A new phone should feel like an upgrade, not a stressful hunt for missing photos, contacts or WhatsApp chats. Knowing how to transfer phone data before you switch makes the change quicker and helps protect the things you use every day.
The best method depends on the phones involved. Moving from one iPhone to another is usually straightforward, as is moving between Android phones. Switching from Android to iPhone, or the other way round, needs a little more planning. Either way, do not wipe, sell or trade in your old handset until you have checked that everything important is working on the new one.
Before you transfer phone data
Give yourself time to do the transfer when you have access to reliable Wi-Fi, both phones and their charging cables. A rushed transfer on low battery or patchy mobile data is where most problems begin.
First, update the old phone if an update is available. This can prevent compatibility issues with the transfer tool and makes it more likely that your latest backup is included. Charge both devices to at least 50%, although leaving them plugged in is better for a large photo library.
Check that you know the passwords for your Apple ID or Google account, email accounts and key apps. Password managers can make this easier, but make sure you can sign into the password manager itself on the new handset. Banking apps, authenticator apps and some work accounts will usually require extra verification even after a successful transfer.
It is also worth checking available storage on the new phone. If your old handset has 120GB of data and the new one has 64GB free, not everything can move across. Photos and videos are often the biggest space users, so review them before you begin or use cloud storage if it suits your setup.
How to transfer phone data from iPhone to iPhone
For most people, Apple Quick Start is the simplest option. Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to the old one. A prompt should appear on the old device asking whether you want to set up the new iPhone. Follow the on-screen steps, scan the animation with the old phone and choose to transfer directly from iPhone.
Keep the phones close together, connected to power and on Wi-Fi until the process finishes. Your settings, photos, messages, accounts and many apps should transfer across. Apps may continue downloading after you reach the home screen, so do not worry if some icons initially show as loading.
You can also restore the new iPhone from an iCloud backup. This is useful when the old phone is damaged, unavailable or you prefer not to keep both devices together during setup. The trade-off is that a cloud restore relies more heavily on your internet speed and may take longer for large libraries.
Before removing the SIM from your old iPhone, confirm that calls, messages and mobile data work on the new one. If you use an eSIM, follow your network’s instructions. Some networks allow an eSIM to transfer during setup; others require you to activate it through their app, website or customer support.
Moving data between Android phones
Android setup varies slightly by manufacturer, but the principle is similar. Turn on the new phone, choose to copy apps and data, then connect the old phone using the cable supplied where possible. A wired connection is generally faster and more dependable than wireless transfer, especially if you have lots of videos.
Sign into your Google account when prompted. This can restore contacts, calendar entries, Wi-Fi details, app information and other backed-up settings. Your photos may already appear through Google Photos if backup was enabled, although they may not all be stored locally on the new device straight away.
Some Android brands provide their own transfer app, which can be particularly useful when moving between phones from the same manufacturer. These tools often move device settings, home-screen layouts and files more completely than a basic Google restore. Read each permission request and keep both phones awake until it has finished.
If your old Android phone has a microSD card, decide whether you want to move the card physically or copy its contents first. Photos and downloads stored on the card may not be included in a normal phone-to-phone transfer.
Switching from Android to iPhone
Moving from Android to iPhone is easiest while the iPhone is still being set up. On the Android handset, install Apple’s Move to iOS app from the app store, then select the option to move data from Android on the new iPhone.
The iPhone creates a temporary connection and shows a code. Enter this code on the Android device, select the data you want to move and leave both phones alone until the transfer is complete. Contacts, message history, camera photos and videos, calendars, certain files and some WhatsApp content can usually be included.
Not every Android app has an iPhone version, and paid apps may need to be purchased again if they are not available through the Apple App Store. Music, documents and downloads may also need to be moved separately. It is normal to spend a little time signing into services again after changing platforms.
Switching from iPhone to Android
When moving from iPhone to Android, start the setup on the new Android phone and select the option to copy from an iPhone. Most recent Android models guide you through connecting the phones with a compatible cable, signing into your Google account and choosing what to copy.
Contacts, photos, videos and messages can commonly be transferred. The exact results depend on the Android manufacturer, the iPhone version and whether your content is already stored in iCloud. A cable transfer is usually the best choice because it avoids waiting for large files to upload and download from the cloud.
Before leaving your iPhone behind, turn off iMessage and FaceTime in its settings. This matters because contacts with iPhones may otherwise send messages to your old Apple service rather than your new number on Android. If the old iPhone is no longer available, Apple provides a way to deregister your number, but doing it before the switch is easier.
Do not forget the apps that protect your access
A phone transfer does not automatically solve every sign-in. Prioritise the services that can lock you out or affect your money: banking, mobile network, email, password manager, two-factor authentication, work apps and travel apps.
Authenticator apps deserve special attention. Some let you back up or transfer codes securely, while others require you to export accounts or re-scan setup codes one by one. Do this before erasing the old phone. Keep any recovery codes somewhere safe that is not only on the device you are replacing.
For WhatsApp, use its built-in chat transfer or backup option rather than assuming it will be copied with the rest of your apps. Check that your chat history, photos and recent messages appear on the new phone before you sign out or reset the old one.
Wallet cards, digital train tickets, loyalty cards and smart-home apps may also need to be added again. If you use a smartwatch, unpair it from the old phone only after confirming the new phone is ready. Some watches need to be reset before pairing with a different handset.
Check your new phone before wiping the old one
Do a proper check rather than relying on the home screen looking familiar. Make a test call, send a text, use mobile data away from Wi-Fi and take a photo. Open your photo library, contacts, calendar, notes and recent downloads. Sign into your email and banking app, then test your charger and any accessories you use daily.
Keep the old phone for a few days if possible. That gives you time to spot a missing file, transfer an overlooked authenticator account or retrieve a saved password. Once you are confident everything is there, sign out of your Apple ID or Google account, remove the SIM if needed and factory-reset the device before selling, trading it in or passing it on.
If the old phone has a cracked screen, battery fault or charging problem, a repair may be the safer first step than forcing a transfer that keeps failing. InstaTech can help with practical device repairs and the cables, chargers and accessories that make setup less of a headache.
A careful transfer is worth the extra half hour. Keep the old phone switched on, check the essentials in real use, and only then make the new handset your everyday phone.
Next step: if you’re upgrading, our buy and sell phones counter can take your old handset once your data is safely moved. Our Bloomsbury and Moorgate shops are both open 7 days.
