The transition from iPhone to Android is not just a change of smartphone, but a complete migration of digital life: contacts, photos, notes, passwords and even familiar applications. Many users put off this step for fear of losing data or spending hours manually transferring. In fact, the process can be automated by 90% - if you know the right tools and sequence of actions.

In this article we will analyze all current methods of data transfer from iOS to Android in 2026: from official services Google and Apple to third-party applications with advanced functions. You will learn how to save photo quality (without compression), transfer call history (yes, it's possible!), and even migrate data from iCloud without loss. And also - what pitfalls wait during the transition and how to avoid them.

Important: the transfer process depends on the version iOS on your iPhone and models Androiddevices. For example, smartphones Samsung have a built-in tool Smart Switchand their own setup wizard. We will look at universal methods that work on Google Pixel - own setup wizard. We will look at universal methods that work for any devices, as well as specialized solutions for popular brands.

๐Ÿ“Š Which method of data transfer do you prefer?
Official services (Google, Apple)
Application side (Move to iOS and analogues)
Manual transfer via computer
Cloud storage (Dropbox, OneDrive)
Not decided yet

1. Preparing for the migration: what you need to do before you begin

Before you start migrating, do mandatory preparatory steps. This will save time and prevent data loss.

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Update iOS until the latest version. Some transfer functions (for example, Move to iOS from Apple) require iOS 15+. Check in Settings โ†’ General โ†’ Software update.
  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Charge both devices at least to 50%. Transferring large amounts of data (for example, 100 GB of photos) may take several hours.
  • ๐Ÿ“ถ Connect to a stable Wi-Fi. For wireless transfer you will need a high-speed network (preferably 5 GHz). mobile data will not work!
  • ๐Ÿ” Disable two-factor authentication for Apple ID for 10-15 minutes (if you use third-party tools). Some applications are blocked when 2FA is active.

Critical point: if you plan to sell or transfer iPhone to another user do not reset it until the transfer is complete. Some data (for example, notes from iCloud) may not be available after a factory reset. First, copy everything you need, and then clean the device.

โš ๏ธ Attention: If your Androidsmartphone supports eSIM, transfer the phone number after data migration. When activating a new SIM card, some services (for example WhatsApp) may block access to backup copies.

Update iOS and Android to the latest versions

Create a backup copy of iPhone to iCloud or to a computer

Make sure there is enough free space on Android

Prepare cables (USB-C/Lightning or adapter)

Write down passwords for Apple ID and Google account-->

2. Official method: Move to iOS application from Apple

The most reliable and recommended method is to use the application Move to iOSdeveloped by Apple. It is free, does not require a computer and transfers:

  • ๐Ÿ“ž Contacts, call history and SMS
  • ๐Ÿ“ท Photos and videos (without loss of quality)
  • ๐Ÿ“… Calendars and reminders
  • ๐ŸŽต Music and books (if any are not protected by DRM)
  • ๐Ÿ“Œ Bookmarks from Safari
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Mail and account settings

Step-by-step guide:

  1. Download on Androiddevice Move to iOS from Google Play (developer - Apple Inc.).

  2. Turn on the new Androidsmartphone and go to the screen Setup and transfer data (usually appears after connecting to Wi-Fi). Select Transfer from iPhone.

  3. To iPhone open the application Move to iOS, accept the terms and click Continue. Wait for the 6- or 10-digit code to appear.

  4. Enter this code on your Androiddevice. Make sure that Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are turned on on both phones.

  5. Select the data to transfer (you can select all) and wait for completion. Do not interrupt the process!

The transfer speed depends on the amount of data:

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ 10 GB - ~15-20 minutes
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ 50 GB - ~1-1.5 hours
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ 100+ GB - up to 3 hours (it is recommended to use a cable)

โš ๏ธ Attention: The application Move to iOS works only on initial setup Androiddevices. If the phone is already set up, you will have to reset it to factory settings or use alternative methods.
What does not Move to iOS transfer?

The application does not copy:

- Installed applications (only their list for Google Play)

- Data from some messengers (for example, history Telegram or Viber)

- Settings Apple Pay and Apple Watch

- Files from Files (only media and documents in standard folders)

- Passwords from iCloud Keychain (need to be exported separately)

3. Alternative methods: transfer through Google services

If Move to iOS is not suitable (for example, the phone is already configured), use Google cloud services. This method is universal and works on any device.

3.1. data-i="151">The easiest way is synchronization with

The easiest way is to synchronize with Google Account:

  1. On iPhone open Settings โ†’ Contacts โ†’ Accounts โ†’ Add account โ†’ Google.

  2. Enter your data Google account (the same as what will be on Android).

  3. Enable synchronization for Contacts, Calendars and Mail.

  4. Wait for synchronization to complete (may take up to 10 minutes).

  5. On Androiddevice, log in to the same Google account - all data will be automatically downloaded.

Important: If you have duplicate contacts (for example, from iCloud and Google), use the application Google Contacts to merge. Open Settings โ†’ Manage contacts โ†’ Merge and fix.

