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For an Android-to-iPhone switch, use Apple’s Move to iOS transfer during iPhone setup. It can copy contacts, messages, photos, videos, albums, files, calendars, call history, Voice Memos, mail accounts, WhatsApp messages and media, and some matching free apps. A USB-C data cable can provide a direct connection; otherwise the iPhone creates a temporary Wi-Fi network. eSIM and phone-number activation may happen during setup, but carrier, country, device, and plan compatibility decide whether it works automatically.
Do not erase the old phone until you have checked your chats, photos, contacts, messages, calls, calendars, files, apps, and cellular service on the iPhone.
What this guide covers
These instructions are for moving from an Android phone to a new iPhone. The main transfer must be started while the iPhone is being set up. If setup is already complete, Apple’s app-based workflow requires erasing the iPhone and starting setup again; otherwise, you must move remaining content manually.
Apple describes the required app plainly: “Ready to transfer to iOS? Download the Move to iOS app.” Install it on the Android phone before you begin, unless your compatible Android 17 device offers Apple’s newer app-free QR-code route.
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Choose the transfer method
| Method | Connection | When it can be used | Important conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Move to iOS with the Android app | Temporary Wi-Fi network created by the iPhone | During initial iPhone setup | The iPhone must be new or erased for this workflow. Keep both phones close, powered, and on the transfer screens. |
| Move to iOS with a cable | Direct USB-C connection | During initial iPhone setup | Both phones need compatible USB-C ports, and the cable must support data rather than charging only. Apple says this can be faster. |
| Move to iOS without the app | QR-code setup path | During setup on compatible Android 17 devices | Choose Transfer without App, scan the QR code shown by the iPhone, and check the phone manufacturer’s support because this option is not universal. |
All three routes still require enough free storage on the iPhone for the categories you select. The wireless route is the broadest option for the Android models that support the app; the cable route avoids dependence on the temporary wireless connection; and the QR-code route is limited to compatible Android 17 implementations.
Prepare both phones before transferring
Charge and connect them
- Charge both phones or connect both to power for the entire transfer.
- Turn on Wi-Fi. If you plan to use a cable, still leave both devices powered and nearby.
- Keep the Android and iPhone next to each other until the iPhone’s progress bar finishes.
Check iPhone storage
Open the Android phone’s storage view and estimate how much content you intend to move. On the iPhone, select the largest categories only if there is room for them. If the destination fills during transfer, Apple recommends checking capacity, erasing the iPhone, and retrying with sufficient space.
Protect the old phone
Do not factory-reset the Android phone, remove its eSIM, or delete WhatsApp until the iPhone has been checked. The old device is your fallback if a category is incomplete or a manual copy is needed.
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Install and update what is needed
On Android, install Move to iOS from Google Play and make sure you can unlock the phone. Have your Google account credentials, Apple Account credentials, carrier login, and any two-factor authentication method available. A carrier may send you to its website to finish eSIM activation, so you may need access to email or text verification.
Step-by-step: transfer with Move to iOS
- Start iPhone setup. Turn on the new iPhone and place it beside the Android phone. Follow the setup screens until you reach Transfer Your Apps & Data.
- Select the Android source. Tap From Android, then choose Transfer with App. If the iPhone has already been set up, stop here and decide whether you can erase it; Apple’s app workflow cannot be added to an already completed setup.
- Open Move to iOS on Android. Accept the terms, grant the permissions requested by the app, and continue.
- Request the pairing code. On the iPhone’s Move from Android screen, tap Continue. Wait for the six- or ten-digit code to appear.
- Enter the code. Type that code into Move to iOS on the Android phone. The iPhone will create a temporary Wi-Fi network.
- Join the temporary network. Follow the Android prompt to connect to the network created by the iPhone. Do not switch to another network or open another app.
- Select what to copy. Choose the content categories offered by Move to iOS, then tap Continue. Selecting fewer categories can help when the iPhone has limited capacity.
- Leave the transfer alone. Keep both phones close, connected to power, and on their respective transfer screens. Do not answer a call, open another Android app, or lock either phone while the progress bar is active.
- Complete iPhone setup. When the iPhone reports that the transfer is complete, continue through setup. Some free apps will be matched to App Store versions and can then be downloaded.
- Verify before wiping. Check the categories in the verification section below while the Android phone still contains the originals.
