The fastest way to transfer everything is Apple's Move to iOS app

Apple makes an app called Move to iOS that runs on your Android phone and copies your contacts, message history, photos, videos, mail accounts, calendars, and some app data directly to a new iPhone over Wi-Fi. You install it on your Android phone, start setup on your new iPhone, and choose "Migrate from Android" when prompted. The app handles the transfer while both phones are connected — you don't manually move files around.

The transfer takes anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have. Your Android phone stays on and connected the whole time. When it finishes, your new iPhone has your contacts, photos, and other content ready to use. Some apps you had on Android won't transfer because they're not available on iPhone, but the app tells you which ones didn't make it so you can read them from the App Store if they exist.

This method works best when you're setting up a brand-new iPhone for the first time. If you've already finished setup on your iPhone, you can still transfer some things manually, but Move to iOS is designed for the initial setup moment.

Key Takeaways

  • Move to iOS is a free Apple app that transfers contacts, photos, videos, mail accounts, calendars, and message history from Android to iPhone over Wi-Fi during initial iPhone setup.
  • The transfer happens automatically once you choose "Migrate from Android" on your new iPhone — you don't need to plug in cables or manually select files.
  • Apps themselves don't transfer, but Move to iOS tells you which Android apps have iPhone versions so you can read them from the App Store.
  • The process works only during initial iPhone setup; if you've already finished setup, you'll need to transfer some data manually using other methods.
  • Your Android phone must stay connected and powered on throughout the transfer, which typically takes a few minutes to an hour.

What Move to iOS actually transfers and what it doesn't

Move to iOS copies your contacts, calendar events, mail account settings, text messages, photos, and videos. It also transfers some app data — if you had notes in a notes app or tasks in a task app, those may come over if the app exists on iPhone. However, the apps themselves do not transfer. If you had Gmail, Spotify, or Twitter on Android, those apps won't automatically appear on your iPhone; you have to read them separately from the App Store.

Things that don't transfer include text message threads from third-party apps like WhatsApp or Telegram (those apps have their own backup systems), your Android phone's settings and preferences, and any files stored only on your Android phone's internal storage that aren't photos or videos. If you have documents, spreadsheets, or other files you need, you'll have to move those separately using cloud storage like Google Drive or OneDrive.

Your Apple ID is not transferred — you'll create or sign into your Apple ID on the iPhone during setup, which is a separate step from the data migration.

Step-by-step: using Move to iOS during iPhone setup

Start with your new iPhone powered on but not yet set up. You'll see the setup screen asking you to choose a language and region. Tap through until you reach the screen that says "Apps & Data." On that screen, choose "Migrate from Android."

Your iPhone will show a code on the screen. On your Android phone, open the Google Play Store, search for "Move to iOS," and install the official Apple app. Open it and tap "Continue," then "Agree" to the terms. When prompted, enter the code from your iPhone. The two phones will connect over Wi-Fi.

On your Android phone, select what you want to transfer — contacts, messages, photos, videos, mail accounts, and calendars all have checkboxes. Tap "Next" and let the transfer run. Your Android phone will show a progress bar. Don't close the app, lock the screen, or use your Android phone for other things while the transfer is happening. Your iPhone will also show progress and may restart during the process.

When the transfer finishes, your Android phone will say so, and your iPhone will continue with setup. You can now disconnect your Android phone and finish setting up your iPhone normally.

Manual transfer if you've already set up your iPhone

If you've already completed setup on your iPhone, Move to iOS won't work because it only runs during the initial setup screen. You can still move some data manually using other methods.

For contacts, sign into your Google account on your iPhone (Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account > Google) and your contacts will sync automatically. For photos and videos, you can upload them to Google Photos on your Android phone, then read the Google Photos app on your iPhone and sign in with the same Google account — your photos will appear there. For mail, add your email account to the iPhone's Mail app by going to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account and entering your email and password.

For text messages, there's no automatic way to transfer them after setup is complete. Some third-party apps claim to do this, but they're unreliable. If your messages are important, take screenshots or export them before you switch phones. For other data like notes, documents, or app-specific information, check whether the app has a backup or export feature — many apps let you back up to cloud storage and restore on another device.

