The smart way to switch to a new Android phone

Here's how to transfer information, apps, contacts, and more from your one-time Android telephone to a new one, along with tips for a smooth transition.

android phone switching
JR Raphael

Ah, a new phone. Isn't there merely something strangely special about that moment of opening up a box, peeling off the protective plastic, and powering upwardly a pristine pocket-computer for the very first time?

Unfortunately, later that fantastical startup animation finishes, reality usually sets in — and yous realize you're in for a long, exhausting journey of copying stuff over, setting things up, and trying to get your fancy new phone to look and act the mode y'all want.

To be fair, moving from one Android phone to another has gotten a heck of a lot easier over the years. But despite all that progress, information technology can withal be a daunting procedure that'due south filled with both quirks and incertitude. And all the net'southward communication about moving from an iPhone to Android won't assistance you one bit.

This guide, all the same, will. If you're already in the Android universe and preparing to move from one Android phone to another, these are the steps and the variables you need to consider. Follow 'em closely, and you lot'll exist upwardly and running and enjoying that new phone olfactory property in no fourth dimension.

Part I: Prepare your old Android telephone for switching

Believe it or non, a successful Android telephone move starts on your old device — the one you're ready to leave behind. Before you even start thinking nearly your shiny new replacement, nosotros've got ii important areas to work through and brand sure are fully prepared for migration:

Android service syncing

First and foremost, the reason switching from one Android phone to another is and then much easier than information technology used to be is largely thanks to all of the simple syncing systems built into our devices. And so take a minute to make sure you're taking full advantage of those possibilities. It'll ready your phone-moving voyage upwardly for much smoother sailing.

And hither's the best part: If you utilise all of Google'south congenital-in Android migration mechanisms, you lot don't fifty-fifty need Samsung Smart Switch or any other proprietary systems (and you can safely skip over those if the prompts come up upward during your new phone setup). Everything with the core Google Android phone-switching tools should simply work, once fired up properly — and in well-nigh cases, it'll require very little thought or attempt.

To start:

  • If you aren't already using Google Contacts on your phone, download the app now and drift your telephone'south contacts into the service. That'll get your contacts off your private device (and/or out of your phone-maker's limited and proprietary storage system) and make 'em immediately available on any device — phone or computer, no matter who fabricated information technology — every bit soon as you sign in.
  • Open up Google Photos, tap your profile picture in the upper-correct corner, and ostend that your images and videos are being backed upward to the service. If they aren't, consider activating that option. Information technology'll keep everything y'all capture on your camera perpetually synced and bachelor on any device where you sign in — including a figurer! — and make your life immeasurably easier as a result.
  • Accept a look at your text messaging setup. With almost phones and messaging apps, Google volition now automatically back up and sync upwards your messages and and so bring them over to your new device. Google's own Messages app makes this procedure especially straightforward and manageable. (And make yourself a mental notation: If for whatever reason your messages don't get migrated over as expected, an app called SMS Backup & Restore will help you handle that after the fact quite easily.)
  • Download the Google One app, if it isn't already on your device, and look for the box near your current device backup on its primary screen. Tap that box, and then tap "Manage fill-in," and y'all should exist able to see exactly what types of information the system is set to sync for you and when information technology concluding backed all of that up. Make sure both "Device data" and "Multimedia messages" are selected, then tap "Back up at present" to go everything equally upwards to date equally possible.
01 switch android phone google one JR Raphael/IDG

The Google Ane app has get the central point for managing all cloud-based Android backups.

Most other areas of Android tend to be synced automatically and without whatever manual piece of work any these days — your agenda, your notes and documents, any files connected to Google Drive or other cloud storage services, and and so on. More often than not, even something similar a music collection is at present tied to a streaming service and designed to be available anywhere.

If you recall of annihilation on your device that'south an exception, though, at present's the time to accept stock of it and exist prepared to deal with information technology later on — by copying it to a cloud storage service, transferring it to a computer, or setting it upwardly to automatically sync from your quondam phone to your new one.

RCS message migration

Here's one important part of the Android phone switching process that isn't exactly obvious or intuitive: If you're using the Google Messages app, y'all need to sign out of its RCS Chat organization on your quondam device prior to moving into your new telephone.

RCS stands for rich communication services. It's a newer messaging standard that allows you to take a more modernistic-feeling conversation feel with other people who are also using it — seeing active typing indicators and read receipts, being able to share larger-sized files, and knowing all of your communications are encrypted.

Simply RCS, past its nature, is connected to only 1 device at a time. And if you try to move into a new Android telephone without first disabling it on your onetime i, you're bound to run across problems.

Luckily, the ready for this is simple — at least, once you lot know how to do it. But be certain to look to do this until you're 100% prepare to sign into your new device:

  • Open up the Google Messages app on your old phone.
  • Tap the 3-dot menu icon in the app's upper-right corner and select "Settings."
  • Tap "Chat Features."
  • Flip the toggle next to "Enable chat features" into the off position.

If you want to be extra-cautious, you tin can also caput over to this web page, scroll down to the lesser, and put your phone number into the form. Follow the steps to verify it, and that'll sign you out of RCS entirely at the server level. (That's also a good option to go on in mind if your old telephone is lost, broken, or otherwise unavailable.)

In one case y'all've done that, there'due south more than one final step that'due south important to do: Plow your onetime phone off. That'll cease severing the connection between RCS and that device and get you lot ready to sign into the Conversation characteristic on your new Android phone.