What Move to iOS can copy
| Content | How it is handled | What to check afterward |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Included in the transfer selection. | Open Contacts and search for several names, including entries with multiple numbers or email addresses. |
| Message history and SMS | Included. | Check recent conversations and older threads, not just the newest message. |
| Camera photos and videos | Included, along with photo albums. | Open several albums and play videos from different dates. |
| Files and folders | Included when selected. | Use the Files app to inspect important folders and open representative documents. |
| Accessibility and display settings | Included settings can be transferred. | Review text size, contrast, display behavior, and accessibility controls because the two operating systems label some options differently. |
| Web bookmarks | Included. | Open the browser’s bookmarks and confirm frequently used entries. |
| Mail accounts | Included in the transfer selection. | Open Mail and confirm that each account appears and can receive new mail. |
| WhatsApp messages and media | Included as an available category. | Open important chats and media before deleting anything on Android. |
| Voice Memos | Included. | Play several recordings and check their dates or names. |
| Call history | Included. | Review recent and missed calls for expected entries. |
| Calendars | Included. | Check upcoming events, recurring appointments, and calendars tied to different accounts. |
| Some free apps | Transferred or matched when an equivalent version exists in both Google Play and the App Store and supports the transfer feature. | Download the offered App Store versions and sign in to each service. |
Apple’s consumer switch guidance summarizes the result as transferring contacts, messages, WhatsApp content, photos, videos, email accounts, favorite apps, call history, and more. That wording does not mean every Android app, account setting, or file type is reproduced identically on iPhone.
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Move WhatsApp chats and media safely
WhatsApp messages and media appear in the Move to iOS content selection. Select that category during the transfer and wait for the iPhone process to finish. After setup, open WhatsApp on the iPhone, complete its sign-in or number-verification prompts, and inspect both recent and older conversations.
Use a verification checklist
- Open several individual chats and group chats.
- Scroll back through older messages to confirm history, not just the latest entries.
- Open photos, videos, voice notes, and documents in those chats.
- Check that important groups and contacts are present.
- Confirm that WhatsApp is using the intended phone number.
The available Apple material identifies WhatsApp messages and media as transferable but does not promise every WhatsApp account setting or every business-app scenario. Treat unusual business configurations, specialized settings, or missing media as items that need separate verification. Keep the Android installation intact until the checks are complete.
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Free apps with an iPhone equivalent
Move to iOS can identify some free apps when an equivalent version is available in both Google Play and the App Store and the app supports the transfer feature. The iPhone may offer those apps for download rather than copying the Android application itself. Tap the App Store download prompts after setup and sign in to each app.
Paid, unavailable, and unmatched apps
Paid apps, apps that have no iPhone version, and apps that are not matched must be handled separately. Search the App Store for an iPhone version, install it, and sign in with the service’s account. A subscription or purchase made on Android may have its own account or store rules; the transfer does not guarantee that the Android installation or its local data will appear on iPhone.
App data and credentials
Before wiping Android, open the most important apps on the iPhone and verify that their data is present or that cloud synchronization has restored it. Keep recovery codes and password-manager access available. Move to iOS transfers the categories Apple lists; it is not a promise that every app stores its private database in a portable format.
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Photos, videos, files, music, books, and PDFs
Photos and videos
Select camera photos, videos, and albums in Move to iOS. Afterward, inspect recent, older, and album-organized items rather than assuming a completed progress bar proves every file is usable. Play several videos and check that important images open at full resolution.
Files and folders
Files and folders can be selected for transfer. Use the iPhone’s Files app to locate documents, then open representative PDFs, spreadsheets, and archives. If a file is important for work or legal records, retain the Android original until you have opened the iPhone copy.
Music, books, and PDFs that need manual handling
Apple’s listed transfer categories do not include a complete automatic path for music, books, or PDFs as a general class. Plan a manual move for those items. Copy them from the Android phone to a computer or cloud storage, then import or download them into an iPhone-compatible app. Keep the originals until you can open the destination copies.
Transfer your eSIM and phone number
During iPhone setup, the phone may ask whether you want to activate an eSIM. Apple says the phone number and SIM or eSIM can be activated during the move, and the setup may send you to the carrier’s website to finish. The exact path depends on the carrier, country, iPhone model, Android device, and plan.
What you should expect
- Watch for an eSIM activation screen during setup rather than assuming it will appear.
- Follow the carrier instructions if the iPhone opens a carrier website.
- Keep access to the old phone until calls, texts, and cellular data work on the iPhone.
- Do not delete the old eSIM before the new line is confirmed.
Automatic eSIM transfer is not supported by every carrier. If no transfer option appears, contact the carrier or use its documented activation process. A successful content transfer does not by itself prove that the phone number has moved.
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Verify the line
- Check that the intended phone number appears in the iPhone’s cellular settings.
