How to Transfer Everything from Your Old Phone to a New One

By Ammar Aslam · Updated August 24, 2026 · 9 min read

Getting a new phone is exciting, but the thought of losing years of photos, contacts and chats can take the fun out of it. Fortunately, both Android and iPhone now include tools that move almost everything automatically, even when you switch from one platform to the other.

This guide explains how to prepare, which method to use for your situation, and how to make sure WhatsApp chats come across safely.

Before you start: prepare both phones

Charge both phones to at least 50%, or keep them plugged in. Transfers can take an hour or more.
Connect to Wi-Fi. Large transfers over mobile data are slow and expensive.
Back up your old phone first, just in case. See our complete backup guide.
Back up WhatsApp separately (explained below).
Note your passwords, especially your Google account or Apple ID. A password manager makes this much easier.
Make sure you can receive two-factor codes on your SIM or authenticator app during the switch.

Android to Android

When you turn on a new Android phone, the setup screen offers to copy apps and data. This is the easiest method.

Turn on the new phone and follow the setup steps until you see Copy apps & data.
Choose to copy from your old phone. You can connect the phones with a USB-C cable (fastest) or wirelessly.
Sign in with the same Google account.
Select what to copy: contacts, photos, messages, apps, call history and settings.

Samsung users can use Smart Switch, which copies even more Samsung-specific data such as home screen layout and Samsung Notes. Other brands, such as Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo, offer their own "Phone Clone" or "Mi Mover" style apps that work in a similar way.

iPhone to iPhone

Quick Start (recommended)

Turn on your new iPhone and place it near your old one.
A Set Up New iPhone prompt appears on the old phone. Tap Continue.
Scan the animation on the new phone with the old phone's camera.
Enter your old passcode on the new iPhone and choose Transfer from iPhone.

Keep the phones close together and plugged in until the transfer finishes. Alternatively, you can restore the new iPhone from an iCloud backup during setup.

Android to iPhone

On your Android phone, install Apple's Move to iOS app from the Play Store.
Set up your new iPhone until you reach Apps & Data, then choose Move Data from Android.
A code appears on the iPhone. Enter it in the Move to iOS app.
Choose what to transfer: contacts, messages, photos, videos, calendars, mail accounts and more.

Free Android apps are suggested for download from the App Store if they exist on iPhone. Paid apps usually need to be bought again.

iPhone to Android

Most new Android phones can copy data from an iPhone during setup using a USB cable or wireless connection. Before starting:

Turn off iMessage and FaceTime on the iPhone (Settings → Messages and Settings → FaceTime). Otherwise, texts from iPhone users may not reach your new phone.
Consider backing up photos to Google Photos on the iPhone for an extra copy.

Moving WhatsApp chats

WhatsApp chats need special attention.

Switching	Best method
Android → Android	Google account backup, or the phone's transfer tool
iPhone → iPhone	iCloud backup, or WhatsApp's chat transfer
Android ↔ iPhone	Use the built-in transfer during phone setup, or WhatsApp's chat transfer option

WhatsApp also offers a direct Transfer chats option under Settings → Chats, which moves chats between phones using a QR code while both are on the same Wi-Fi. Always use the same phone number on both devices, and do not delete WhatsApp from the old phone until you have confirmed everything arrived.

After the transfer: checklist

Open your photos app and check that recent photos and videos are there.
Check contacts, messages and call history.
Sign in to banking apps again; most require re-verification on a new device.
Move authenticator app codes to the new phone before resetting the old one.
Set up fingerprint or face unlock and a screen lock.

What to do with your old phone

Once you are sure everything has moved, sign out of your Google account or Apple ID, remove the SIM and memory card, and perform a factory reset before selling or giving it away. This erases your personal data and removes activation locks, so the next owner can use it.

Golden rule: keep your old phone untouched for at least a few days after switching. If something is missing, you can still copy it across.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a phone transfer take?

Anywhere from 15 minutes to a few hours, depending on how much data you have and whether you use a cable or Wi-Fi.

Will my apps' logins transfer?

Many apps keep you signed in, but banking, payment and some social apps will ask you to log in and verify again for security.

Ammar Aslam
Ammar writes clear, practical tech guides that help everyday users fix problems, stay safe online and get more from their devices.