How to Transfer Data to a New Phone Without Losing Anything

A new phone is exciting for about ten minutes, until you realise your photos, chats, saved passwords and two factor codes are all still on the old one. Rush the move and you lose a year of messages or lock yourself out of your bank app.

The good news is that both Apple and Google have made it far easier to transfer data to a new phone than it was five years ago. This guide walks through the prep, the transfer itself for iPhone and Android, the switch between the two, and the checks to do before you wipe the old handset. Plan for about an hour of hands on time, plus waiting while the data copies.

Before you transfer data to a new phone: 20 minutes of prep

Most failed transfers come from skipping this part. Do it with the old phone still in your hand.

1. Update the old phone. Install the latest system update. Transfer tools work best when both phones run recent software.
2. Charge both phones to at least 60 percent. A large transfer can take one to three hours, and both phones should stay plugged in during it.
3. Back up to the cloud. On iPhone, open Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, then iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. On Android, open Settings, then Google, then Backup and tap Back up now. Even if you plan a direct transfer, this is your safety net.
4. Write down your important logins. Your Apple ID or Google account password, your phone carrier PIN and your password manager master password. You will need them on the new device.
5. List your authenticator apps. Any app that shows six digit login codes needs special handling, covered below.
6. Check free space. The new phone needs at least as much storage as the old one is using. Look under Settings, General, iPhone Storage, or Settings, Storage on Android.

iPhone to iPhone: use Quick Start

Apple's Quick Start is the simplest option and copies almost everything directly from one phone to the other.

1. Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to the old one with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi switched on.
2. A Set Up New iPhone card appears on the old phone. Tap Continue.
3. Point the old phone's camera at the swirling pattern on the new screen.
4. Enter your old phone's passcode on the new one, then set up Face ID.
5. Choose Transfer from iPhone. Keep the phones close together and plugged in.

Expect around 30 minutes for 64 GB of data and up to two hours for 256 GB over Wi-Fi. If you have a USB-C to Lightning or USB-C to USB-C cable, connecting the phones directly is usually faster.

Android to Android: use the setup copy tool

Google builds a copy option into the setup screens of most Android phones, and Samsung offers Smart Switch for Galaxy devices.

1. Turn on the new phone and connect to Wi-Fi.
2. When asked, choose Copy apps and data.
3. Connect the phones with a USB-C cable if you have one, or select the wireless option.
4. Sign in to the same Google account and tick what you want copied: apps, photos, contacts, messages, call history and settings.

On a Samsung, open Smart Switch on both phones and pick Send on the old and Receive on the new. Smart Switch also copies home screen layouts and some app data that Google's tool misses.

Switching between iPhone and Android

Moving across platforms is where most people lose data, because each company's tools only work fully with its own phones.

iPhone to Android: newer Android phones offer a Copy from iPhone option during setup that uses a cable to move contacts, photos, videos, messages and calendar. Before you start, turn off iMessage and FaceTime on the iPhone under Settings, Messages and Settings, FaceTime. If you skip this, texts from other iPhone users may keep going to iMessage and never reach your new number.

Android to iPhone: install the Move to iOS app from the Play Store on the Android phone. When the new iPhone reaches the Apps and Data screen, choose Move Data from Android and enter the code it shows. Photos, contacts, messages and Google account info come across, but paid apps must be repurchased if no iOS version exists.

WhatsApp chats need their own step in both directions. Use the Move chats option shown during the transfer, or WhatsApp's own Transfer chats feature under Settings, Chats.

The step most guides skip: authenticator apps

The usual advice is that a full phone transfer brings everything across. For photos and contacts that is mostly true. For login codes it often is not.

Many authenticator apps store their secrets only on the device for security reasons, so a direct transfer copies the app icon but none of the accounts. Google Authenticator can sync to your Google account if you turned that on, and some apps have an export option, but plenty do not. If you wipe the old phone first, you can end up locked out of email, work tools and banking at the same time.

Keep the old phone working until you have logged in to every account that uses a code on the new phone. For each account, open its security settings, add the new phone as an authenticator, test a login, then remove the old one. Banking apps usually need a fresh registration too, which can involve a text code or a call, so allow time for that.

Checks to do before you wipe the old phone

Give yourself at least three days of using the new phone before you reset the old one. During that time, confirm the following:

• Your full photo library is there. Compare the photo count on both phones.
• Recent text messages and chat histories appear correctly.
• Every app that needs a login has been signed into.
• All two factor codes work on the new phone.
• Notes, voice memos and downloaded files have moved, since some apps store these locally.
• Your banking and payment apps are registered and working.

Then wipe the old phone properly. On iPhone, sign out of your Apple ID first to remove Activation Lock, then use Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings. On Android, remove your Google account under Settings, Accounts, then use the factory reset option. If you plan to sell it, our guide on exporting your data before deleting an account covers what to save from services you will stop using.

It is also a good moment to keep an offline copy of your photos. A cheap drive is enough; see choosing an external hard drive for backups. Once everything is settled, take two minutes to check app permissions on the new phone, because transfers bring old permission choices across with the apps.

Frequently asked questions

How long does it take to transfer data to a new phone?

A direct transfer usually takes 30 minutes to two hours depending on how much data you have and if you use a cable. Cloud restores can take longer because apps and photos download in the background for several hours afterwards. Keep both phones on charge and on Wi-Fi throughout.

Do I need a SIM card in the new phone to transfer data?

No, the transfer itself works over Wi-Fi, Bluetooth or a cable. You will need the SIM or eSIM active to receive text codes for banking and to confirm your number in messaging apps. Most carriers let you move an eSIM during setup.

Will my apps stay logged in after a phone transfer?

Some will, many will not. Banking, email and work apps usually ask you to sign in again for security. Keep a list of your passwords ready or use a password manager to speed this up.