Moving to a new smartphone is always an exciting time. Even if both devices work on Android, transferring personal data can turn into a headache if you don't know proven methods. Fortunately, the ecosystem Google offers several built-in synchronization tools that allow you to transfer almost everything: from contacts and photos to application settings and call history. But how to do this correctly so as not to lose important information and not spend hours on manual setup?

In this article we will look at all official methods of transferring data through Google servicesincluding account synchronization, backup to Google Drive, as well as hidden functions like Android Backup Service. You will learn which types of files are transferred automatically and which require manual intervention. We will pay special attention to typical errors - for example, why messages from WhatsApp may not appear on a new phone or why photos are loaded in low resolution. Are you ready? Let's start with the simplest and most reliable method.

1. Preparing phones for data transfer

Before you start syncing, make sure both devices meet key requirements. This will save time and prevent common problems like "invisible" backups or restore failures.

On old phone check:

  • 🔄 Android version: minimum required Android 6.0 Marshmallow (2015). On earlier versions, some functions may be missing.
  • 📶 Internet connection: to download a backup copy to Google Drive need Wi-Fi (mobile traffic may not cope with large volumes).
  • 🔋 Battery charge: at least 50%. The copying process can take from 10 minutes to several hours.
  • 🔑 Google account: the phone must be linked to the same account that will be used on the new device.

On new phone:

  • 📱 Initial setup: if the phone has just been unpacked, do not skip the login step Google account —this will make recovery easier.
  • 🔄 Android version: should be no lower than on the old device (otherwise there may be compatibility problems).
  • 📁 Free space: the new phone must have enough memory to download the backup (check in Settings → Memory).
📊 How much data do you usually transfer to a new phone?
Up to 5 GB
5–20 GB
20–50 GB
More than 50 GB

If If your old phone has not been backed up for a long time, start it manually:

  1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
  2. Activate the switch Backup to Google Drive.
  3. Click Create a copy now and wait for completion (progress is displayed at the top of the screen).
⚠️ Attention: If it is enabled on your old phone Charging optimization (on some Samsung, Xiaomi), disable it before copying. This feature can interrupt background processes, including loading into Google Drive.

2. Transfer via Google account synchronization (the fastest method)

This method is suitable for transfer contacts, calendars, notes, some application settings and part of the data from Google Photos. The main advantage is speed: synchronization occurs almost instantly if both phones are connected to the Internet.

How it works:

  1. On on your old phone open Settings → Accounts → Google.
  2. Select your account and make sure the switches are turned on for:
    • 📇 Contact
    • 📅 Calendar
    • 📝 Google Keep (if use notes)
    • 🎵 Google Play Music (for playlists)
  • Click Synchronize now (circular arrow button).
  • On new phone log in to the same Google account and wait for automatic synchronization (usually takes 1-5 minutes).

    • What will not be transferred this way:

    • ❌ Photos and videos (need Google Photos or Google Drive).
    • ❌ SMS/MMS messages (separate backup required).
    • ❌ Application data (for example, game saves or chats in Telegram).
    • ❌ Files in internal memory (music, documents).

    Make sure that both phones have the same Google account|

    Enable mobile data or Wi-Fi|

    Disable VPN (may block synchronization)|

    Check free space in Google Drive (minimum 100 MB)-->

    If contacts do not appear on the new phone:

    1. Check if synchronization is enabled: Settings → Accounts → Google → Account synchronization.
    2. Update the data manually, by pulling down the contact list in the application Google Contacts.
    3. Delete application cache Contact (Settings → Applications → Contacts → Storage → Clear cache).

    3. Google Drive: complete data transfer

    To transfer applications. data, SMS, call logs and system settings use the built-in backup function in Google Drive. This method works on all phones with Android 6.0+ and allows you to restore an almost complete copy of the old device.

    Step by step instructions:

    On the old phone:

    1. Open Settings → Google → Backup.
    2. Activate Backup to Google Drive and select an account to save.
    3. Click Create a copy now. The process may take from several minutes to an hour (depending on the amount of data).
    4. After completion, check the copy in Google Drive: open the application, go to Backups —an entry with the phone model name and date should appear there.

