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So you made the switch from iOS and bought a new Android phone. First off, welcome! You're in for a treat. Assuming you don't want to start from scratch on your new device, you may want to bring some of your old stuff over from your iPhone. The prospect of migrating your data from one ecosystem to another may seem daunting, but modern Android phones make it a painless process.

The steps described here do not directly apply to Samsung phones, which use a similar but distinct tool called Smart Switch.

How to use the Google Data Restore Tool with a USB cable

Many Android phones, including the Google Pixel lineup, use the Google Data Restore Tool to seamlessly move data from your old phone to your new phone. All you need is a USB cable that fits both phones (or a Google account and a Wi-Fi connection — more on that below). Here's how to use the Google Data Restore tool with a Lightning-to-USB cable.

  1. Power on your new Android phone and begin setup.
  2. When prompted to Copy apps & data, tap Next.
  3. On the subsequent screen (Use your old device), tap Next.
    2 Images
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool's 'Copy apps & data' screen.
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool's 'use your old device' screen.
  4. On the subsequent screen (Use your old device's cable), tap Next. Recent iPhones ship with Lightning-to-USB-C cables. If you don't have a cable that fits both your old and your new phones' USB ports, tap No cable to continue over your Wi-Fi network (more on that below).
    2 Images
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool's 'Find your old device's cable' screen.
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool instructing the user to insert a cable
  5. Insert your iPhone's charging cable into its Lightning port and tap Next.
  6. Connect the other end of the cable to your Android phone. The process continues automatically.
    2 Images
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool instructing the user to connect two devices
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool instructing the user to check their iPhone
  7. Tap Trust on your iPhone once your phones are tethered to each other.
  8. Enter your passcode to approve the connection.
    2 Images
    A screenshot of an iPhone's 'Trust This Computer?' dialog
    A screenshot of an iPhone requesting the user's PIN
  9. On your new Android phone, you should see Devices are connected. Tap Next.
  10. Sign in to your Google account when prompted.
    2 Images
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool informing the user two devices are connected
    A screenshot of a Google sign-in screen
  11. On the Choose what to copy screen, pick which types of data you'd like to copy from your iPhone to your Android phone, then tap Copy.
  12. Choose which apps you had on your iPhone to reinstall on your new Android phone. Choose the apps you wish to copy and tap Copy. Not all iOS apps have Android equivalents, and this process could potentially miss some that exist.
    2 Images
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool asking the user what data to copy.
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool asking the user what apps to download on their new phone.
  13. Disconnect the two phones when you see your phone's almost ready on your Android device. Tap Done.
  14. You're prompted to turn off iMessage on your iPhone under Settings > Messages. Tap Done on this screen to continue setting up your new phone.
    2 Images
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool's wrap-up screen.
    A screenshot of the Google Data Restore Tool reminding the user to disable iMessage

The Google Data Restore Tool is the easiest way to get your data onto any new phone that supports it. However, if you don't have the required cable to use the tool, there's still a way to move your contacts, calendar items, and photos and videos from iOS to Android with relatively little fuss.

How to use the Google Data Restore Tool with Google One

If you don't have an appropriate USB cable and don't want to buy one, the Google Data Restore Tool recommends you copy some of the same data from your iPhone to your new Android device through Google One. Here's how to use the Google Data Restore Tool with Google One.

  1. On your iPhone, download the Google One app.
  2. In Google One, tap Set up data backup.
    2 Images
    A screenshot of the iOS Google One app's home screen.
    A screenshot of the iOS app's 'Data backup settings' screen.
  3. Choose the data you'd like to sync. You can back up contacts, calendar entries, and photos and videos.
    • Backups use your Google account storage. Free accounts include 15 gigabytes; more cloud storage is available for a monthly fee.
    • Data synced to Google One is automatically available on your Android phone. Contacts sync to Google Contacts, calendar entries sync to Google Calendar, and photos and videos sync to Google Photos. These apps are preinstalled on your new Android device.

  4. Tap Back up now.

More Android to discover

Now that you've transferred your data from your iPhone to your new Android phone, it's time to make the most of it. For more to do with your fancy new phone, check out our picks for the best Android apps and the best new Android games. To get a better sense of how Android and iOS differ, check out our comparison of iOS 16 and Android 13. And if you feel a little homesick, we have a handy guide for making your Android phone look and feel more like an iPhone.