You finished setting up your new iPhone and then realized your contacts, photos, and passwords are still on your Android phone. You also can’t find Move to iOS anywhere in Settings. This guide shows you how to transfer data from Android to iPhone after setup without erasing your iPhone. It also helps you decide when a reset is actually the better choice.
You’ll use free, official tools for each type of data: your Google account, Google Photos, Google Password Manager, and iCloud. We’ll also be clear about what can’t move without starting setup over.
What Is Move to iOS?
Move to iOS is Apple’s free Android app for copying contacts, message history, photos, videos, calendars, mail accounts, and more to a new iPhone. On compatible Android devices, Apple also offers Transfer without App, which pairs the phones with a QR code instead of the app.
The catch is that both methods only run from the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen, which appears during the iPhone’s first-time setup. Once you’ve finished setup, that screen is gone. There is no “From Android” option in Settings. Apple’s documentation doesn’t list any post-setup path. If you’re searching for that option and can’t find it, it’s missing because it doesn’t exist.
Should You Erase Your iPhone and Start Over?
Run through this 2-minute checklist first.
Erase and redo setup if:
- You set up the iPhone in the last day or two and have barely used it
- Your Android text message (SMS) history matters to you
- You want your WhatsApp chat history on the iPhone
- You haven’t installed many apps or customized much yet
Transfer manually (no reset) if:
- You’ve used the iPhone for a week or more with apps, logins, and settings in place
- Your contacts, calendar, and photos already live in your Google account
- You don’t need old SMS threads or WhatsApp chats
- You’d rather not risk losing app data that isn’t backed up to iCloud
If you ticked mostly boxes in the first group, back up and erase (Step 1 below), then run Move to iOS during setup. If you ticked mostly boxes in the second group, skip to Step 2.
Before You Begin
- An iPhone running a supported iOS version. The Settings > Apps paths below apply to iOS 18 and later; check your version in Settings > General > About
- Your Android phone, charged and signed in to your Google account
- Your Google account password, plus access to 2-Step Verification
- Your Apple Account signed in on the iPhone (Settings > [your name])
- Enough free iPhone storage for your photos and files (Settings > General > iPhone Storage)
- Optional: a computer for Google Takeout downloads and iCloud.com uploads
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| iPhone | Any iPhone running a supported iOS version |
| Android | Android 6.0 or later for the Move to iOS app (per its Google Play listing). Apple says the app-free Transfer without App option needs a compatible version of Android 17 or later, and support varies by phone maker |
| Accounts | Google account and Apple Account |
| Cost | Free, though iCloud+ storage may be needed for large photo libraries |
Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: (Reset Route Only) Back Up and Erase Your iPhone
Skip this step if you’re transferring manually.
On your iPhone:
- Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now.
- Make sure Photos, Contacts, and Notes are syncing to iCloud. These come back automatically after you sign in again.
- Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings.
- During setup, choose From Android on the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen.
Warning: The setup screen lets you pick only one source. Choosing Android replaces restoring your iCloud backup; the two don’t merge. Anything synced to iCloud returns when you sign in, but app data kept outside iCloud may be lost, so export or sync anything you want to keep before you erase. That’s why this route only makes sense for a barely used iPhone.
Step 2: Sync Contacts and Calendars with Your Google Account
On Android, contacts and calendars usually live in your Google account, so you just need to connect that account to your iPhone.
On the web (check your data first): Open contacts.google.com to confirm your contacts are there. If some contacts were saved only to the phone or SIM card, open the Contacts app on Android and move them to your Google account. The exact menu names vary by phone maker and Android version.
On your iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Apps > Contacts > Contacts Accounts > Add Account > Google.
- Sign in with your Google account.
- Turn on Contacts and Calendars. Turn on Mail too if you use Gmail in Apple’s Mail app.
- Tap Save.
Expected result: Within a few minutes, your Google contacts appear in the Contacts and Phone apps, and your events appear in Calendar.
Tip: Once you have both iCloud and Google contacts turned on, new contacts go to whichever account is set as the default. To keep everything in Google, go to Settings > Apps > Contacts > Default Account and pick Gmail. This option only appears when two or more contact accounts are on.
