Changing the mobile ecosystem is always stressful, especially when it comes to preserving thousands of personal memories. The transition from Android to the latest iPhone 15 requires a careful approach, since the file systems of these platforms are radically different. Users often fear that their images will lose quality or disappear completely during the migration process.
Fortunately, modern technologies offer many solutions: from specialized applications to direct cable connection. The choice of a specific method depends on whether your new smartphone is in the initial setup state or whether you have already started actively using it. In this article, we will analyze each available option in detail.
Preparing devices before starting migration
Before taking active steps, you need to make sure that both devices are ready to transfer a large amount of information. Charge your smartphone to at least 80%, as the process can take considerable time and significantly drain the batteries. Also check the availability of free space on the target device. Android-smartphone and iPhone 15 at least up to 80%, since the process can take considerable time and significantly drain the batteries. Also check the amount of free space on the target device.
Make sure it is enabled on both gadgets Wi-Fi. Even if you plan to use a cable for data transfer, a wireless connection is often required to authorize and confirm the security of the connection. Turn off the power saving mode on both phones to prevent the system from interrupting background processes.
⚠️ Attention: If your Android device has a microSD card installed, copy all important photos to internal memory before starting the transfer. Many migration tools do not see external drives.
Make a backup copy of the data on your Android device in any convenient way. This is insurance against unexpected failures. While the likelihood of data loss is minimal, having duplicate files in the cloud or on your computer will give you peace of mind.
☑️ Ready to transfer
Using the Move to iOS application during the first setup
The most reliable and official way to transfer data is the utility Move to iOSdeveloped by Apple. This method only works during the initial setup of the iPhone. If you've already set up your phone and see the desktop, you'll have to perform a factory reset or use the other methods below.
On the iPhone setup screen, tap Apps & Data, then tap Transfer Data from Android. On your Android device you need to download the application Move to iOS from the store Google Play. Launch it and accept the terms of the license agreement.
A six-digit or ten-digit code will appear on the iPhone screen. Enter this code in the Android application. The devices will create a temporary, secure Wi-Fi network. Select the content you want to transfer: the checkbox next to “Photos” is required. The process will begin automatically.
- 📱 Make sure that the screens of both phones are active and do not go dark during the transfer.
- 🔒 Do not switch to other applications on Android, this may break the connection.
- ⏳ Waiting time depends on the amount of data: thousands of photos can take more than an hour to transfer.
Once the download bar is complete on iPhone, tap “Done” on Android. Photos will appear in the Photos app after you finish setting up your phone. It is important to understand that metadata and shooting dates are usually saved correctly.
What to do if the process freezes?
If the progress bar does not move for more than 15 minutes, restart both devices and start the process again. Make sure that functions that switch the network, such as Smart Wi-Fi, are disabled on Android.
Transfer via Google Photos cloud service
If the initial setup stage has already been completed, the most convenient solution will be to use cloud technologies. The service Google Photos is pre-installed on most Android smartphones and is available for download on iOS. This is an ideal option for gradual transfer without loss of quality.
On your Android device, open the application Google Photos, log into your account and turn on synchronization. Wait until all images are completely uploaded to the cloud. This process may require a stable Internet connection and time, especially with a large archive.
On the new one iPhone 15 install the application Google Photos from the App Store and log in with the same account. All your photos will instantly become available in your feed. You can view them online or download individual albums to your phone memory for offline access.
| Option | High quality | Original quality |
|---|---|---|
| Compression | Minor | None |
| Space limit | 15 GB (shared with Gmail) | 15 GB (shared with Gmail) |
| Speed loading | High | Depends on file size |
| Search by objects | Available | Available |
⚠️ Attention: Google's free plan comes with 15GB of storage, split between Mail, Drive, and Photos. If your archive is larger, you will need to subscribe to Google One.
You can use the export function to fully transfer to the native iOS gallery (Photos), but it is easier to leave the library in the Google app, which works no worse on iOS than on Android. This saves space on your device.
Enable the Free up space feature in Google Photos settings on Android after downloading. This will delete local copies of pictures that are already in the cloud and free up gigabytes of memory.
Direct connection via USB-C cable
The model iPhone 15 made a revolution by receiving a port USB-C instead of Lightning. This discovery allows you to connect Android devices directly without unnecessary adapters and computers. This method provides maximum transfer speed and does not depend on the quality of the Internet connection.
