How to phone transfer The ultimate guide to switch from iPhone to Android

So you have decided that maybe the grass is greener on the other side, and you’re all set to make the trip across the Android bridge. In this guide, we will help you get past any trolls you might encounter unscathed. For example, suppose you’ve been thinking about switching from an iPhone to an Android device, and you’re already heavily invested in Apple’s ecosystem. In that case, you will encounter a few obstacles, but they’re far from impossible.

We’re going to take a look at how to transfer contacts and other data, switch to Google services, and deal with your music, photos, and videos. Finally, to round things off, we will provide a few additional tips to help you get used to Android, quell some common fears, and point out how best to take advantage of your new platform’s highlights.

Making the transition

Before you embark on this journey to the promised land of Android, take one last look around you. There are a few things you’ll have to leave behind:

1. Many of the cases, docks, and other accessories you bought for your iPhone will not be compatible with Android smartphones (it’s worth checking, though, because some are).
2. Your iOS apps cannot go with you, but you’ll find most of them have Android counterparts awaiting your arrival.
3. Any DRM-protected content you bought in the Apple App Store or iTunes is stuck there (you can easily and legally remove the restrictions from music, but not from TV shows and movies).

Last but not least, there’s your iPhone itself. Before you wipe it with a factory reset, you’ll want to work through the rest of our guide. When you’re done, assuming you’re not gifting your iPhone to someone, then you might want to peruse our guide on how to sell an iPhone without getting ripped off.

Using phone manufacturer apps or tools

Before we dig into various methods for moving over different bits and pieces from your iPhone to your new Android phone, it’s worth mentioning that you can often save some time by using the tools that the maker of your new smartphone provides. In addition, you’ll usually be asked during the setup of your new phone if you want to copy over files from your old phone.

If you buy a Samsung phone, like the Galaxy S10 Plus, for example, you will get a USB-OTG connector in the box, which allows you to plug in your old iPhone and copy over many files and data. You can also use the Smart Switch software. However, if you don’t get such an option on your new Android phone or lack the connector you need to a plugin, do not worry because we’re about to run through alternative methods.

Transferring contacts

You’ll want to transfer your contacts before you sell your old device. Check out our guide on how to transfer your contacts between iPhone and Android for a simple method that employs iTunes and Gmail.

You could also use iCloud. Turn on Contacts in Settings > [your name] > iCloud on your iPhone. Log into the iCloud website on your computer and click Contacts. Click the gear icon at the bottom left, choose Select All, then click the gear icon again and select Export vCard. Now log into Gmail, tap the red Gmail in the top left, then Contacts, or head to Google Contacts in your browser, click More, and tap Import.

It’s also possible to do this with the free My Contacts Backup app. Install it on your iPhone, launch it, tap backup, and then email the backup file to an email account on your Android phone. You’ll get a VCF file that you can import into your Android contacts app.

It’s also possible to do this with the free My Contacts Backup app. Install it on your iPhone, launch it, tap backup, and then email the backup file to an email account on your Android phone. You’ll get a VCF file that you can import into your Android contacts app.

Switching from Apple to Google services

Apple is renowned for that tightly integrated ecosystem, but you’ll want to start using more Google services if you’re switching to Android. Your Google account has gradually come to serve as a passport for a wide range of services, and cross-platform synchronization has improved drastically over the last couple of years. Forget about iCloud and Safari; you can find all the same functionality and more via Google. As long as you are signed in to your Google account, you can access all your contacts, bookmarks, appointments, and files on any device.

Contacts for backing up and sharing contacts

Messages for texting

Google Calendar for keeping on top of your schedule

Chrome browser can sync bookmarks and open tabs between computer and Android phone

Google Drive for backing up your files

Google Docs for editing and sharing documents

YouTube Music or Google Play Music for storing and streaming your music from the cloud

Google Photos for backing up and sharing photos and videos

Google Fit for tracking your health and fitness

Google Keep for notes and lists

Android Auto for when you’re driving

On top of all that, you’ve got YouTube for watching and sharing video, Google Maps for easy navigation, and Google Pay for wireless NFC payments. Then there’s “OK, Google,” or “Hey Google,” which activates Google Assistant (similar to Siri), not to mention a host of excellent Google apps from Google Translate to Google Trips.