Got it? Skillful. Now we're ready for the fun role.

Function II: Transfer information to your new Android phone

Congratulations! You're officially ready to power up your pretty new Android companion.

The exact steps and interfaces involved here may vary somewhat from i device and Android version to another, but the basic elements should ever be pretty much the same.

When you lot starting time commencement up your new Android phone, it'll ask you to insert a SIM carte du jour, if you haven't already. If you had a concrete SIM card in your old telephone, you should be able to bring information technology over to the new i. Just wait for a tiny slot somewhere along the device's sides. Y'all'll typically demand a small pivot-tool to get it to open. In a pinch, even a paperclip tin piece of work. (And if the SIM bill of fare doesn't seem to fit, it may be a unlike size. Y'all'll either demand to pick up an inexpensive SIM card cutter or adapter — or, better all the same, just ask your carrier for an updated replacement. Most carriers will provide those at no extra charge.)

Depending on your carrier, you may also be able to activate your service without a concrete carte past using an eSIM. If yous run across that option, y'all can certainly try it to come across if it works.

02 switch android phone sim card JR Raphael/IDG

Android supports both physical SIM cards and virtual eSIMs to become your phone connected.

Later on that, Android will demand to connect to a Wi-Fi network to continue the setup. Select the proper noun of your home or work network, put in the password, and wait a few minutes while the system gets things ready. (This is a fine time to pause and go get yourself some pretzels, a hearty portion of pudding, and/or a pastrami sandwich. Don't worry: I'll expect.)

03 switch android phone waiting JR Raphael/IDG

Switching to a new Android phone involves a off-white amount of waiting.

Once you meet a screen prompting yous to copy your apps and data, you're fix to get rolling. You should have the option to apply a physical cablevision connection between your old and new telephone or to rely on your latest Google-stored cloud backup to handle this office of the process. The cablevision path is typically a teensy chip faster, but you'll reach the same destination either way.

If your one-time phone is inaccessible or you don't accept a cablevision handy, the cloud backup path is obviously the way you'll need to go. Look for a line that says "Tin can't use old phone" — or something along those general lines — to get there.

04 switch android phone copy data JR Raphael/IDG

Android volition prompt you to copy your apps and information and and so offering yous the pick to utilise a cable to connect to your onetime phone.

Your old telephone will prompt you to confirm that you desire to copy all of your info over, and you'll then have to blazon in your Google business relationship password on the new phone to confirm. And so, you lot'll have the opportunity to cull exactly which bits of info you want to bring over.

05 switch android phone choose what to copy JR Raphael/IDG

Your new phone will let you choose exactly what you want to migrate from your old device.

I'd strongly propose taking a moment to think carefully well-nigh what you exercise and don't actually need. Peculiarly when it comes to your apps, this is a rare adventure to requite yourself a fresh start and leave some of the dust-collecting virtual cobwebs backside. So before charging forward, tap the line that says "Apps," tap the topmost checkmark to unselect everything, and so manually select only the apps you lot genuinely withal utilize with any regularity.

A good dominion of thumb: If you don't think y'all'll utilize something within the next week, don't select it. Odds are, you won't even know it's gone — and your telephone will have more space, fewer wasted resources, and fewer unnecessary third-party permissions granted equally a event. And if you lot do observe you lot miss something after, it'll take all of 20 seconds to head into the Play Shop and reinstall it.

Apps aside, this part of the Android phone switching procedure will also offer yous the opportunity to transfer certain types of data directly from your old phone — including whatever photos and videos that are stored locally as well as any music or other types of audio. If you've already backed those items up to a cloud service, you lot can safely uncheck them hither and avoid filling up your phone'south storage with redundant local copies.

And finally, you'll see a checkbox to copy over your device settings. That i'south important and something you'll absolutely want to leave checked, assuming you're happy with how you've had things set earlier.

Once all that's washed, you lot'll just have to leave the phones connected for a few minutes while they finish their piece of work. And you can motility ahead with the final parts of your new phone configuration procedure.

Function III: Ready your new Android phone

Have a deep breath: You're nearly washed! All that'south left is to become a few odds and ends configured on your new Android phone.

Your biggest remaining task at this point is to open your important apps, one at a fourth dimension, and make sure you lot're signed in and ready up as needed within each ane. In theory, near apps should do most of the heavy lifting for yous, only this part of the process often isn't as smooth and elementary as it oughta be.

A few specific areas to make sure you don't overlook:

  • If you're using whatever phone other than a Google Pixel device, follow the same steps from earlier and make sure your phone is using Google Contacts for all of its contacts storage and syncing. That'll pull your existing info over and allow everything to stay upward to date moving forward.
  • Open upwardly Google Photos and follow the steps that show up to commencement syncing your photos and videos. Your existing library should appear and be bachelor within a matter of moments.
  • Caput into Google Messages, if that's your preferred messaging app, and await in the app's settings to make sure the RCS Conversation organization is on, registered, and active.
  • And go into Google Pay (or whatever other mobile payment app you rely on) and take a moment to register your preferred payment methods so they'll be linked upwardly and fix for use.

And wouldya look at that? You've only switched Android phones and successfully migrated all of your important stuff over. You should at present be ready to charge forwards — in your lovely new virtual dwelling house simply with all the comforts and conveniences of your old one.

That wasn't so bad, right?

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