The transition from Android to iPhone 13 is not just a change of gadget, but a complete migration of digital life: contacts, photos, correspondence, notes and even familiar applications. Many users are afraid of this step due to the risk of losing important data or spending hours manually rebooting. In fact, Apple has provided convenient tools for automated transfer, but they do not work perfectly - especially if you have custom firmware or rare applications. Android custom firmware or rare applications.

In this article we will look at all possible ways of transferring data - from the official application Move to iOS to manual methods for specific files (for example, call history or passwords from Google Smart Lock). You'll learn how to avoid common mistakes, why some files may not move, and what to do if the process is interrupted. And also - hidden chipswhich are not written about in the instructions Apple, but which save time.

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1. Preparing your Android device for data transfer

Before starting the migration, you need to bring your Androidsmartphone to a “clean” state. This will eliminate potential conflicts and speed up the process.

First, update the firmware on both devices. On iPhone 13 there should be the latest version iOS (check in Settings → General → Software update), and on Android the current version Android 10+. Old versions of the OS may not support modern data transfer protocols.

Secondly, free up space to Android. The application Move to iOS creates a temporary archive that requires up to 4–6 GB of free space (depending on the amount of data being transferred). Delete unnecessary files or transfer them to a memory card.

And finally, turn off power saving and activate Developer mode (if it exists). This will prevent the screen or Wi-Fi from automatically turning off during a transfer. To enable developer mode, go to Settings → About phone → Build number and tap on it 7 times.

  • 📱 Update the OS on both devices to the latest version
  • 🗑️ Clear 6+ GB of memory to Android (including cache)
  • 🔋 Disable battery optimization for Move to iOS
  • 📶 Connect to stable Wi-Fi (not mobile data!)
⚠️ Attention: If Android installed Magisk, Xposed or another system modification Move to iOS may not work. In this case, use manual transfer methods (see section 4).

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2. Official way: Move to iOS app is a free app from

Move to iOS is a free application from Applethat automatically transfers most of your data from Android to iPhone over a direct Wi-Fi connection. It supports:

  • 📞 Contacts (including groups and avatars)
  • 💬 Message history (SMS/MMS, but not WhatsApp!
  • 📷 Photos and videos (in original resolution)
  • 🎵 Music and books (if they are not protected by DRM)
  • 📍 Bookmarks from Chrome (transferred to Safari)
  • 📅 Calendars and reminders

How to use:

  1. On iPhone 13 when you turn it on for the first time, select Transfer data from Android (if the phone is already configured, reset it via Settings → General → Transfer or reset).
  2. On Android install Move to iOS from Google Play and open it.
  3. On iPhone a 6- or 10-digit code will appear - enter it on Android.
  4. Select data to transfer and wait for completion (may take from 10 minutes to 2 hours).
Data type Transferred? Notes
Contact ✅ Yes Including the "Birthday" and "Address" fields
WhatsApp ❌ No Separate transfer required (see section 5)
Wi-Fi passwords ✅ Yes Only if Android on version 10+
Applications ⚠️ Partially Only free applications are transferred from App Store
⚠️ Attention: If the process is interrupted, do not click "Repeat" to iPhone - this will create duplicate data. Instead, start the transfer over from scratch iPhone (reset it to factory settings).
📊 How much data do you plan to transfer?
Up to 5 GB
5–20 GB
20–50 GB
More than 50 GB

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3. Transferring photos and videos: alternative methods

If Move to iOS you couldn’t cope with the multimedia (for example, you missed some folders), use these methods:

Method 1: Google Photos

The most reliable option for transfer unlimited quantity photos and videos in original quality:

  1. On Android open Google Photo and enable backup (Settings → Backup and synchronization).
  2. Wait for the download to complete (may take several hours).
  3. On iPhone 13 install Google Photos, log into the same account and download the files back.

Method 2: Explorer + iTunes (for large archives)

If you have more than 100 GB multimedia, use a physical connection:

  1. Connect Android to the computer via USB and copy the files to the folder.
  2. Connect iPhone 13 to the computer, open iTunes (or Finder on Mac).
  3. Go to section Files and download data via File sharing.

Make a backup copy to Google Drive|Check free space on iPhone|Use original cables (not wireless adapters)|Disable photo optimization in iCloud during the transfer-->

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4. Manually transferring contacts, calendars and notes

If automatic methods do not work, use these instructions for key data:

Contact

Export them via Google Account:

  1. To Android open Contacts → Settings → Export and save the file .vcf.
  2. Send the file to your email or upload to iCloud via the web version (icloud.com).
  3. On iPhone 13 enable contact synchronization in Settings → [Your name] → iCloud.

Calendars

Use Google Calendar:

  1. On Android export the calendar in format .ics (Settings → Export calendars).
  2. Import the file to iCloud via the web interface.

Notes

For notes from Google Keep:

  • 📝 Export each note to .txt via the menu Share → Save.
  • 📎 Send files to iPhone via Telegram or Email.
  • 📱 Import to Apple Notes via Copy-paste.
⚠️ Attention: If you used Samsung Notes or Huawei Notepad, export notes to .pdf — Apple Notes does not support proprietary formats.

