How to Transfer Contacts from Old Phone to New Phone

Getting a new phone and need to transfer all your contacts? Don’t worry about manually typing hundreds of contacts - there are several easy methods to transfer contacts from your old phone to new phone.

Here are 5 proven methods to transfer contacts between Android phones, iPhones, and cross-platform transfers.

Method 1: Google Account Sync (Android to Android)

On Your Old Android Phone:

• Settings → Accounts → Google → Select your account
• Turn ON “Contacts” sync
• Wait for sync to complete (check sync status)

On Your New Android Phone:

• Sign in with same Google account during setup
• Or Settings → Accounts → Add account → Google
• Enable Contacts sync
• Contacts appear automatically in Phone app

Pros: Automatic, includes contact photos and details Cons: Requires Google account and internet

Method 2: iCloud Sync (iPhone to iPhone)

On Your Old iPhone:

• Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud
• Turn ON Contacts sync
• Wait for upload to complete

On Your New iPhone:

• Sign in with same Apple ID during setup
• Or Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → Contacts ON
• Contacts sync automatically

Pros: Seamless for iPhone users, includes all contact data Cons: Only works between iPhones

Method 3: SIM Card Transfer (Universal Method)

Export from Old Phone:

Android:

• Contacts app → Menu (3 lines) → Settings → Import/Export
• Export to SIM card
• Select contacts to export (SIM holds 200-500 contacts)

iPhone:

• Not directly supported - use third-party apps like “SIM Card Contacts”

Import to New Phone:

• Insert SIM card in new phone
• Contacts app → Settings → Import/Export → Import from SIM
• Select all contacts → Import

Pros: Works without internet, universal method Cons: Limited storage, no photos or detailed info

Method 4: Bluetooth Transfer (Android Phones)

On Both Phones:

• Turn ON Bluetooth in Settings
• Make phones discoverable
• Pair the devices

Transfer Process:

• Old phone: Contacts → Share → Bluetooth → Select new phone
• New phone: Accept incoming file
• Import contacts when prompted

Pros: Direct transfer, no internet needed Cons: Slow for many contacts, Android only

Method 5: Cross-Platform Transfer (Android ↔ iPhone)

Android to iPhone:

Using Move to iOS app:

• Download “Move to iOS” on Android phone
• During iPhone setup → Move Data from Android
• Follow on-screen instructions
• Select Contacts to transfer

Manual method:

• Export contacts to VCF file on Android
• Email VCF file to yourself
• Open email on iPhone → Tap VCF file → Add All Contacts

iPhone to Android:

Using Google account:

• iPhone: Settings → Contacts → Accounts → Add Account → Google
• Turn ON Contacts sync for Google account
• Wait for sync to complete
• Sign in with same Google account on Android

Method 6: Third-Party Apps

Popular Contact Transfer Apps:

• Smart Switch (Samsung phones)
• Phone Clone (Huawei phones)
• Mi Mover (Xiaomi phones)
• Copy My Data (Universal)

How to Use:

• Install same app on both phones
• Connect phones via WiFi or cable
• Select contacts to transfer
• Start transfer process

Pros: Easy to use, transfers other data too Cons: Requires app installation

Method 7: Manual Export/Import

Export Contacts:

Android:

• Contacts → Menu → Settings → Export → Export to .vcf file
• Save to Google Drive or email to yourself

iPhone:

• Use iCloud.com → Contacts → Select All → Export vCard

Import Contacts:

• Transfer VCF file to new phone
• Open file → Import all contacts
• Or email VCF file and open on new phone

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Contacts Not Syncing:

• Check internet connection
• Verify account credentials
• Turn sync OFF and ON again
• Wait 15-30 minutes for sync

Duplicate Contacts:

• Use phone’s merge feature
• Contacts → Settings → Merge duplicates
• Or manually delete duplicates

Missing Contact Details:

• Some methods only transfer names and numbers
• Use Google/iCloud sync for complete contact info
• Re-sync if details are missing

Best Practices

Before Transfer:

• Clean up contacts on old phone (remove duplicates)
• Backup contacts to cloud service
• Ensure stable internet for cloud sync
• Charge both phones adequately

After Transfer:

• Verify all contacts transferred correctly
• Check contact photos and details
• Test calling a few contacts
• Set up automatic sync for future

Prevention Tips

Keep Contacts Safe:

• Enable automatic sync to Google/iCloud
• Regular backups to cloud storage
• Export contacts monthly as VCF files
• Don’t rely only on SIM card storage

Sync Settings:

• Keep contacts sync ON always
• Use same account across devices
• Check sync status regularly
• Update contact app when available

Which Method to Choose?

For Android to Android:

Best: Google Account sync Alternative: Smart Switch (Samsung)

For iPhone to iPhone:

Best: iCloud sync Alternative: Quick Start during setup

For Cross-Platform:

Best: Google Account method Alternative: Move to iOS app

For No Internet:

Best: SIM card transfer Alternative: Bluetooth (Android only)

Most contact transfers complete within 5-15 minutes depending on the number of contacts and method used. Cloud sync methods are most reliable for preserving all contact information.