    On a new phone:

    1. When you turn it on for the first time, select Copy data from old device → From cloud storage.
    2. Log in to the same Google accountas on your old phone.
    3. Select the latest backup from the list and confirm the restoration.
    4. Wait for completion (the phone may reboot).

    What exactly is transferred through Google Drive:

    Type of data Is it transferred? Notes
    Applications and their data ✅ Yes Including settings, but not all games support progress restoration.
    Call log ✅ Yes Only if the copy was created on Android 9+. On older versions - partially.
    SMS and MMS ✅ Yes Media files from MMS are not transferred, only text.
    Photos and videos ❌ No You need to use Google Photos separately.
    Wi-Fi settings ✅ Yes Including saved ones passwords (if not used WPA3-Enterprise).
    ⚠️ Attention: Backups in Google Drive take up space in your cloud storage. If you have a tariff 15 GB (free) and the copy weighs 10 GB, there will be only 5 GBfree space left. Before by copying, check the available space in Google Drive and, if necessary, clear unnecessary files or buy additional space.
    💡

    If the backup is not restored, try resetting the new phone to factory settings (Settings → System → Reset) and repeat the process. Sometimes data from previous copies conflicts.

    4. Transferring photos and videos via Google Photos

    Google Photos is the most convenient solution for transferring media files, especially if you have thousands of pictures. The service automatically sorts photos by date, recognizes faces, and can even create collages. The main thing is to set up the download correctly so as not to lose quality.

    How to transfer photos and videos:

    1. On your old phone, open the application Google Photo (if it is not there, download from Play Market).
    2. Log in to your Google account.
    3. Click on your profile avatar → Photo settings → Backup and synchronization.
    4. Activate the switch and select download quality:
      • Original quality —preserves the resolution, but takes up space in Google Drive.
      • High quality —compresses files (free, without size limitation).
  • Wait for the download to complete (you can track progress in notifications).
  • On the new phone, install Google Photos, log into the same account and wait for synchronization.

    • Nuances that few people know about:

    • 🔍 Face recognition: if people were tagged in the photo on your old phone, these tags will be transferred automatically.
    • 📅 Albums: custom albums (for example, "Vacation 2023") will be saved, but "Favorites" you will have to mark it again.
    • 🎥 4K video: when selecting High quality video with a higher resolution 1080p will be compressed.
    • 🔄 Automatic synchronization: if you enable it on both phones, new photos will be duplicated. Disable on your old device after transfer.
    What to do if Google Photos does not upload files?

    If the upload is stuck on "Waiting for Wi-Fi" or "Processing", try:

    1. Disable and enable again Backup in the settings.

    2. Clear the application cache (Settings → Applications → Google Photos → Storage → Clear cache).

    3. Install the update for Google Photos to Play Market.

    4. Reboot the phone - sometimes it helps to reset background processes.

    5. Transferring messages, calls and application data

    Standard synchronization via Google does not always cope with the transfer SMS, call history and application data (for example, game saves or chats in messengers).There are additional tools for this.

    5.1. Messages (SMS/MMS)

    If the backup copy in Google Drive did not transfer the SMS, use the application Google Messages (former Android Messages):

    1. On your old phone, install Google Messages and make it the default application for SMS.
    2. Open Settings → Backup and restore and enable Message backup.
    3. On the new phone, install the same application, log into your account and restore messages.

    5.2. Call history

    Call log is transferred via Google Drive, but only if:

    • 📞 On the old phone Android 9+.
    • 🔄 Backup is enabled in Settings → Google → Backup.
    • 📱 The new phone restored data from a copy during the first setup.

    If calls are not transferred, try exporting them manually through applications like Call Logs Backup & Restore (available in Play Market).

    5.3. Application data (games, messengers)

    Most applications store data in the cloud, but some require manual transfer:

    • 🎮 Games: if the game supports Google Play Games, progress is synchronized automatically. For the rest, use the built-in export (for example, Minecraft has a function Export the world).
    • 💬 Messengers:
      • WhatsApp: backup to Google Drive (settings → chats → backup).
      • Telegram: cloud storage (messages are synchronized automatically).
      • Viber: Settings → Account → Backup.
    ⚠️ Attention: Some applications (for example, banking or with two-factor authentication) prohibit backup for security reasons. They will require re-authorization on the new one. phone.

