How to Transfer Data from Android to iPhone

Last Updated on February 6, 2020 by Jay

Trying to transfer data from Android to iPhone and vice versa is much more challenging than going from one iPhone to another. After all, both Apple’s and Google’s ecosystems are designed so that their devices work very well with one another – but they haven’t given much thought about the other side.

Thankfully, there are quite a few tricks that you can use to make the transition smoother. So if you’re switching from Android to iPhone either for work or for personal reasons, here is how to transfer your data!

1: How to Transfer Data from Android to iPhone With the Cloud

It’s no secret that iPhones integrate very well with the iCloud and not that well with Google Drive. But, just this once, you’re better off relying on Google Drive instead.

If you’re intending on using both your Android device and the iPhone all the time, then consider sticking with Google Drive as it’s available on both platforms. iCloud, on the other hand, only works on Apple devices.

So, here’s what needs to be done in order to transfer data from Android to iPhone with Google Drive:

1. Install the app on both your Android and iPhone device 
2. Upload anything that you don’t want to miss on the Cloud by using your Android device
3. Log in to the app by using the iPhone now
4. And then download everything that you uploaded with your Android phone

You can also create different folders in order to make everything tidier. That being said, do keep in mind that the free storage plan of Google Drive has limited storage – 15 gigabytes if memory serves right.

So, it’s definitely not the ideal solution for those of you who need to transfer and store anything more than that. We also know that it can be a deal-breaker for those who are using a slow network and/or need to get their contacts as well. But no need to worry. We’ll get there soon.

2: How to Transfer Data from Android to iPhone With a PC

If you already own a computer then you can take advantage of it to move most of your data without having to rely on extra apps or anything like that. This method is particularly useful for those who are using a slow internet connection. After all, you won’t have to spend time uploading and downloading everything since everything is being handled locally. 

So, to do that:

1. Connect your Android device to the PC by using a USB cable (Can usually be detached from the charger)
2. Pull down the status bar, select the USB file transfer notification, and switch to “File Transfer” (Exact wording may vary from device to device)
3. Browse through your phone’s storage by using your computer’s file explorer and copy everything you need on a dedicated folder to the PC
4. Now disconnect the Android device and connect your new iPhone
5. Then paste the folder that you just copied from the Android device to it

And that’s more or less all there is to it. And while we’re on this subject, we’d recommend only copying everything that you need and nothing more. Sure, we’re all tempted to just grab the whole folder and be done with it. But, don’t forget that your Android device contains a lot of files that are useless for iPhones. Things like thumbnails, temporary files, etc.

All that useless data is going to end up occupying storage space for no reason. So, at the very least, try to avoid copying it.

3: How to Transfer Contacts

All the methods that we’ve mentioned till now work for pretty much all types of files – except contacts. Now, we can do this the hard way or the easy way. The hard way is, well, hard and tedious – but it’s also free.

The easy way involves letting an app do all the work for you. However, most of them are paid only. So, you can either do this manually but for free – or you can pay for an app which automates the process.

Hard Way (Free)

This method includes creating a backup of your contacts in .vfc form and sending it over to your iPhone in order to import all of the contacts there. To do that:

This is what the final backup looks like. But, your mileage may vary from device to device. The below steps are for stock Android Pie (9). But, the process should be more or less the same in other versions of Android and skins as well:

1. On the Android device, head over to the “Contacts” app
2. Open the Contacts’ settings
3. Select “Export”
4. Export to .vcf file
5. Save it anywhere you want
6. Then open Gmail and send an email to yourself with that .vfc file (Your contacts) attached to it

This is how it looks like once you’re done with the above steps. Now all that remains is to import these contacts onto the iPhone:

1. Login to your email account by using the iPhone
2. Locate the above-mentioned mail which contains your contact
3. Open them
4. And select “Add All Contacts”

The Easy Way

As we mentioned above, the easy way out is using a program that transfers contacts and pretty much everything else from one device to another with the press of a button (And the help of a PC, of course).

It’s the fastest and easiest way of doing everything that we’ve mentioned above in one go. But, it’s also the most expensive. Pricing will differ from program to program and across regions as well. But, you can generally expect to pay about 30 euros per year.

The exact steps that you need to follow from program to program will slightly differ as well. For our example, we’re going to use Wondershare’s MobileTrans since it’s a rather popular option that’s known for getting the job done nicely and easily.

1. Head over to its website then download and install it
2. On the main menu, click “Phone Transfer”
3. Connect both of your devices to the computer
4. Select the types of files that you’re after
5. Select “Start”
6. And then follow the on-screen instructions

This is how the app looks like while it’s waiting for you to connect the smartphones. As you can see, pretty much everything can be copied – including videos and music that we can’t see on this screenshot. 

Wrapping Up

That’s all for now. These are the most popular methods of transferring data from Android to iPhone and most of them work for the reverse effect as well. No method is superior. Whether you want to do everything manually or pay for a program that does automates the process – it’s completely up to you.

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George Kasiouras

Editor at Why The Lucky Stiff

George has been reading smartphone reviews since the days where single-core devices and Android 2.0 were a thing. And while he never expected to be the one to write them, here we are today. When he is not writing about tech, you'll find him writing novels, playing games, watching shows or anime, or maybe even soloing with his guitar.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/george-k-8246a1169/

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