How to Transfer Contacts from Android to iPhone

Making the Switch Seamlessly

Moving from the Android ecosystem to an iPhone is a significant digital transition. While downloading your favourite apps on your new device is easy, manually typing out the names and phone numbers of hundreds of colleagues, friends, and family members is incredibly tedious and prone to error.

Fortunately, you do not have to start from scratch. Because contact data is essentially universal, there are several reliable methods for migrating your entire address book from your old Android phone directly into your new iPhone. Depending on whether your iPhone is brand new and still in its box, or whether you have already been using it for a few days, the best method for you will differ.

Method 1: Using the “Move to iOS” App (Best for New iPhones)

If you have just purchased your iPhone and have not yet completed the initial setup process (meaning the phone still says “Hello” in different languages when you turn it on), this is the official, Apple-supported method. It transfers not only your contacts, but also your text messages, photos, and calendar events in one seamless process.

1. Turn on your new iPhone and begin the standard setup process until you reach the screen titled Apps & Data.
2. On this screen, tap the option that says Move Data from Android.
3. Now, pick up your old Android phone. Open the Google Play Store, search for the official Move to iOS app (developed by Apple), and install it.
4. Open the app on your Android phone and tap Continue to agree to the terms and conditions.
5. On your iPhone, tap Continue. A six-digit or ten-digit code will appear on the iPhone screen.
6. Enter this code into the Move to iOS app on your Android phone.
7. The two phones will establish a temporary, secure Wi-Fi connection with each other.
8. On your Android phone, you will see a “Transfer Data” screen. Ensure Contacts is selected (along with any other data you wish to migrate) and tap Next.

Leave both phones alone until the loading bar on your iPhone finishes completely. Once it is done, continue setting up your iPhone, and all your Android contacts will be waiting for you in the Phone app.

Method 2: Syncing via Your Google Account (Best for Already Setup iPhones)

If you have already set up your iPhone and you are actively using it, you cannot use the “Move to iOS” app without factory resetting the iPhone first. Instead, the easiest method is to simply sync your existing Google Account to your iPhone.

If you used an Android phone, your contacts were almost certainly backed up to the Google Account you used to sign in to the Play Store.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on Contacts (if you are on an older version of iOS, this may be under “Passwords & Accounts” or “Mail”).
3. Tap on Accounts.
4. Tap Add Account, then select Google.
5. Enter your Gmail address and password. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, approve the login on your old phone.
6. Once you are logged in, iOS will show you a list of toggles for Mail, Contacts, Calendars, and Notes. Ensure the toggle switch next to Contacts is turned On (green).
7. Tap Save in the top right corner.

Your iPhone will now quietly download your entire address book from Google’s servers in the background. If you open the Phone app and tap the Contacts tab, your list should populate within a few minutes.

Method 3: Creating and Exporting a VCF File

If you do not want to link your Google account to your iPhone, or if your contacts were saved locally to the physical storage of your old Android phone rather than the cloud, you can manually export them as a single file.

1. Open the Contacts app on your old Android phone.
2. Tap the menu button (usually three dots in the top right corner, or three lines in the top left) and look for an option called Settings, Manage Contacts, or Import/Export.
3. Select Export (or “Export to storage”). This compiles all your contacts into a single file ending in .vcf (a standard vCard file).
4. Once the file is created on your Android phone, you need to send it to your iPhone. The easiest way is to open your email app, compose a new email to yourself, attach the .vcf file, and press send.
5. Pick up your iPhone, open your email app, and locate the email you just sent yourself.
6. Tap the attached .vcf file to open it.
7. iOS will recognise the file and present a screen showing all the names. Tap Add All Contacts at the top of the screen to permanently save them to your iPhone.