3.2. Transferring photos and videos via Google Photos

Google Photos is the best tool for transferring media files. It saves original quality (if you select the "Original quality" option in the settings) and supports live photos (Live Photos) from iPhone.

Instructions:

  1. Download Google Photos from App Store to iPhone.

  2. Open the application, log in to your Google account and enable Backup and synchronization.

  3. Choose Original quality (if it is important to maintain the resolution) or High quality (free, but compressed to 16 MP for photos).

  4. Wait for the download to complete (you can track progress in the section Photo โ†’ Library โ†’ Devices).

  5. On Android install Google Photos and log into the same account - all files will be available.

Download speed: 1000 photos (~10 GB) download in about 1-2 hours with stable Wi-Fi. To speed up, connect iPhone to charging.

๐Ÿ’ก

If you have slow Internet, upload photos at night. In the settings Google Photos there is an option "Only when charging and connected to Wi-Fi."

Transfer method What it transfers Requires a computer Maintains quality Time (for 50 GB)
Move to iOS Contacts, photos, videos, SMS, calendars โŒ No โœ… Yes 1โ€“1.5 hours
Google Photos Photos, videos, Live Photos โŒ No โœ… Yes (if selected "Original quality") 2โ€“3 hours
iCloud โ†’ Google Drive All files from iCloud (including backups) โœ… Yes (for downloading) โœ… Yes 3โ€“5 hours
USB-C/Lightning cable Photos, videos, music, documents โœ… Yes (or OTG adapter) โœ… Yes 30โ€“60 minutes

4. Transferring data through a computer (for large volumes)

If you have more than 100 GB of data or slow Internet, use wired connection via a computer This method is more reliable than cloud services and works even without. Wi-Fi.

4.1. Transferring photos and videos via PC

You will need:

  • ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธ Computer with Windows or macOS
  • ๐Ÿ”Œ Cable Lightning/USB-C (for iPhone) and USB-C/USB-A (for Android)
  • ๐Ÿ“‚ ~50โ€“100 GB of free hard disk space

Steps:

  1. Connect iPhone to computer and unlock it. In the window that appears, select Trust this computer.

  2. On Windows: open This computer โ†’ find iPhone in the Portable devices โ†’ open the folder Internal Storage โ†’ DCIM. Copy all folders to your computer.
    On macOS: use Photo or Image Capture to import.

  3. Connect Androidsmartphone and drag the copied files to the folder DCIM or Pictures.

  4. Disconnect both devices and check the photos in the gallery Android.

Advantages of the method:

  • ๐Ÿš€ Maximum speed (up to 40 MB/s with USB 3.0)
  • ๐Ÿ”’ No risk of quality loss (unlike cloud services)
  • ๐Ÿ“ You can selectively copy only the folders you need

โš ๏ธ Attention: If you are using macOS Catalina or later, accessing files iPhone will require permission in Settings โ†’ Screen Time โ†’ Restrictions โ†’ Photos (enable All photos).

4.2. Transferring music and documents

For music and documents (PDF, Word, Excel) is more convenient to use iTunes (on Windows) or Finder (on macOS):

  1. Connect iPhone to your computer and open iTunes (Finder on Mac).

  2. Go to section Files (in iTunes) or General access (in Finder).

  3. Copy the necessary files to your computer, then drag them to Android via Explorer.

Alternative: Use cloud services:

  • ๐ŸŽต For music: YouTube Music or Spotify (download playlists via Soundiiz)
  • ๐Ÿ“„ For documents: Google Drive or Dropbox

5. Transferring applications and Their data

Unfortunately, direct transfer of installed applications from iOS to Android there is no way, however:

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Save the list of applications for re-installation to Android.
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Transfer data from some applications (for example, WhatsApp, Telegram).
  • ๐Ÿ’ฐ Restore purchases in games (if they are linked to Google Play or Facebook).

5.1. How to transfer the list of applications

Create a text file with a list of applications from App Store:

  1. On iPhone open App Store โ†’ click on the avatar โ†’ Purchased.

  2. Scroll down and tap Not in the App Storeto see all installed applications.

  3. Take screenshots or manually write down the names of the applications you need.

  4. On Android open Google Play and install analogues.

Popular analogues of applications:

iOS application Android analogue Data Transfer
Apple Maps Google Maps โœ… Yes (via Google Account)
iMessage Google Messages or WhatsApp โŒ No (history only SMS). Viber
Apple Music YouTube Music or Spotify โœ… Partially (playlists via Soundiiz)
Notes Google Keep or OneNote โœ… Yes (export via iCloud)

5.2. Transferring WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber chats

To transfer correspondence history, use official tools:

  • ๐Ÿ’ฌ WhatsApp: Make a backup copy to iCloud, then restore to Android via Google Drive (required WhatsApp version 2.21.16+).
  • ๐Ÿ“ค Telegram: Export chats to Settings โ†’ Advanced โ†’ Export data (available in Telegram Premium or via bot @SaveMyChatBot).
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Viber: Backup to Settings โ†’ Account โ†’ Backup (only on iCloud, for Android you will have to use third-party utilities).