- Place an outgoing call and send a text.
- Call the number from another phone and confirm that the iPhone rings.
- Turn off Wi-Fi briefly and test cellular data.
- Only after these checks should you consider removing the old phone’s cellular service.
App-free transfer on compatible Android 17 phones
Apple’s May 11, 2026 support documentation describes an app-free QR-code path for compatible Android 17 devices. On the iPhone, choose Transfer without App. Scan the QR code shown by the iPhone with the Android phone, choose the data categories, and, where offered, select an eSIM number to transfer.
This option is not universal. Apple advises checking with the Android device manufacturer for support. If the option is absent, use Move to iOS with the app or a compatible USB-C data connection.
Wireless versus USB-C: practical trade-offs
Use wireless Move to iOS when
- The Android phone supports the app and both devices can remain near one another and connected to power.
- You do not have a compatible USB-C data cable.
- You want Apple’s standard setup flow with the full selectable content list.
Use a USB-C cable when
- Both phones have compatible USB-C ports.
- You have a cable that carries data, not a charge-only cable.
- You want Apple’s direct connection, which Apple says can be faster.
A cable does not remove the need to start during iPhone setup or to keep the devices powered. If the iPhone does not recognize the connection, stop and verify the cable’s data capability and connector compatibility rather than repeatedly restarting the transfer.
Troubleshoot a failed or incomplete transfer
The code does not appear or will not pair
- Confirm that you selected From Android and then Transfer with App on the iPhone.
- Restart both phones and begin the setup sequence again.
- Reopen Move to iOS on Android and grant its requested permissions.
- Make sure the Android phone joins the temporary Wi-Fi network created by the iPhone.
The transfer stops partway through
- Keep Move to iOS open on Android; do not answer calls or switch apps.
- Keep both phones close together and connected to power.
- Turn off Android cellular data during the attempt.
- Disable Wi-Fi optimization features that interfere with the temporary network.
- Restart both devices and retry if the connection remains stuck.
Only some content arrives
First check whether the missing category was selected. Then check available iPhone storage. If the iPhone ran out of room or the result is clearly partial, Apple recommends checking capacity, erasing the iPhone, and retrying. Erasing is destructive, so make sure the iPhone contains nothing you need before starting over.
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Search the App Store for an equivalent version. If none exists, the Android app cannot be installed unchanged on iPhone; look for the service’s web access or an alternative approved by the provider. For an app that does exist, download it and sign in manually.
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WhatsApp media or chats look incomplete
Do not wipe Android. Recheck the WhatsApp category, available iPhone storage, and the phone-number verification used by WhatsApp. If the problem persists, preserve the Android copy and consult WhatsApp’s current support instructions for the specific account type rather than assuming that repeating setup will fix a business or unusual configuration.
The eSIM did not activate
Check whether the carrier supports transfer for the specific country, devices, and plan. Follow any carrier website instructions, and contact the carrier if the activation screen never appears. Keep the old line active until the iPhone can make calls, send texts, and use cellular data.
Verification checklist before you erase the old phone
Work through this list on the iPhone while the Android phone is still available:
- Contacts: search several names and inspect numbers and email addresses.
- Messages: open recent and older SMS conversations.
- Photos and videos: inspect multiple dates, albums, and video playback.
- WhatsApp: open important chats, groups, photos, videos, voice notes, and documents.
- Apps: install matched apps, sign in, and confirm essential data.
- Files: open important folders and representative documents.
- Calendars: check upcoming and recurring events.
- Mail: confirm accounts appear and receive new messages.
- Call history: check recent and missed calls.
- Voice Memos: play several recordings.
- Cellular service: test the transferred number with a call, text, and cellular data.
- Manual items: locate music, books, and PDFs that required a separate copy.
When every essential item passes this checklist, remove accounts or reset the old phone according to your privacy and resale needs. Until then, it is the safest recovery copy.
Quick Recap
Quick decision guide
- New, unconfigured iPhone and supported Android: use Move to iOS and select the categories you need.
- Both phones have compatible USB-C ports and a data cable: use the direct cable option for Apple’s faster wired path.
- Compatible Android 17 with the manufacturer-supported QR route: choose Transfer without App and scan the iPhone’s code.
- iPhone already set up: either erase it and restart setup for Move to iOS or move content manually.
- Large library or limited iPhone storage: check capacity first, transfer essential categories, and plan manual handling for music, books, and PDFs.
- Carrier-dependent eSIM: follow the activation prompt or carrier website, then test calls, texts, and data before retiring the old phone.
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