Many of these things are available on iPhone as well, but the experience is optimized for Android. The fact that you can have all of these as your default options under one Google account makes it easy and accessible, and you’ll be tempted to use more and more Google services. There are also loads of great alternatives that you can use instead of – or as well as – Google offerings like Dropbox and Mozilla Firefox.

Moving photos and videos

There are various ways of getting your precious files from your iPhone onto your Android, but we’ll start with the most obvious and basic. You can plug your iPhone into your Windows PC via USB and then choose Import pictures and videos for an automatic transfer, or Open device to view files (your photos and videos will be in the Internal Storage/DCIM folder) if you want to select individually. If you have a Mac, the import window should pop up when you plug your iPhone in, and you can select files from there.

Once the files are on your Windows computer, plug your Android smartphone in via USB, and you should get a pop-up window where you can select Open device to view files. Then, you can drag and drop files from your computer onto your Android. To do the same on a Mac, check out how to transfer files from an Android to a Mac guide.

It may prove easier to transfer those photos and videos wirelessly, though it will take longer. You can do this using any cloud service. There are many options available on Android and iOS. Simply install something like Google Photos, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or DropBox on your iPhone, upload the files, and then install the same app on your Android and download them.

For more details on using apps to back up and share your photos, check out how to share photos on the Android guide. In addition, you can use a number of the apps and services discussed there to transfer your photos and videos from your iPhone.

Moving your music

If you want to get your music from your iTunes account onto Android, there are a few potential ways to go. The easiest is to sign in to Google Play Music on the same computer where your iTunes is installed. Now download the Music Manager, install it, and choose the iTunes option when it asks where you store your music. You’ll then be able to select Upload all songs and playlists. You can also choose individual playlists and podcasts. Perhaps best of all, you can continue to use iTunes and automatically sync any new purchases to your Google Music account.

You can not legally copy movies or TV shows from your iTunes to your Android smartphone because you would have to remove the DRM protection first. Unfortunately, that applies to ebooks purchased through iTunes as well.

If you’ve been using Apple Music, then you’ll find there is an Android app. Of course, you’ll need a subscription, but if you sign in with the same Apple ID, you should be able to access your music.

Moving your text messages

That is a lot trickier than anything we’ve discussed so far, but some people will want to keep those precious text conversations and transfer them to their new Android smartphones. Thankfully, it is possible. One of the easiest methods is to use the free iSMS2droid app, but it may not work for everyone. It also requires you to back up your SMS to iTunes and then dig around to find the right file to convert.

You can also use Samsung Smart Switch or Kies software to restore an iPhone backup (including text messages) to a Samsung Android smartphone. You will also find quite a few premium software options online that purport to allow you to copy text messages, contacts, photos, and even call logs, but we can not vouch for their effectiveness. Finally, many Android manufacturers have some data transfer app you can try and use as well.

Regardless of what method you use, don’t forget to turn iMessage off before making the switch. Leaving it on could result in SMS and MMS messages still going to your old iPhone. That is because Apple sends an iMessage instead of an SMS or MMS when it detects you’re both using iOS. To turn it off, go to Settings > Messages and toggle iMessage off. You should also go to Settings > Facetime and toggle it off. If you no longer have the phone, you can request Apple to deregister your iPhone with iMessage here.

Making yourself at home on Android

Welcome to Android. At first, it may seem strange and unnerving, but you’ll soon get used to it. Here are some tips and suggestions to help you get your feet under the table and start to feel at home.

Finding your way

Navigation is a little different on Android. You’ll be used to the almighty Home button if you’re coming from an older iPhone or the gesture navigation on newer iPhones.

Google switched to a gesture system with Android 10, so you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to go home, swipe in from the left to go back, and swipe in from the right to go forward. You can also swipe up from the bottom and hold to open the multitasking menu that lists your open apps and games. In every Android version, you access basic notifications and quick settings by swiping down from the top of the screen.

