To transfer data from Android to iPhone, use Apple’s Move to iOS flow while the new iPhone is still in initial setup: choose the option to move data from Android, enter the code shown on the iPhone into the Move to iOS app, select content, and leave both phones alone until the iPhone finishes. Prepare account recovery, storage, power, network, local and SD-card files, and SIM/eSIM details first. If the iPhone is already set up, decide whether the missing categories justify starting over or can be moved manually. Never erase the Android phone until critical data and a new iPhone backup are verified.

Key Takeaways

Compare the Android phone’s used storage with the iPhone’s available capacity before starting.

Leave both phones alone until the iPhone’s progress finishes, even if the Android side appears done.

Apps, music, books, PDFs, subscriptions, sign-ins, and app-private data may need separate work.

Verify WhatsApp, messages and RCS state, authenticator, banking, work apps, SIM/eSIM, calls, and a fresh backup before erasing Android.

Use the Device and App Troubleshooting Guide if the migration reveals a separate network, account, storage, or app-download problem.

What should you prepare on both phones?

Charge both phones and connect them to power. Update the Android apps involved in the transfer, confirm the Android unlock method, and record the Google Account, Apple Account, email, messaging, password-manager, authenticator, banking, and work recovery methods.

Compare Android used storage—including SD-card and local download folders—with the iPhone’s available capacity. Inventory photos, videos, contacts, messages, WhatsApp, recordings, documents, music, books, PDFs, offline files, and work-profile data. Confirm how the carrier will move the physical SIM or eSIM and whether activation needs the old phone.

Stop if the iPhone lacks capacity, the Android phone cannot be unlocked, a critical account has no recovery method, the work profile is managed, or SIM/eSIM activation requires unresolved carrier action.

Which path should you use to transfer data from Android to iPhone?

Situation	Recommended path	Important boundary
iPhone is at initial setup	Move to iOS using the current on-screen wireless or cable path	Keep both phones unused until iPhone progress completes
Setup offers Transfer without App on compatible devices	Follow the on-screen QR or pairing flow	Availability and transferable categories depend on current device and carrier support
iPhone is already set up and only a few categories are missing	Manual transfer or account sync	Do not erase the iPhone by default
Broad Move to iOS categories are essential after setup	Back up current iPhone, assess gaps, then decide whether to erase and restart	Erasure is a deliberate choice, not routine advice
SIM/eSIM is unsupported by direct transfer	Carrier activation, QR code, app, or store support	Data transfer and mobile service are separate
Work or school data is managed	Administrator-approved enrollment	Consumer tools may intentionally exclude it

Apple’s Move to iOS process can transfer supported contacts, message history, photos, videos and albums, files and folders, accessibility and display settings, web bookmarks, mail accounts, WhatsApp content, voice memos, calendars, call history, and some matched free apps. Exact availability depends on the devices, apps, content, and current Apple flow, and the Transfer without App option below requires a compatible version of Android 17 or later.［1］

Apple also documents a Transfer without App choice for compatible Android devices during iPhone setup. It uses the current on-screen QR or manual pairing flow and may also offer a supported eSIM transfer. Treat it as a separate conditional path rather than renaming it Move to iOS: follow the categories actually offered on both screens, keep the phones nearby, and verify the result afterward. If the option is absent, use Move to iOS or the documented manual methods; do not install an unofficial migration app to imitate it.

Use Move to iOS during setup

On the iPhone’s setup flow, choose the option to move data from Android. Open Move to iOS on Android, follow the code and connection prompts, select content, and keep both phones close, powered, and unused.

Wait for the loading bar on the iPhone to finish. Apple warns that using another app or receiving a call on Android before completion can prevent content from transferring, and it tells users to verify content after the iPhone finishes. Do not treat the Android progress indicator or visible iPhone icons as proof.

If the connection fails, check power, available capacity, local connectivity, cable and adapter support, and whether Move to iOS stayed on screen. Restart the controlled attempt only after recording where it failed. Avoid making calls or switching apps during the next run.

How do you transfer data from Android to iPhone after setup?

Once the iPhone is set up, the Move to iOS choice is no longer offered on screen. You then have two supported choices: keep the iPhone as it is and move content manually, or back it up, erase it, and run setup again with Move to iOS.

Choice	Best when	What you risk or give up
Manual transfer	Only photos, contacts, calendars, mail, files, or music are missing	Message history, call history, and WhatsApp chats usually stay behind unless an app offers its own cross-platform transfer
Erase and set up again	Message history, call history, or WhatsApp chats must come across	Anything created on the iPhone since setup that is not synced to an account or saved elsewhere

To start over, back up the iPhone first, then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings, and choose to move data from Android when setup restarts. Do this only after confirming the backup and the Apple Account you will sign in with.