Step 3: Move Your Photos and Videos
Option A: Use the Google Photos app (easiest). Install Google Photos from the App Store and sign in. Your whole backed-up library shows up right away inside the Google Photos app. That’s access, not a copy: nothing lands in the iPhone’s Photos app until you save it. To save items, select them, tap the Share icon, then tap Save to device. For a large library, a full move into iCloud Photos is a separate download-and-upload job (Option B).
On Android first: In Google Photos, tap your profile picture and check that backup is complete. Anything not backed up won’t appear on the iPhone.
Option B: Use Google Takeout (full export). This is better for big libraries you want in iCloud Photos.
- On a computer, go to takeout.google.com.
- Click Deselect all, check Google Photos, then click Next step.
- Choose Export once, pick a file size, and click Create export. Google emails you when the download is ready.
- Unzip the files and upload them at icloud.com/photos using the Upload button.
Heads-up: Takeout stores dates, locations, and other details in separate
.jsonfiles that iCloud Photos doesn’t read, so some photos may show the wrong date or lose their location or album info in Apple Photos. Try a small batch first before uploading your whole library. Big libraries may also need an iCloud+ plan. If you’d rather not use the cloud, an external SSD works well for keeping the Takeout archive as an offline backup.
Google One can back up your iPhone photos, contacts, and calendar to Google (Google’s details). It isn’t a full device restore, though, and it won’t replace Move to iOS.
Step 4: Understand What Happens to Messages and WhatsApp
This is where the no-reset route falls short:
- SMS/MMS history: Apple’s official tools, Move to iOS and Transfer without App, copy it only during setup. Apple doesn’t offer a supported way to import it afterward. Some third-party apps claim to, but Apple doesn’t endorse them (see the FAQ below). Otherwise, your old threads stay on the Android phone.
- WhatsApp: WhatsApp’s official Android-to-iPhone chat transfer also runs through Move to iOS during setup. A WhatsApp backup in Google Drive or Google One can’t be restored on an iPhone (Google’s FAQ).
- Cloud-based chat apps such as Telegram, Signal (with its own transfer feature), Messenger, and Google Chat carry over when you sign in.
If you need old SMS or WhatsApp chats, go back to the checklist. Neither Apple nor WhatsApp offers a supported way to import them after setup, so a reset is the only officially supported route.
Step 5: Bring Over Music, Podcasts, and Audiobooks
- Streaming (Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music): Install the app and sign in. Your playlists and library come with your account.
- Local MP3s: Connect the iPhone to a Mac and sync music in Finder, or use the Apple Devices app on Windows. You can also upload files to iCloud Drive and play them from the Files app, though that’s clunky for large libraries.
- Podcasts: Most apps don’t sync subscriptions across platforms, so re-follow shows in Apple Podcasts or install your Android podcast app if it has an iPhone version.
- Audiobooks: Audible and Google Play Books sync through your account. Loose audiobook files follow the MP3 route.
Step 6: Move Documents and Downloads
If your files are in Google Drive, install the Drive app. Then open Files > Browse, tap ••• > Edit, and turn on Drive. Your Drive files now appear right inside the Files app.
For files saved only on the Android phone, upload them to Google Drive, or to iCloud Drive at icloud.com/iclouddrive from a computer. A USB-C flash drive also works, because iPhone 15 and later can read it directly in Files.
Step 7: Export and Import Your Passwords
On the web or Android, export from Google:
- Go to passwords.google.com and click the Settings (gear) icon. On Android, open Settings > Google > Autofill > Google Password Manager > Settings (menu names vary by phone maker).
- Tap Export passwords > Export and confirm your identity.
- A file named
Google Passwords.csvdownloads.
Import into Apple Passwords: On iPhone, the import lives in Safari’s settings, not in the Passwords app. Go to Settings > Apps > Safari, tap Import (below History and Website Data), tap Choose File, and pick the CSV file. Then tap Import to Safari and Done. Apple’s guide describes this as importing into Passwords, so your logins show up in the Passwords app, not just in Safari. On a Mac, open the Passwords app and choose File > Import Passwords from File instead. With iCloud Keychain on, imported logins sync across your Apple devices.
