The transition from ecosystem Android to iOS often raises concerns about the loss of important data, and the phone book comes first here. Owners iPhone 11who bought a new smartphone want to quickly restore connections without manually entering hundreds of numbers. Fortunately, modern migration tools allow you to perform this task automatically or semi-automatically in a matter of minutes.
There are several proven synchronization methods, from official Apple utilities to Google cloud services. Choosing a method Depends on what stage of setup your new phone is in and where exactly your records are currently stored. Some methods require a complete reboot of the device, others work “on the fly.”
In this article we will analyze in detail each algorithm of actions, evaluate their pros and cons, and also answer common technical questions. You will learn how to avoid duplicating records and save not only numbers, but also photos of contacts.
Official method through the Move to iOS application
The most reliable and recommended by Apple method of transferring data is using a special application Move to iOS. This method is ideal if you just took it iPhone 11 out of the box and are in the initial setup phase. The application creates a secure Wi-Fi network between two devices and transfers data directly, without using the Internet.
To get started, you need to make sure that Wi-Fi is turned on on your device Android . Download the utility Move to iOS from the store Google Play. Start the installation iPhone and go to the “Applications and Data” screen, where you need to select the item Transfer data from Android. A six-digit code will appear on the screen.
Enter this code in the application on your phone Android. After connecting the devices, the system will prompt you to select data types for migration. Be sure to check the box Contact. The process may take from several minutes to an hour depending on the size of the phone book.
☑️ Preparing for migration
⚠️ Attention: If you have already set up an iPhone and are using it, this method will not work. You will have to perform a factory reset or choose another transfer method.
Synchronization via Google account
If your iPhone 11 has already been activated and configured, using the Google cloud will be the easiest solution. Most Android users store their contacts in their Google Account without even thinking about it. To transfer them, just add this account to the iOS settings.
Go to the menu Settings on your iPhone, scroll down and select section Contact. Next, click on the item Accounts and select Add account. In the list of services, find the logo Google and enter your login information.
After authorization, the system will ask what data needs to be synchronized. Make sure that the switch opposite the item Contact lits green. After a few seconds, the phone book will automatically load into the Phone and Contacts application on your device.
If the contacts do not appear right away, go to the Contacts application, pull the list down to force an update, or restart your iPhone.
This method is convenient because any changes you make on Android will automatically appear on the iPhone while active synchronization However, it is worth considering that when you disconnect your account, data may disappear from the device if it was not saved locally.
Transfer via SIM card
An old but still relevant method is to use a physical SIM card as a storage medium. This method is suitable for those who do not have access to the Internet or who prefer local data storage without connection to the clouds. It is important to understand that the SIM card has a limited memory capacity and storage format.
First you need to export contacts to the card in your phone Android. Go to the contacts application, open the settings menu and select Import/export contacts. Click Export to SIM card. Please note that only names and numbers are usually saved to the card memory, without additional fields.
After the export is complete, remove the SIM card and insert it into iPhone 11. On an iPhone, go to Settings → Contacts and find the Import contacts from SIMbutton. The system will copy all entries to the internal memory of the phone or to the selected iCloud account.
| Characteristics | SIM card | Google Account | Move to iOS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saving photos | No | Yes | Yes |
| Internet required | No | Yes | No (locally) |
| Additional. fields (address, email) | No | Yes | Yes |
| Setting complexity | Low | Medium | High |
Import via VCF file
Universal format vCard (.vcf extension) allows you to transfer contacts manually if automatic methods are not suitable for some reason. You can create such a file on Android, transfer it in any convenient way and open it on iPhone.
In the contacts app on Android, select the export option and specify saving to file .vcf. Send this file to yourself by email, messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp) or upload to cloud storage (Dropbox, Yandex.Disk), accessible from both devices.
Open the received file on iPhone 11. If you sent it by email, just click on the attachment in the email. The iOS system will automatically recognize the format and offer to add all found contacts to the phone book. Confirm the action by clicking Add all.
What to do if the file does not open?
Make sure the file has a .vcf extension. If the file is damaged or has a different format (such as .csv), the iPhone will not be able to read it without third-party converters. Try re-exporting the data to Android, choosing the vCard format.
This method is good for a one-time transfer of a large archive of contacts, but is inconvenient for constant synchronization. Each time you change the number, you will have to repeat the export and import procedure again.
Solving problems with duplicates and formatting
After transferring data, users often encounter the problem of duplicating records. This happens if the contacts were saved in the phone memory, on the SIM card, and in the cloud at the same time. iPhone 11 has built-in tools to combat this chaos.
Go to the application Contact and carefully look through the list. If you see duplicate names, tap the contact card. A sentence Link contacts or Merge duplicatesmay appear at the bottom of the screen. iOS can automatically find similar entries and merge them into one.
It is also worth checking the format of the numbers. Sometimes, when transferred from Android, numbers may be saved without a country code or with extra characters. Open any contact and make sure that the number is written in international format, starting with +7 or other code of your country. This is critical for the correct operation of instant messengers.
⚠️ Attention: The interfaces of the Contacts applications on Android and iOS are different. After the transfer, check whether the names are displayed correctly in Cyrillic. In rare cases, when importing via VCF, the encoding may be lost.
Regular cleaning of duplicates through the built-in iOS functions helps keep the phone book in order and speeds up the search for the desired subscriber.
Frequently asked questions when migrating data
Is it possible to transfer call history from Android to iPhone 11?
Unfortunately, the official utility Move to iOS does not transfer call history. Third party apps also have limited access to this syslog due to iOS security policies. You will have to start the call history on the new device from scratch.
What to do if the Move to iOS app freezes?
Try turning off mobile data on Android, leaving only Wi-Fi. Also make sure both devices have airplane mode turned on, but then manually activate Wi-Fi. This will prevent the network from switching during the transfer.
Will your Android contacts disappear after the transfer?
No, the transfer process is a copy, not a move. All your data will remain safe on your old device unless you reset the settings manually.
How to transfer contacts if the Android screen is broken?
If the sensor does not work, but there is an image, connect a USB mouse via an OTG cable for control. If the screen is black, but the phone is working, try logging into your Google account from your computer and exporting contacts from there, then importing them to your iPhone.