Move unsupported content manually

Apple provides manual paths for mail, contacts, calendars, photos, videos, music, books, PDFs, documents, and apps.［2］ Expect these categories to need separate attention:

Apps must come from the App Store and may be unavailable, paid again, or different on iOS.
Subscriptions usually follow the provider account, but billing and entitlements must be checked.
App-private data, offline downloads, local drafts, health data, game progress, and encrypted vaults may not cross ecosystems.
Music, books, and PDFs may require cloud sync or a computer-based copy.
Files on an SD card or in hidden Android folders need a separate inventory.
Password managers, authenticators, banking, work, and school apps usually require sign-in or re-enrollment.

If an app is missing, use the iPhone app download guide. If it is not offered in the new storefront, use the app availability guide rather than installing an untrusted substitute.

Move SIM/eSIM and check messaging state

Treat phone service as a separate acceptance item. Move the physical SIM as instructed, or use the carrier’s supported eSIM method. Apple says direct Android-to-iPhone eSIM transfer needs iPhone 11 or later with iOS 26 or later, a compatible phone with Android 16 or later, and a supported carrier; otherwise the carrier may need to activate service or provide a QR code.［3］ Make a test call and use mobile data after activation.

Then test messaging with both Android and iPhone contacts. Check the old Android phone’s Google Messages RCS status if messages are missing. Google’s current guidance lists Connected, Connecting, Trouble connecting (awaiting retry), and Not supported states, warns that switching RCS off and on can remove you from group chats, and provides a temporary web deactivation path when the old device cannot be used.［4］ Do not mechanically turn off RCS for every user: first observe the current status, carrier support, and whether cross-platform messages actually fail.

Verify high-risk apps and data

Use a written checklist before touching the old phone:

Count recent contacts and open several old conversations, photos, videos, documents, and WhatsApp chats.
Make and receive a call; test SMS or RCS paths and mobile data.
Confirm SIM/eSIM, voicemail, and carrier account status.
Test authenticator codes and preserve backup codes or another second factor.
Sign in to banking, password-manager, work, school, health, and government apps through official flows.
Confirm App Store downloads, subscriptions, and purchases under the intended Apple Account.
Trigger a harmless alert and verify it with the iPhone notification checks.
Create a new iPhone backup and confirm its account and completion state.

The new iPhone setup checklist covers the wider device acceptance process. Keep the old Android phone charged and readable until this list passes. If a critical category is missing, stop, preserve both devices, and use that app’s official transfer or support process.

Summary

Prepare recovery methods, storage, power, local files, and carrier details before starting.
Use Move to iOS during setup for the broadest supported transfer, and leave both devices unused.
Manually handle unsupported apps, subscriptions, music, books, PDFs, and private app data.
Treat SIM/eSIM and RCS as separate, current-state checks.
Verify critical data and a new iPhone backup before erasing Android.

FAQ

Can I use Move to iOS after setting up the iPhone?

The broad Move to iOS path is part of setup. If the iPhone is already configured, use manual methods for small gaps or deliberately assess a backed-up erase-and-restart—not an automatic reset.

Does Move to iOS transfer every app?

No. Some matched free apps may be offered from the App Store, but availability, purchases, sign-in, and private app data are separate.

Does WhatsApp transfer from Android to iPhone automatically?

WhatsApp is among Apple’s supported Move to iOS categories, but you must meet the current app requirements and verify chats and media afterward.

What happens to music, books, and PDFs?

Apple says these may need manual transfer. Use the provider account, cloud storage, or Apple’s documented computer workflow.

Must I turn off RCS before switching?

Not for every user. Check the current RCS state and test messages first. Use deactivation when the number remains registered and messaging is actually affected.

Can the eSIM move directly from Android to iPhone?

Sometimes: it needs a supported carrier, iPhone 11 or later on iOS 26 or later, and a compatible Android 16 or later phone. Otherwise contact the carrier for activation or a QR code.

When can I erase the Android phone?

Only after critical data opens on iPhone, accounts and codes work, calls and messaging pass, and a new iPhone backup is confirmed.

What if the iPhone does not have enough storage?

Stop before transferring. Reduce the selected content safely or use an iPhone with sufficient capacity; do not erase the only copy of data to make the numbers fit.

Disclaimer: Transfer support varies by device, operating system, app, account, carrier, country, storage, and management policy. Follow current Apple, Google, carrier, app, and administrator guidance before erasing either phone.

Sources:

Apple Support — Move from Android to iPhone or iPad — https://support.apple.com/en-us/118670
Apple Support — Move content manually from your Android device — https://support.apple.com/en-gb/104965
Apple Support — Transfer your eSIM from Android to iPhone — https://support.apple.com/en-us/123878
Google Messages — Turn on RCS chats in Google Messages — https://support.google.com/messages/answer/7189714?hl=en

Sources checked 4 October 2026.

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