Warning: The CSV file stores every password in plain text. Delete it right after importing, and empty your Trash or Recycle Bin.
No-import alternative: Install Chrome on the iPhone, then go to Settings > General > AutoFill & Passwords and turn on Chrome. Your Google passwords will then autofill in any app.
Step 8: Check the Easy-to-Miss Data
A few types of data don’t fit the steps above:
- Two-factor authentication (2FA) codes: Before you wipe the Android phone, move each account in your authenticator app using that app’s own transfer option, or set up 2FA again on each service. Skipping this can lock you out of accounts.
- Call history: Apple lists it among the data that transfers during setup, but there’s no manual way to bring it over afterward.
- Browser bookmarks: If you used Chrome with your Google account, install Chrome on the iPhone and sign in to get your bookmarks.
- Notes and app data: Notes in Google Keep appear when you install Keep and sign in. Data stored only inside an Android app comes over only if that app offers its own cloud sync or export.
Step 9: Reinstall Your Apps
Android apps don’t transfer, and paid Play Store purchases generally don’t carry over to the App Store. Some developers do offer account-based access across platforms, so check with them before paying again. Search the App Store for each app. Most big apps (banking, streaming, social) are free and keep your data in your account. Subscriptions billed through Google Play keep running until you cancel them in Play Store > Payments & subscriptions. You’ll then need to resubscribe on iPhone or on the service’s website.
Configuration: Quick Reference Table
| Data type | Best no-reset method | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Contacts & calendars | Add Google account in Settings | Free |
| Photos & videos | Google Photos app or Takeout + iCloud.com | Free (iCloud+ for big libraries) |
| SMS history | No official method without reset | N/A |
| WhatsApp chats | No official method without reset | N/A |
| Music | Streaming app sign-in, or Finder/Apple Devices sync | Free (subscription optional) |
| Documents | Google Drive in Files app, iCloud Drive, or USB-C drive | Free |
| Passwords | Google CSV export → Apple Passwords | Free |
| Apps | Reinstall from App Store | Paid apps usually must be rebought |
Tips and Troubleshooting
“From Android” isn’t in my iPhone Settings
Why it happens: That option only exists during first-time setup. Fix: Use the manual steps above, or back up and erase (Step 1).
Contacts aren’t showing up after adding Google
Why it happens: The Contacts toggle is off, or the contacts were saved to the Android phone instead of your Google account. Fix: Recheck the toggle, then confirm at contacts.google.com. In the Contacts app, tap Lists and make sure your Gmail list is selected.
Takeout photos have the wrong dates
Why it happens: Takeout splits metadata into .json files.
Fix: Save important photos through the Google Photos app instead (Option A). It keeps dates more reliably.
Move to iOS stalls after resetting
Why it happens: Wi-Fi drops, the Android phone goes to sleep, or the iPhone runs out of space. Fix: Plug both phones into power with a USB-C charger, keep Move to iOS open on Android, and don’t switch apps. If Google Play isn’t available, Apple offers direct installers.
My eSIM didn’t move over
Why it happens: eSIM transfer depends on your carrier and phone maker. Fix: Contact your carrier to activate the eSIM on your iPhone.
FAQ
Can I run Move to iOS twice on the same iPhone? Only if you erase the iPhone again. Each run requires a fresh setup.
Do paid transfer apps work? Some claim to move messages without a reset, but Apple doesn’t endorse them, most require a paid license, and results vary. Test with a free trial first, and never assume they’ll work.
Is it safe to delete my Android data afterward? Wait a couple of weeks. Check that your contacts, photos, and passwords are all on the iPhone, and keep the Android phone for SMS history you couldn’t move. Before selling it, go to Settings > System > Reset options > Erase all data.
Wrapping Up
If your iPhone is only a day old and you care about texts or WhatsApp, erase it and run Move to iOS. It’s faster and more complete. For everyone else, the manual route covers contacts, calendars, photos, files, and passwords in about an hour, with no reset.
Honestly, the manual method is underrated. It also leaves you with your Google data in the cloud, which makes your next phone switch much easier.