You will need the USB-C to USB-C cable that comes with the iPhone 15, or any high-quality analogue. Connect one end to your Android smartphone and the other to the iPhone charging port. A request for file transfer mode will appear on the Android screen.
Select mode File Transfer / Android Auto. On iPhone, open the standard application Files. The connected Android device should appear in the Browse section. You can copy photo folders (usually DCIM) directly to iPhone memory.
Source folder: /DCIM/Camera/
Destination folder: iPhone internal memory/Photos
This method requires manual file management. You can create a new folder on your iPhone and drag your selected images into it. The system will automatically recognize them as photos and add them to the library after copying.
Direct cable connection is the fastest way to transfer terabytes of data without compression and loss of original quality.
Import via computer (Windows or macOS)
Using a personal computer as an intermediary is a “classic” method that gives complete control over the process. It is especially convenient if you need to pre-sort your pictures, remove duplicates or bad frames before downloading them to a new phone.
Connect Android to your computer and copy the folder DCIM to your hard drive. Then connect iPhone 15. For Windows users, you will need to install the application Apple Devices (formerly iTunes) or use File Explorer if the phone trusts the PC.
On macOS the process is even simpler: open the application Photo or Image Capture. Drag the prepared folder with photos into the app window. Synchronization will start automatically and all images will appear in the phone gallery.
- 💻 This method allows you to edit photos before transferring.
- 🔄 Ideal for restoring data from old backups copies.
- ⚡ The speed is limited only by the bandwidth of the computer's USB port.
Remember to safely remove the devices after synchronization. On an iPhone, photos synced via a computer cannot be deleted directly from the phone - to do this, you need to reconnect it to the PC and uncheck the corresponding album.
⚠️ Attention: When syncing through iTunes or Finder, old photos on the iPhone may be replaced if the full library sync option is selected. Check your settings carefully.
Problem with drivers on Windows?
If your computer does not see your iPhone, download and install the Apple Mobile Device Support driver. It is included with iTunes or downloaded separately from the Apple website.
Solving problems with HEIC and JPEG formats
One of the common problems during migration is the difference in compression formats. Android traditionally uses JPEG, while iPhone by default takes and stores photos in HEIC (High Efficiency Image Container) format. This may cause difficulties when viewing on older devices or in some apps.
iOS has a built-in converter. When transferring photos from Android to iPhone, the system usually retains the original JPEG format. However, if you want to save space on your new device, you can set up automatic conversion.
Go to Settings → Photo and find the “Transfer to Mac or PC” section. Select the "Automatic" option. In this case, when exporting photos from iPhone to a computer, they will be converted to a compatible format, but inside the phone they can be stored as HEIC.
If it is critical for you that all photos in the gallery are in JPEG (for example, for compatibility with specific software), change the camera settings. Go to Settings → Camera → Formats and select "Most Compatible". Now new pictures will be created in JPEG.
The HEIC format takes up half the space with the same quality as JPEG. It is recommended to use it on iPhone 15 to save memory if you do not plan to transfer photos to old Windows PCs often.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will photos be transferred if I have already set up an iPhone and am using it?
Yes, the Move to iOS application will not work in this case, so how it works only on the welcome screen. You need to use cloud services (Google Photos, Yandex.Disk), cable connection via the Files application, or synchronization via a computer.
Will photos on Android be erased after transferring to iPhone?
No, none of the described methods automatically deletes data from the source device. The transfer process is copying. However, after successfully checking all the pictures on the new phone, you can manually format the old Android.
Is it possible to transfer hidden folders and albums?
The standard Move to iOS application transfers only the main gallery. Hidden password-protected albums or folders inside system directories are often ignored. To transfer them, it is better to use the computer method or manually upload them to cloud storage before migration.
How to transfer videos along with photos?
All described methods (Move to iOS, Google Photos, cable, PC) support transferring video files. The only limitation is the transfer time, since videos take up much more space. Make sure you have enough free space on your iPhone.
What to do if photos were transferred without the shooting dates?
When using some third-party applications, metadata (EXIF) may be lost. When using Move to iOS, Google Photos, or cable via Files, shooting dates and geolocation are preserved. If the dates are wrong, you can correct them manually in the Photos app on iOS by selecting the photo and clicking “Change date and time.”