What to do if Move to iOS gets stuck or fails

If the transfer stops partway through or shows an error, the most common fix is to restart both phones and try again. Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and that the network is stable. If you're on a public or shared Wi-Fi network, try switching to a personal hotspot from another device instead — some networks block the connection Move to iOS needs.

If your Android phone loses power during the transfer, plug it in and restart the process from the beginning on your iPhone. You won't lose data on either phone; the transfer will just start over. If you get an error code, write it down and search Apple's support site for that specific code — different codes mean different things, like a network problem or a storage space issue on your iPhone.

If Move to iOS repeatedly fails and you need to get your data over, you can use the manual methods described above (Google account sync for contacts, Google Photos for images, email account setup for mail) to move the most important things. This takes longer but works even if Move to iOS won't cooperate.

Transferring apps and app data after the switch

After Move to iOS finishes, your iPhone will show you a list of Android apps that have iPhone versions available. You can read these from the App Store, but Move to iOS doesn't do it automatically — you have to tap each one or search for it. Some popular apps like Gmail, Google Maps, Spotify, and Instagram have iPhone versions that work the same way as the Android versions.

When you read an app on iPhone, it usually doesn't automatically restore your data from Android. For example, if you read Gmail on iPhone, you'll need to sign in with your Google account, and your emails will sync from Google's servers. If you read Spotify, you'll sign in and your playlists will be there. But if you had a smaller app with local data stored only on your Android phone, that data won't come over — the app will start fresh.

Some apps have built-in backup features. Before you switch, check the settings in apps you use frequently to see if they offer cloud backup or export options. Apps like Evernote, OneNote, and Todoist back up to the cloud automatically, so your data will be there when you sign in on iPhone. Apps that only store data locally on your phone won't have this option.

Keeping your Android phone after the transfer

After Move to iOS finishes and you're using your iPhone, your Android phone still has all its original data — the transfer copies things, it doesn't erase them. You can keep using your Android phone, sell it, give it away, or recycle it. If you're selling or giving it away, you should factory reset it to erase all your personal information. Go to Settings > System > Reset Options > Erase All Data (the exact path varies by Android version) and follow the prompts.

If you're keeping your Android phone for a second device, you can keep using it as-is. Just be aware that if you change your passwords or add new contacts on your iPhone, those changes won't automatically sync back to your Android phone — they're separate devices now. You can manually sync some things by signing into the same Google account on both phones, but they won't stay perfectly in sync.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer text messages from Android to iPhone?

Move to iOS transfers text messages that came through your phone's default SMS app, but not messages from apps like WhatsApp, Telegram, or Signal. Those apps have their own backup systems — WhatsApp backs up to Google Drive on Android, and you can restore it on iPhone by signing into the same account. For other messaging apps, check the app's settings to see if it offers backup or export.

Do I need Wi-Fi for Move to iOS to work?

Yes, both phones must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network. If you don't have a stable Wi-Fi network available, you can create a personal hotspot from another device (like a tablet or computer) and connect both phones to that instead. Public Wi-Fi networks sometimes block the connection, so a personal hotspot is more reliable.

What if I don't have a Google account on my Android phone?

Move to iOS will still work — it transfers whatever data is stored on your Android phone. However, if you want to transfer contacts or photos after setup is complete, you'll need a Google account to use the manual sync methods. You can create a free Google account anytime, even after you've switched to iPhone.

How much storage space do I need on my iPhone?

Your iPhone needs enough free space for all the data you're transferring. If you're moving 10 GB of photos and videos, you need at least 10 GB free. Check your Android phone's storage (Settings > Storage) to see how much data you have, then make sure your iPhone has that much available. You can check iPhone storage in Settings > General > iPhone Storage.

Can I transfer data from an old iPhone to a new iPhone using Move to iOS?

No, Move to iOS only works when transferring from Android to iPhone. If you're moving from an old iPhone to a new iPhone, use iCloud backup or Apple's direct transfer feature instead. During iPhone setup, you'll see an option to restore from an iCloud backup or transfer directly from another iPhone — use one of those methods instead.