Changing a smartphone is always stressful, associated with the risk of losing important information. Among all the data stored in the device’s memory, contacts occupy a special place, since restoring it manually can take hours or even days. Fortunately, the ecosystem Android provides many built-in and third-party tools for quickly migrating your address book.
In the modern world, the data migration procedure has become as automated as possible. You no longer need to manually copy numbers or search for old notebooks. If you know the correct algorithm of actions, the process of transferring contacts between devices will take only a few minutes, regardless of whether you are changing a budget model to a flagship or switching to a phone from another manufacturer.
In this article we will analyze in detail all the current transfer methods: from cloud synchronization to using physical media in the form of a SIM card. We will look at the nuances of the operation of official utilities from manufacturers and proven third-party applications so that you can choose the most convenient option for your situation.
Synchronization through a Google account: the most reliable method
The most universal and recommended way to transfer data is to use cloud storage Google Drive. Almost every Android smartphone requires you to sign in to a Google Account when you first set it up, and this feature is often enabled by default. All contacts saved in the profile are automatically synchronized with the server, making them available on any device after authorization.
To make sure that your numbers are saved in the cloud, you need to check the synchronization settings on your old phone. Go to the section Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure that the switch opposite the “Contacts” item is active. If the checkbox is checked, the system has already sent your address book to the server.
On the new device, just enter the same login and password for your Google account. A few minutes after connecting to the Internet, the phone will automatically “download” all saved numbers. This method ensures that data will not be lost even if the physical device is broken or lost.
Important: Make sure that the latest version of Google Play services is installed on both devices. Outdated software may cause errors when syncing large amounts of data.
If you have two different Google accounts, add a second account to the new phone in the "Users and Accounts" section to see contacts from the old device without deleting the current data.
Using a SIM card for transfer numbers
Although this method is considered obsolete due to limitations in memory capacity and length of names, it remains the only working option if both phones do not have access to the Internet or the owners do not want to use cloud services. The SIM card acts as a physical data carrier between devices.
The process begins by exporting contacts to the SIM card in the old phone. Open the Contacts application, go to the control menu and select the Import/Export function. Next, specify the source “Phone” and the destination “SIM card”. The system will warn you about possible format restrictions.
After the export is complete, remove the SIM card and insert it into the new smartphone. In the phone book application of the new device, select “Import/Export” again, but now specify “SIM card” as the source, and the destination is the phone’s internal memory or Google account.
⚠️ Attention: When saving to a SIM card, contact names are often cut off to 10-15 characters, and additional numbers (work, home) may not be saved. Use this method for basic numbers only.
It's worth noting that different carriers and card types may have different capacities. Old cards can only hold 250 contacts, while modern USIMs support up to 500 entries. If your address book is larger, the process will have to be repeated several times or combined with other methods.
Local transfer via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct
Wireless communication technologies are excellent for transferring data without using the Internet and a SIM card. The standard Bluetooth is present in every smartphone and allows you to transfer business card files (.vcf) directly between devices located in close proximity.
To send contacts, open the phone book on your old device, highlight the desired numbers (you can select “All contacts” through the menu) and click the “Share” button. From the list of available options, select Bluetooth. On the receiving device, you must confirm the request to receive the file.
A more advanced option is to use technologies based on Wi-Fi Direct, which are often built into proprietary shells of manufacturers (for example, Quick Share from Samsung or Google, Huawei Share). These protocols provide significantly higher transmission speeds compared to classic Bluetooth.
☑️ Preparing for Bluetooth transmission
After receiving the file with the extension .vcf on the new phone, the system will automatically offer to import the data it contains into the address book. This method is ideal for transferring selective contacts or small groups of numbers without being linked to accounts.
Branded utilities of smartphone manufacturers
Large vendors, such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei and others, develop their own applications for data migration. These tools are often the most convenient, since they are optimized for specific hardware and software of devices of the same brand.
For example, Samsung owners use an application Smart Switchthat allows you to transfer not only contacts, but also messages, home screen settings and even application layouts. Xiaomi offers the utility Mi Mover, and Huawei - Phone Clone. The principle of operation for all of them is similar: install the application on both phones, scan the QR code for pairing and select the type of data to transfer.
| Manufacturer | Application name | Connection type | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung | Smart Switch | Wi-Fi / Cable | Transfer of system settings and layouts |
| Xiaomi / Redmi | Mi Mover | Wi-Fi Direct | High speed, work without the Internet |
| Huawei / Honor | Phone Clone | Wi-Fi Direct | Support for old and new brand models |
| Google (Pixel) | Transfer application | Cable / Wi-Fi | Integration into the initial setup process |
Using a cable connection in such utilities (via a USB-C to USB-C adapter) is the fastest way. It ensures stable transfer of large amounts of data without the risk of connection loss, which sometimes happens when using wireless protocols.
