Moving your contacts to a new phone means you keep every name and number without retyping them. The easiest path is syncing through your account, and there are simple backup methods when the phones use different systems.
What you'll need
- Your old and new phones
- Your Google or Apple account login
- A Wi-Fi connection
Step by step
- Back up contacts on the old phoneOn Android, open Settings, find your Google account, and turn on Contacts sync. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, iCloud, and switch on Contacts.
- Confirm the sync finishedWait a moment on Wi-Fi so all contacts upload to your account. You can verify by checking the same account on another device or the web.
- Sign in on the new phoneDuring setup or in Settings, sign in with the same Google or Apple account you used to back up the contacts.
- Turn on Contacts syncEnable Contacts syncing for that account on the new phone. Your contacts download automatically over Wi-Fi.
- Handle a switch between systemsMoving between Android and iPhone, use the maker's transfer app or export your contacts as a vCard file and import it, since the accounts differ.
- Check the resultsOpen the Contacts app on the new phone and scroll through to confirm names, numbers, and photos all came across.
Handy tips
- A SIM card can store a limited number of basic contacts, which helps for simple phones but usually leaves out photos and extra details.
- Exporting a vCard file gives you a portable copy you can import into almost any phone or email service.
- Keep the old phone until you have confirmed everything transferred correctly.
Heads up
- Do not factory reset or trade in your old phone until you have verified the contacts appear on the new one, since a wipe removes the local copies.
FAQ
How do I move contacts from Android to iPhone?
Use Apple's Move to iOS app during iPhone setup, or export your Android contacts to a vCard file and import it into iCloud or the iPhone Contacts app.
Will syncing duplicate my contacts?
It can if the same contacts exist in more than one account. Most phones have a Merge duplicates option in the Contacts settings to clean them up.
Can I transfer contacts without the internet?
Yes. Export them to a vCard file and move it by cable, or copy a limited set to the SIM card, though these methods may drop photos and extra fields.