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Got a New Phone? How to Move Your Photos, Contacts and Messages Across

Bought a new phone? How to bring your photos, contacts, messages and apps across from the old one, what doesn't move by itself, and when to wipe the old phone.

By the Mr. Phone Taigum repair team, checked by David, our senior technician 5 min read

What should I have ready?

  1. Both phones charged, ideally plugged in for the whole transfer.
  2. Your home Wi-Fi. A transfer can be several gigabytes; don't do it on mobile data.
  3. Your passwords: your Apple Account or Google account password, and your phone's passcode. This is the step that stops most transfers. If you don't know your password, reset it before you start, while the old phone still works.
  4. An hour or so. A phone full of photos can take a while; don't rush it.
  5. The SIM card, or a plan for your eSIM. Some banking and government apps send a code by text to confirm the new phone, so the number needs to work on it.

iPhone to a new iPhone: Quick Start

  1. Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to the old one.
  2. A Set Up New iPhone card appears on the old phone. Tap Continue.
  3. Hold the old phone over the new one so the camera sees the swirling pattern, then enter the old phone's passcode on the new one.
  4. Choose to transfer from iPhone (phone to phone) or download from iCloud. Phone to phone is usually quicker if your iCloud backup is out of date.
  5. Keep the phones close together and plugged in until it finishes.

Everything comes across: apps, settings, photos, messages, contacts, wallpaper and even your home screen layout.

Any phone to a Samsung: Smart Switch

Samsung's Smart Switch app moves contacts, messages, call history, photos, videos, apps and many settings from an older Samsung, another Android phone, or an iPhone.

  1. On the new Samsung, Smart Switch is offered during setup (or open Settings → Accounts and backup → Bring data from old device).
  2. Connect the phones with a cable (the fastest way) or wirelessly. New Galaxy phones usually include an adapter in the box for older cables.
  3. Choose what to bring across, and leave both phones alone until it's done.

From an iPhone, turn off iMessage first (Settings → Apps → Messages, or Settings → Messages on older iOS) so your texts don't keep going to the old phone.

Android to an iPhone: Move to iOS

Install Apple's Move to iOS app on the Android phone (Apple says the newest Android versions can transfer to an iPhone without it). During the new iPhone's setup, choose Move Data from Android, enter the code it shows into the Android phone, and choose what to move: contacts, messages, photos, calendars and more.

Other Android phones (Oppo and others)

Sign in with the same Google account during setup and choose to restore from your backup. Oppo phones also have a Clone Phone app that copies data directly from the old phone.

What doesn't move by itself?

This is where most people get caught out. Go through the list before you wipe the old phone:

WhatWhat to do
Banking appsInstall them and log in again. Most will ask to confirm the new phone with a text code or by calling.
WhatsApp chatsBack up first (WhatsApp → Settings → Chats → Chat backup), or use WhatsApp's own Transfer chats option, which also works between iPhone and Android.
Code-generator apps (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator and the like)Use the app's own transfer or export option before wiping the old phone. Without it, you can be locked out of accounts.
Photos only on the phoneIf iCloud Photos or Google Photos wasn't on, make sure the transfer included them, and check the count afterwards.
eSIMNewer iPhones can move an eSIM during setup; otherwise your phone company sends a new one. Ask them before you start.
Voicemail greeting and ringtoneRe-record the greeting; choose your ringtone again.
SmartwatchUnpair it from the old phone and pair it with the new one.

What should I check before I wipe the old phone?

Give it a day or two of normal use, then check:

  • Photos: the newest and the oldest are there.
  • Contacts: search for a few people you rarely call.
  • Messages: your important conversations came across.
  • Apps: your bank, WhatsApp, email and anything you use for work all open and log in.

Then, and only then, wipe the old phone: sign out of your Apple or Google account first, so it isn't locked to you. Here's how to wipe and recycle an old phone. If the old one still works well, a family member might like it, or you can sell or trade it in.

How do I protect the new one from day one?

A new phone is at its most vulnerable before it has a case. Fit a screen protector and a case straight away: our guide to choosing a screen protector explains the options. If you've dropped phones before, a wrist strap or crossbody lanyard clips onto almost any case: we stock them and fit them for you.

Sources

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