What to do if the phones are of different brands?
Branded utilities often work in cross-platform mode. For example, Smart Switch can be installed on any Android smartphone to transfer data to Samsung, even if the sender is a phone from another manufacturer.
Third-party applications for data migration
If the built-in tools are not suitable for some reason or the phones belong to completely different ecosystems, applications from the store come to the rescue. Google Play. There are many solutions that specialize exclusively in copying contacts and media files.
One of the most popular solutions is the application Copy My Data or Send Anywhere. They work on the principle of creating a temporary access point or using an intermediary server. The user just needs to enter the same code on both devices or scan the QR code to start the transfer.
Another reliable option is to use file managers with a transfer function, such as Files by Google. In Share Nearby mode, you can quickly send a contact export file. The main advantage of such applications is their independence from the phone brand and the simplicity of the interface.
⚠️ Attention: When installing third-party applications, carefully check the requested permissions. The app for transferring contacts should not require access to your messages or microphone.
Some utilities allow you to create backup copies in a format other than the standard .vcffor example, PDF or CSV, which is convenient for archiving. However, to directly import a new device into the phone book, it is best to use the native vCard format.
Manual export and import of vCard files
For advanced users or in situations where complete control over the process is required, the manual file management method is suitable. The Android address book is stored in a special file format vCard (.vcf extension), which can be copied as a regular document.
On your old phone, export contacts to a file. This option is usually found in the settings menu of the Contacts app or through the Share function. Save the received file contacts.vcf to internal memory or to an SD card.
Then transfer this file to the new phone in any convenient way: via a computer, instant messenger (Telegram, WhatsApp), email or cloud storage. Once the file is in the memory of the new device, just click on it.
Click on the contacts.vcf file → The system will prompt you to select an application → Select “Contacts” or “Phone” → Click “Import”The system will automatically recognize the format and prompt you to select an account to which the numbers will be added. This method is good because it allows you to first edit the file on your computer, removing duplicates or unnecessary entries, before the final import.
The vCard file (.vcf) is a universal standard that is supported not only by Android, but also by iOS, Windows and macOS, making it ideal for cross-platform transfer.
Solving common problems during transfer
Despite the simplicity of the procedures, users sometimes encounter errors. The most common problem is the appearance of duplicate contacts. This happens if some numbers were already saved on the new phone, and you re-import them without the merge function.
To solve this problem, Android has a built-in “Merge Duplicates” tool. It's found in the Contacts app's settings (often hidden in the Manage Contacts menu). The system will analyze the database and offer to combine records with the same names or numbers.
Another difficulty is the encoding of names. When transferred via a SIM card or older formats, Russian letters may turn into hieroglyphs or question marks. In this case, re-exporting to a file helps .vcf with correct UTF-8 encoding and subsequent import.
If contacts are not displayed after synchronizing with Google, check the display filter in the phone book application. It may be that you have selected to display contacts only from the SIM card or only from the device, and not from all accounts.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions
Will photos of contacts be transferred?
When synchronized through a Google account, photos are linked to contacts and transferred automatically. When using a SIM card or simple Bluetooth file sharing vCard, images are most often not saved, since the SIM format does not support them, and in vCard they can be cut off depending on the export settings.
What to do if your new phone runs out of space for contacts?
Modern smartphones store contacts in the cloud or internal memory, the amount of which is almost unlimited for text data. The limit of 250-500 numbers applies only to the SIM card. If you encounter a memory error, then you are trying to save contacts to SIM, which is not recommended. Switch saving to a Google account.
Is it possible to transfer contacts if the old phone is broken and does not turn on?
If the phone does not turn on, but the SIM card is intact, you can insert it into the new device and import the numbers. If the contacts were saved only in the internal memory of the broken phone, it is almost impossible to restore them without turning on the screen or using debugging modes (ADB).
How to transfer contacts from Android to iPhone?
The easiest way is to log into the same Google account on the iPhone in the settings (“Mail” → “Accounts” → “Add account” → Google) and enable contact synchronization. You can also export contacts to a .vcf file and send it to your email, then open it on your iPhone.
Where are contacts stored by default in Android?
By default, modern versions of Android offer to save contacts in your Google account. This ensures their automatic synchronization and protection against loss. Storing on the device (“Phone”) means that the contacts are only available on that specific device and will not be transferred when resetting the settings.