Switch to a new Android device
You can move your data to a new Android device from another device, or start fresh with your new Android device. If your new device is a Pixel, go to our Pixel setup guide.
Important: Some of these steps may vary based on your device.
Before you begin
- Charge both devices.
- Make sure you can unlock the old device with a PIN, pattern, or password.
- On your old device:
- To transfer the most data, sign in with your Google Account.
- To check whether you have a Google Account, enter your email address.
- If you don't have a Google Account, create a Google Account.
- Back up your data. Learn how to back up your data on an Android device.
- Check that you have a Wi-Fi connection.
- To transfer the most data, sign in with your Google Account.
- Turn on your new device.
- When prompted to set up using another device, select Android device.
- Follow the instructions to scan the QR code and pair your devices.
- Enter your PIN, pattern, or password to transfer your Wi-Fi credentials and Google accounts to your new device. You can also add them manually.
- Choose to copy apps and data from your old device. Follow the on-screen instructions to select your data and copy.
- Turn on your new device.
- Tap through the first few screens to start device setup.
- When asked if you want to copy data from an existing device, select iPhone or iPad.
- Follow the instructions on your screen.
- If you get a QR code: Scan the QR code using your iOS device camera in order to wirelessly pair your devices.
- If you don’t get a QR code: Continue the setup steps by connecting to Wi-Fi, adding a SIM, and logging into a Google Account. You will then be prompted to insert a cable.
- If you don’t have a cable, tap through the instructions for copying data without a cable.
- Continue to follow the on-screen instructions to copy your data and set up your device.
- Follow the prompts to select the data you want to copy. For more details on what you can transfer, refer to this table.
- You can continue setting up your phone while data transfer is in progress.
- Make sure your devices stay connected until setup is finished, even if you are prompted to transfer an eSIM.
- Check your texts, photos, and videos.
- To continue receiving your texts on your new device, learn how to switch from iMessage to Google Messages.
- To get photos and videos stored in Apple iCloud on your new device, learn how to transfer iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos.
- Learn more about how to copy data from an iPhone to a new Android device.
- Turn on your new device.
- Tap through the first few screens to start device setup.
- When asked if you are setting up using another device, tap Skip.
- When prompted, connect to Wi-Fi, provision your SIM, and sign in with your Google Account.
- If you can’t sign in, learn how to recover your account.
- When prompted, choose the apps and data you want to copy. Follow the prompts to select the backup you want to restore from. For security, you may need to enter the PIN, pattern, or password of your old device.
Important: The options above can help you restore the most data. If none of the other steps work for you, try copying your data yourself.
Sync your contacts
- If you’ve already saved contacts in your Google Account, like in Gmail, they automatically show on your new Android device after you sign in.
- If your contacts are on a SIM card, learn how to import contacts from a SIM card.
Copy your music
For music services like YouTube Music, Apple Music, and Spotify, download the app to your new device and your music syncs automatically.Copy photos, videos, files & folders
- If you’re connected to the internet, learn how to upload to Google Drive and back up to Google Photos.
- If you can't connect to the internet, learn how to transfer files between your computer and Android device.
- If you use Google Photos, learn how to back up your photos. If you use a different app for your photos, contact your device manufacturer.
Copy calendar events
- If you already use Google Calendar, your calendar events display when you open the Calendar app.
- To copy events from another calendar app, learn how to import events to Google Calendar.
To separate your work apps and data from your personal ones, set up a Work Profile on your Android device. This lets you safely and privately use a single device for both work and personal use. Your organization manages the work apps and data while your personal apps and data remains private.
When your Work Profile is set up, you can find your work apps, like your work email or calendar, under the “Work” tab. When an app or notification is from your Work Profile, you can find a briefcase icon 👁 Image
.
To temporarily turn off work apps and notifications, pause your Work Profile. This lets you use your device without any work interruptions. You can also pause your Work Profile when you’re not at work, like at the end of your workday or during a vacation. To pause your Work Profile, tap Pause work apps 👁 Image
.
Set up your Work Profile
If your organization supports device enrollment to use a Work Profile, your IT department should provide instructions on how to add one to your device.
How your data is handled when transferring your account
When transferring your account from an Android device to a new Android device, certain information is collected to perform services on your device. Some of this functionality uses Google Play services. For example, the following information is collected:
- Email addresses for app functionality purposes. For example, we show account names during phone setup to allow you to select which accounts you need to transfer.
- Usage information, and device or other identifiers for analytics purposes.
The data collected is encrypted in transit.
Your Google Account may be automatically transferred. You can set only one primary account to be associated with certain data, like apps, passwords, and more.
- To ensure that data is associated with the right Google Account, you may be asked to confirm your account.
- If the wrong account is chosen as primary, you can decide not to transfer certain data so that it is not associated with that account.
- If you were unable to transfer all your data during setup, you can try again. Go to Settings 👁 and then
Accounts & Backup.
If your Google accounts cannot be transferred automatically, you will be asked to log in manually. Data transferred from the iOS device will be associated with the Google Account that you chose to log into, including downloaded apps from Google Play.
Recycle your old device
Tip: Before you recycle, donate, or trade-in your old device, clear your data and reset your device to the factory settings to protect your personal information. For data removal, trade-in, and recycling instructions, get help from your device manufacturer and mobile carrier. You should only clear data after you've confirmed that all your data has been copied over to your new device.