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5. Transfer of WhatsApp, Telegram and other instant messengers

WhatsApp is not transferred via Move to iOS, but there are workarounds:

Method 1: Official migration (only for new iPhones)

WhatsApp allows the transfer of chats only during the first setup iPhone:

  1. On Android make a backup copy of chats in Settings → Chat → Backup.
  2. When setting up iPhone 13 select Transfer data from Android and follow the instructions.
  3. Install WhatsApp to iPhone and log into the same account - the chats will be loaded automatically.

Method 2: Via email (for old chats)

If iPhone already configured:

  1. Open the desired chat in WhatsApp on Android.
  2. Click ⋮ → Export chat → Without media.
  3. Send the file to your email and open it on iPhone.

For Telegram transfer is easier:

  • 🔄 Enable Chat synchronization in Settings → Chat → Chat history.
  • 📱 Install Telegram on iPhone and log into your account - all messages will be downloaded automatically.
Why are stickers and GIFs not transferred to WhatsApp?

When migrating from Android to iPhone, custom stickers, animations and some media files are lost due to differences in storage formats. WhatsApp on iOS uses a different media caching mechanism, so some content may appear as empty squares. Solution: Manually resave important stickers through the "Share" menu in another messenger (for example, Telegram) and download them back to the iPhone.

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6. Transferring applications and game data

Unfortunately, Not all applications can be transferred from Android to iPhone. Here's what works and what doesn't:

Data type Is it transferred? How to transfer
Free applications ✅ Yes Through Move to iOS (only if available in App Store)
Paid applications ❌ No You will have to buy again in App Store
Game progress ⚠️ Depends on the game Use link to Google Play Games or Facebook
Application settings ❌ No Manual configuration required

To transfer game saves:

  1. Make sure the game supports cross-platform synchronization (for example, via Google Play Games or Facebook).
  2. Login to the same account on iPhone after installing the game.
  3. If there is no synchronization, try to find saves manually (they are usually stored in the folder /Android/data/[game name]) and transfer them via iTunes.
💡

Before deleting applications from Android, check whether they have export settings. For example, Nova Launcher allows you to save the configuration to a file, and KeePass to export it. password database. These files can then be downloaded to the iPhone via iCloud Drive or Dropbox.

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7. Transferring passwords, browser history and other “little things”

This data is often overlooked, but it is no less important:

Passwords

If you have used Google Smart Lock:

  1. Export passwords via passwords.google.com (format .csv).
  2. Import them to iCloud Keychain via Settings → Passwords → Import passwords (required iOS 14+).

Browser history

For Chrome:

  1. Enable synchronization in Chrome on Android (Settings → Synchronization).
  2. Install Chrome on iPhone and log into the same account.

Files and documents

Use Google Drive or Dropbox:

  • 📁 Upload files to the cloud from Android.
  • 📱 Install the appropriate application on iPhone and download the data.
⚠️ Attention: Passwords from third-party managers (for example, 1Password or LastPass) are not transferred automatically. Export them manually through the app settings and import them to iPhone through the official manager tools.

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8. Checking data after migration and eliminating errors

After migration be sure to check:

  • 📞 Contact to see if there are any duplicates or missing fields.
  • 📷 Photo to see if all the albums are in place, if the dates are correct.
  • 💬 Messages —especially important correspondence (SMS, WhatsApp).
  • 🎮 Games —is progress saved.

Typical problems and their solutions:

Problem Cause Solution
Photos were not transferred Not enough space for iPhone Free up space or transfer photos via Google Photos
No call history Move to iOS does not support history Use third-party applications (for example, MobileTrans)
Applications are not installed Region restrictions c App Store Change the region in the settings App Store or use a VPN
💡

If, after transferring to iPhone 13, the battery drains quickly, this is normal - the system will index new data within 1-2 days, after which energy consumption will return to normal levels.

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FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring from Android to iPhone 13

Is it possible to transfer data from Android to iPhone 13 after the first setup?

Yes, but with limitations. For contacts, photos and calendars, use manual methods (Google Account, iCloud). For messages and applications, you will need to reset iPhone to factory settings. re-transfer via Move to iOS.

Why doesn't Move to iOS see my Android?

Check:

  • Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not mobile data).
  • On Android VPN is disabled and firewall.
  • On iPhone enabled Transition mode (appears when you select data transfer).

If this does not help, restart both devices.

How to transfer music from Android to iPhone 13?

Methods:

  1. Apple Music: Upload tracks to iCloud via iTunes on your computer.
  2. Spotify/YouTube Music: Just log into your account iPhone —playlists are synchronized automatically.
  3. Local files: Transfer via Google Drive or Dropbox, then add to the application Files to iPhone.
Is it possible to transfer Wi-Fi settings from Android to iPhone?

Yes, but only passwords. The network settings themselves (for example, static IP) will have to be configured manually. Passwords are transferred via Move to iOS (if Android on version 10+) or manually through export from Google Account.

What to do if some contacts are missing after the transfer?

Possible reasons and solutions:

  • Contacts were in the SIM card: Import them manually via Settings → Contacts → Import SIM contacts on iPhone.
  • Duplicates: Merge them via Settings → Contacts → Accounts → Merge.
  • Not synchronized with Google: Export .vcf from Android and import c iCloud.