If your device is running an older version of Android, you’ll find three buttons at the bottom of the screen, or if it is running Android 9.0, Pie just two.

Home: This will always take you to the Home screen. If you want to get back to the Home screen in a hurry, then press home. Next, tap and hold the Home button to launch Google Assistant. It’s always in the middle. In Android 9 Pie, this is a small lozenge-shaped icon instead of a home-shaped icon, but it does the same thing.

Back: The Back button is exactly as it sounds. If you want to go back one page, one level, or one screen to what you were looking at, then tap the Back button. You can also use it to back out of apps. It’s usually on the left. That is also present in Android 9 Pie, though you can also swipe left to right to jump straight into your last-used app.

Recent Apps or Multitasking: You won’t find this button in Android 9 Pie or later, but you can access the same menu by swiping up from the bottom of the screen. The recent apps menu shows recent apps, predictably enough. If you want to jump back into an app you were using, this is how you do it. If you’re going to jump to a previous app quickly, double-tap it quickly. You can also shut down apps from this menu by swiping them away. You can jump into split-screen mode here by pressing and holding this button when in an app. The app you’re in will move to the top, and you can choose a recently opened app to go on the bottom.

Instead of defaulting to the home screen, like an iPhone, your apps on Android will be tucked away in the app drawer. You can have multiple home screens on Android, and you simply swipe left and right to cycle through them. There will usually be an icon labeled “Apps” on the bottom row of all of your home screens, contained in an ever-present dock with the other usual suspects like Phone, Contacts, Messaging, and the Internet. Newer devices may not have an Apps icon, and you may need to swipe up the dock to access all your installed apps. If you want to add an app shortcut directly to your home screen, find it in the app drawer, tap and hold on to the icon until it comes loose, your home screen pops up underneath, and then drop it where you want it.

Everything important that happens on your phone will spark a notification. Simply drag down the notification bar from the top of the screen to check up on your latest notifications. You can click on them for more detail or to take action. Swipe them down to expand them if you want to interact with them without going into the app, which is handy when multitasking. You can dismiss them by swiping them away or tap the clear icon to get rid of everything at once.

Customization and widgets

One of the big attractions of Android is the ability to customize your smartphone. To customize the look of your phone, you can tap and hold on to an empty section of the home screen to get a pop-up menu allowing you to set the wallpaper (including animated “live” wallpaper if you like). You’ll also see the option to add widgets, apps, shortcuts, and folders on many Android devices. For example, you can drop one app icon on top of another to create a folder. You can also change the wallpaper for your Lock screen or Home screen via Settings > Display > Wallpaper.

Widgets are small windows into individual apps that can update automatically to bring you new information. That means you can see the latest weather, sports scores, or tweets without entering the actual app. Not every app has a widget, but you can tap and hold on an empty portion of the home screen, select widgets to review your options, or go into the app’s drawer and scroll over on most newer phones.

Widgets are small windows into individual apps that can update automatically to bring you new information. That means you can see the latest weather, sports scores, or tweets without entering the actual app. Not every app has a widget, but you can tap and hold on an empty portion of the home screen, select widgets to review your options, or go into the app’s drawer and scroll over on most newer phones.

To get you started, check out our best Android apps and best Android game roundups. With Android, you’re not forced to use a set of default apps. Instead, you will typically find duplicated functionality in pre-installed Google apps and manufacturer or carrier apps. You can select the one you like best or install another third-party option to do the job. When you have more than one app capable of performing a task, you will get a pop-up window asking you which one you’d like to use (you can Always tick to make it the default).

To get you started, check out our best Android apps and best Android game roundups. With Android, you’re not forced to use a set of default apps. Instead, you’ll typically find duplicated functionality in pre-installed Google apps and manufacturer or carrier apps. You can select the one you like best or install another third-party option to do the job. When you have more than one app capable of performing a task, you will get a pop-up window asking you which one you’d like to use (you can Always tick to make it the default).