How to Switch from iPhone to Android

Moving from an iPhone to a Samsung, Pixel, or other Android phone is easier than it used to be. Most of your stuff comes across in one session. The part people forget is turning off iMessage, and that's exactly what causes texts to vanish later. Here's the whole process, start to finish.

Before you start

1. Charge both phones, or keep them plugged in. The transfer can take 30 minutes to a couple hours.
2. Connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi, or have the USB-C-to-Lightning cable handy for a wired transfer (faster and more reliable).
3. Make sure your iPhone software is up to date: Settings > General > Software Update.
4. Export your two-factor codes first if you use Google Authenticator (open it > menu > Transfer accounts > Export). Don't reset the iPhone until those are safely on the new phone.

Option 1: Samsung Galaxy (Smart Switch)

Samsung's built-in tool is called Smart Switch and it does the heavy lifting.

1. On your new Galaxy, open Settings > Accounts and backup > Bring data from old device. (During first-time setup it offers this automatically.)
2. Choose to receive data, and pick iPhone/iPad as the old device.
3. Connect with the cable when prompted (recommended), or choose the wireless option and sign into your iCloud account.
4. Tick what you want: contacts, photos, videos, messages, calendar, notes, alarms, and more.
5. Tap Transfer and leave both phones alone until it finishes.

Option 2: Pixel and other Android phones

1. During setup, when the Pixel asks to copy data, plug your iPhone in using the cable in the box and follow the prompts.
2. Already past setup? Install Google's Switch to Android app from the App Store on your iPhone, open it, and follow the steps to send your data over Wi-Fi.
3. Sign into your Google account on the Android. Anything already backed up to Google (Gmail, Contacts, Photos, Calendar) appears automatically.

The reliable fallback: back up to Google first

If the transfer tools give you trouble, this always works for the big stuff:

• Photos and videos: install Google Photos on the iPhone, sign in, let it back up, then open Google Photos on Android. Done.
• Contacts and calendar: add your Google account in iPhone Settings > Contacts/Calendar and let them sync up, then sign into the same account on Android.
• Files and documents: drop them into Google Drive from the iPhone, grab them on Android.

What needs a little extra work

Text message history

Your texts (SMS) transfer with Smart Switch and the cable method. Old iMessage conversations don't carry their blue-bubble features, but the message content comes across as regular texts.

WhatsApp chats

WhatsApp can move its history during a Samsung cable transfer (it'll prompt you). On other phones, your chats are tied to your number, so reinstall WhatsApp, verify the same number, and restore from its own backup if offered.

Paid apps

Apps don't transfer between iOS and Android. Most popular apps have an Android version in the Google Play Store, but you may have to buy a paid app again. Your logins and cloud data inside each app are usually fine once you sign back in.

Authenticator and password manager

Move Google Authenticator codes before wiping the iPhone (see "Before you start"). If you use a password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden, just install it on Android and sign in.

After the move

• Confirm photos, contacts, and texts all look right on the Android.
• Set up your fingerprint or face unlock.
• Re-download your apps from the Play Store and sign in.
• Double-check iMessage is off (or deregistered) so texts arrive normally.
• Only then erase the iPhone: Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.

Video walkthrough

Video by Samsung Care on YouTube