Important: For WhatsApp you will need same phone numberas on iPhoneIf you have already activated a new number on Android, you cannot restore the history. it will work!

๐Ÿ’ก

To transfer messenger data, always use official tools (for example, Backuptrans) may violate the privacy policy and be blocked.

6. Transferring passwords and data from iCloud

One โ€‹โ€‹of the most difficult tasks when switching to Android is migrating passwordssaved in iCloud Keychain. Fortunately, there are several working methods.

6.1. Exporting passwords from iCloud to Google Password Manager

Apple allows you to export passwords to a file .csvwhich can then be imported into Google Chrome or Password Manager:

  1. On Mac open Keychain (apps โ†’ Utilities).

  2. Select a category Passwordsthen File โ†’ Export elements.

  3. Save the file in the format .csv.

  4. On Android open Google Chrome โ†’ Settings โ†’ Passwords โ†’ Settings โ†’ Import passwords and download the file.

Limitations:

  • ๐Ÿ” Export only works on Mac (third-party software will be required for Windows ๐Ÿšซ Some passwords (for example, from banking applications) may not be exported.
  • ๐Ÿšซ Some passwords (for example, from banking applications) may not be exported.

6.2. Transferring data from iCloud to Android

If you store data in iCloud (photos, notes, contacts), you can transfer them through the web interface:

  1. On your computer, open iCloud.com and log into your account.

  2. Select a section (for example, Photo, Contact, Notes).

  3. Select all files and click Download (for photos) or Export vCard (for contacts).

  4. Copy downloaded files to Android via cable or cloud.

For Notes: Export them in .pdf or .txtformat, then import to Google Keep or OneNote.

โš ๏ธ Attention: When exporting data from iCloud some formats may be distorted. For example, Live Photos will turn into regular JPEG, and notes with pictures will become PDF without the possibility of editing.

7. Data transfer for specific brands (Samsung, Xiaomi, Google Pixel) Manufacturers of smartphones often offer migration from smartphones. They can be more convenient than universal solutions.

Manufacturers Android-smartphones are often offered own tools for migration from iOS. They may be more convenient than universal solutions.

7.1. Samsung Smart Switch

The application Samsung Smart Switch carries:

  • ๐Ÿ“ž Contacts, SMS, call log
  • ๐Ÿ“ท Photos and videos (including Live Photos)
  • ๐Ÿ“… Calendars and reminders
  • ๐ŸŽต Music and documents
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Wi-Fi settings and wallpaper

How to use:

  1. Download Smart Switch to iPhone from App Store.

  2. Connect both devices via cable (Lightning โ†’ USB-C) or via Wi-Fi.

  3. On Samsung select Get data โ†’ iPhone/iPad.

  4. Follow the instructions on the screen. The process will take 20-60 minutes.

7.2. Xiaomi Migration

For smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO use the built-in tool Migration:

  1. When setting up for the first time Xiaomi select Data transfer โ†’ iOS.

  2. Download Mi Mover to iPhone from App Store.

  3. Connect your devices to the same Wi-Fi network and scan the QR code.

  4. Select data to transfer and wait for completion.

Features:

  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ Works only on new devices Xiaomi (with MIUI 12+).
  • ๐Ÿ”„ Does not transfer applications and their data.

7.3. Google Pixel: Quick Switch Adapter

Smartphones Google Pixel are equipped with a special adapter for transferring data with iPhone:

  1. Connect the adapter to Pixel and connect it to iPhone via cable Lightning.

  2. On Pixel select Copy data when setting up.

  3. Unlock iPhone and confirm trust in the computer.

  4. Select data to transfer (similarly Move to iOS).

Advantage: The adapter provides direct connection without cloud services, which speeds up the process by 2-3 times.

8. What to do after the transfer: setting up Android

After data migration it remains to configure Android for comfortable work. Here's what you need to do first:

  • ๐Ÿ”’ Set up a screen lock (recommended Fingerprint + PIN).
  • ๐Ÿ“ถ Activate eSIM (if supported) or change the physical SIM card.
  • ๐Ÿ”” Set up notifications in Settings โ†’ Applications โ†’ Notifications.
  • ๐Ÿ”‹ Enable adaptive brightness and battery optimization.
  • ๐Ÿ›ก๏ธ Install an antivirus (for example, Google Play Protect or Bitdefender).

Recommended applications for a quick start:

Category Android application Replacement for
Browser Google Chrome or Firefox Safari
Mail Gmail or BlueMail Apple Mail
Notes Google Keep or Notion Apple Notes
Maps Google Maps or Waze Apple Maps
Music <