    6. Alternative methods: when Google does not help

    Sometimes standard methods do not work due to manufacturer restrictions (for example, on Huawei without services Google) or specific data. In such cases, it will help:

    6.1. Local transfer via cable or Wi-Fi

    To quickly transfer large files (movies, music, documents) use:

    • 🔌 USB cable: connect the old phone to the new one via OTG adapter and copy the files manually.
    • 📶 Wi-Fi Direct: activate in Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi Direct on both phones and send the files.
    • 📱 Transfer applications: Send Anywhere, Xender or Files by Google (function File sharing).

    6.2. Transfer via computer

    If cloud services are not available:

    1. Connect the old phone to the PC via USB (select mode Transfer files).
    2. Copy the necessary folders (DCIM for photos, Downloads for downloads) to your computer.
    3. Connect a new phone and transfer the files back.

    6.3. ADB (for advanced)

    If you need to save all application data, including system settings, use ADB Backup:

    adb backup -apk -obb -shared -all -f backup.ab

    This command will create a full backup, which can then be restored on a new phone. Minus: required unlocking USB debugging and does not work on all firmware.

    7. Typical errors and how to avoid them

    Even when using official tools Google users encounter problems. Here are the most common ones and ways to solve them:

    Problem Cause Solution
    Backup is not created Not enough space in Google Drive or weak internet. Clear the cloud or connect to Wi-Fi. Check your quota in drive.google.com.
    Photos are uploaded in low quality In settings Google Photos selected High quality. Change to Original quality (but this will take up storage space).
    Applications are restored, but data is lost Not all applications support backup. Check whether the application has its own export/import function (for example, WhatsApp).
    SMS were not transferred The backup was created without message backup enabled. Use Google Messages or third-party utilities (SMS Backup & Restore).
    The new phone does not see the backup copy Different accounts Google or the copy was created on a newer version of Android. Make sure you are using the same account. If the version is Android is incompatible, try resetting the new phone and repeating the recovery.

    If none of the methods worked, check:

    • 🔧 Date and time settings: they should be automatic (Settings → System → Date and timeIncorrect settings may disrupt synchronization.
    • 🔒 Permissions: Google and Google Play Services must have all rights (check in Settings → Applications).
    • 📱 Firmware: on some custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), backup may not work. In this case, use ADB or local transfer.
    💡

    If the new phone is from Huawei, Honor or another brand without Google services, standard methods will not work. In this case, use Huawei Mobile Cloud (for Huawei devices) or local transfer.

    8. Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

    Is it possible to transfer data from Android to iPhone via Google?

    Partially. Contacts, calendars and photos (via Google Photos) will be transferred, but SMS, call logs and application data will not. For a complete transfer, use the app Move to iOS from Apple.

    How long does backup to Google Drive take?

    Depends on the amount of data and Internet speed:

    • 1–5 GB: 10–30 minutes.
    • 10–20 GB: 1–3 hours.
    • More than 50 GB: may take all night (best left on charge).

    What to do if your new phone doesn't have enough storage space for recovery?

    Empty unnecessary files:

    1. Delete the application cache (Settings → Memory → Cache).
    2. Transfer photos to a memory card (if there is a slot).
    3. Delete pre-installed games/applications that do not are using.

    Or restore data selectively (for example, only contacts and SMS).

    Is it possible to transfer data from a phone that does not turn on?

    If the phone does not respond to charging or is stuck on the logo, try:

    • 🔌 Connect to PC and check whether it is detected as a removable disk (sometimes removing the battery for 10 seconds helps).
    • 🔧 Recover via Fastboot or Recovery Mode (skills required).
    • 📱 Contact a service center to extract data from flash memory.

    How to transfer passwords from Google Chrome?

    Passwords are synchronized automatically if:

    1. On both phones, synchronization is enabled in Google Chrome (Settings → Synchronization).
    2. You are using the same Google account.
    3. Saving passwords is enabled in the browser (Settings → Passwords → Saving passwords).

    If the passwords have not been transferred, check them in Google Password Manager (will open in the browser).