-device connection, not mobile data.
• Check free storage on the iPhone. A 128 GB iPhone cannot hold 150 GB of photos — offload or delete what you do not need first.
• Turn off any VPN on the Android — it interferes with the device-to-device connection.
• Know your Apple ID (or be ready to create one during setup).
• Do not wipe the Android yet. Keep it until every app on the iPhone is verified.

Method 1: How to Transfer Data from Android to iPhone with Move to iOS

Apple’s free Move to iOS app (in the Google Play Store) is the official and easiest way to transfer data from Android to iPhone. It runs during the iPhone’s initial setup, creates a private Wi-Fi network between the two phones, and copies everything directly. No computer needed.

What it transfers

Contacts, SMS message history, camera photos and videos, photo albums, files and folders, calendars, call history, web bookmarks, mail accounts, WhatsApp messages and media, accessibility and display settings, and voice memos. Free apps that exist on both stores are matched so you can download them afterward. Paid apps must be bought again, and music, books, and PDFs need a manual move (see Method 4).

Step by step

1. On your Android, install Move to iOS from the Google Play Store.
2. Turn on the new iPhone. On the Apps & Data screen, tap Move Data from Android — a 6- or 10-digit code appears.
3. Open Move to iOS on the Android, tap Continue, accept the terms, then enter the code. The iPhone creates a temporary Wi-Fi network — join it when asked.
4. On the Transfer Data screen, pick what to move and tap Continue.
5. Leave both phones alone until the loading bar on the iPhone finishes (even if the Android says “complete” first). Keep them close together and plugged in — it can take minutes or a couple of hours depending on data volume.
6. Tap Done on Android, Continue on iPhone, and finish setup.

Wired option: to transfer data from Android to iPhone, newer devices can connect the two phones with a USB-C cable instead of Wi-Fi — faster and more stable. Use a cable if you have one.

Important limitation: Move to iOS only works during iPhone setup. If you already finished setup, the option is gone — you would have to erase the iPhone (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings) and start over. Plan the transfer before setting up the new phone.

Method 2: Using Your Google Account

If you missed the setup window or only need contacts, calendars, and email, your Google account handles it — no factory reset required. This is the simplest way to transfer data from Android to iPhone after the phone is already set up. The catch: it does not move SMS history, WhatsApp, or app data.

1. On Android: open Settings > Google > Backup and confirm backup is on. In Settings > Accounts, check that Contacts, Calendar, and Gmail sync are enabled for your Google account. In Google Photos, confirm photos and videos are backed up.
2. On iPhone: go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account, choose Google, and sign in.
3. Enable Contacts, Calendars, and Mail. Within minutes your Google contacts, calendar events, and Gmail appear on the iPhone.
4. Install the Google Photos app from the App Store and sign in — your backed-up pictures are all there.

Method 3: How to Transfer WhatsApp Chats from Android to iPhone

WhatsApp history is the one thing that used to refuse to move. It now transfers officially — but only via Move to iOS during iPhone setup. Miss that window and the official path closes, so plan for it.

Requirements (per WhatsApp’s official help pages)

• Android 5.0 or newer, iOS 15.5 or newer
• The latest WhatsApp on both phones
• Move to iOS on the Android (WhatsApp warns that other migration apps are unsupported and cause failures)
• The same phone number on both devices
• iPhone brand-new or factory-reset
• Both phones on power and the same Wi-Fi (or the Android on the iPhone’s hotspot)

Step by step

1. During iPhone setup, choose Move Data from Android; open Move to iOS on the Android and enter the code.
2. On the Transfer Data screen, select WhatsApp and tap Start. WhatsApp prepares your chats for export — you will be logged out on the Android once it is ready.
3. Tap Next, then Continue, and let the transfer run untouched (large histories can take 30–90 minutes).
4. On the iPhone, install the latest WhatsApp from the App Store, log in with the same phone number, and tap Start when prompted to import your history. You may need to verify the number via SMS or call.

What moves: account info, profile photo, individual and group chats, message history, media, and settings. What does not: call history, your display name, and media received through Channels. Note the hard limit: the WhatsApp Business app cannot migrate chats from Android to iPhone — export critical chats individually first.

Method 4: Manual Photo, Music, and File Transfer

If your iPhone is already set up, or you only need specific folders, the manual route is slower but gives total control.

Via a computer (USB)

1. Connect your Android to a computer and copy photos and videos from the DCIM folder (plus any music, PDFs, or ebooks).
2. Connect your iPhone instead. On a Mac use Finder; on Windows use the Apple Devices app to sync the files over. Books and PDFs can go through Apple Books.

If you are shuffling big photo libraries around often, a proper backup drive earns its keep — our SSD vs HDD comparison for 2026 explains which drive type makes the better backup home.

Via cloud storage

Upload from the Android to Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive, install the same app on your iPhone, sign in, and download. Simple, cable-free, and works after setup.

Transferring Your eSIM from Android to iPhone

After you transfer data from Android to iPhone, Move to iOS can start SIM activation during setup, but an Android eSIM often needs its own step:

• Direct transfer (newer iPhones): after setup, go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM and look for Transfer from Android. A QR code appears on the iPhone — scan it with your Android, choose the number, and confirm. The Android eSIM deactivates automatically.
• Carrier QR code (universal fallback): ask your carrier for a new eSIM QR code, then on the iPhone go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM > Use QR Code and scan it.

Physical SIM? Just move the card over — done.

What Does Not Transfer — and How to Handle It

• Paid apps: Google Play purchases do not carry over — buy them again on the App Store (check you still use them first).
• App data and logins: matched free apps arrive without their data. Reinstall, sign in, and use a password manager to make this fast.
• Music, books, PDFs: Move to iOS skips these — use Method 4.
• Two-factor authenticator codes: export or re-set-up codes before wiping the Android, or you can lock yourself out of accounts.
• WhatsApp call history and display name (covered above).

Once the new iPhone is set up, give its battery a fighting chance from day one — these 15 battery tips that actually work apply just as well to a fresh iPhone.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Move to iOS cannot find the iPhone. Turn off mobile data and any VPN on the Android, and make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi (or that the Android joined the iPhone’s temporary Wi-Fi network). Restart both apps.

Transfer stalls or the code fails. Codes expire — generate a fresh one. Battery-saver modes on either phone can kill the connection; plug both in and disable them.

Photos missing afterward. Wait a little — the library takes time to index after a big move. Also check whether photos lived on an SD card or a third-party gallery app; those may need a manual copy.

Tempted by a paid third-party transfer tool? Some claim to move data to an already-set-up iPhone. They cost money and results vary — research the vendor first. Glowing reviews for migration tools are often fake, so read our guide on how to spot fake tech reviews before you buy.

Conclusion: The Safe Switch Sequence

The safest way to transfer data from Android to iPhone is to follow the right order: run Move to iOS during setup, let your Google account handle contacts and calendars if you missed the window, give WhatsApp its own careful pass, and move the stragglers manually. Keep both phones plugged in, and do not erase the Android until you have confirmed contacts, messages, photos, WhatsApp, and mobile data all work on the iPhone. Do it in that order, and your new iPhone will feel like home by dinner.