Most phone transfers go fine using the manufacturer's built-in tools. The failures that do happen are almost always avoidable — usually a step skipped, or done in the wrong order, rather than the transfer tool itself being unreliable.
Before you touch the new phone: back up the old one properly
Do a full backup of your current phone before starting anything — iCloud Backup or a computer-based backup for iPhone, Google's backup service for Android. Confirm the backup actually completed (check the date and size shown in backup settings) rather than assuming it ran. This is your safety net if the direct transfer has any issue.
Same platform (iPhone to iPhone, Android to Android): use the built-in transfer tool
- iPhone to iPhone: "Quick Start" appears automatically when you bring a new iPhone near your old one, signed into the same Apple ID. It transfers apps, settings, photos, and — with both phones near each other and on power — most of your data directly.
- Android to Android: Google's "Switch to Android" or the manufacturer's own transfer tool (like Samsung Smart Switch) handles the equivalent job, either via cable or wirelessly.
Switching platforms (iPhone to Android, or the reverse)
Apple's "Move to iOS" app and Google's equivalent tools handle the major categories — contacts, photos, calendar, messages history where supported — but expect some gaps. Purchased content tied to one ecosystem (apps bought on the App Store, for instance) won't carry over; you'll need to re-download equivalents on the new platform.
The step people forget: two-factor authentication and authenticator apps
If you use an authenticator app for two-factor authentication, it usually isn't included in a standard phone transfer or backup. Before wiping or handing over your old phone, make sure you've transferred or re-set-up your authenticator app on the new device — see our guide on setting up two-factor authentication for the transfer options most apps support. Getting locked out of your authenticator during a phone switch is one of the most common, avoidable headaches in this process.
SMS and messaging apps
Standard text messages typically transfer with the rest of your data. Third-party messaging apps (WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram) each have their own backup and transfer process, separate from the phone's general transfer tool — check that specific app's settings for a "backup chats" or "transfer to new device" option before switching, since some require this to be done from within the app itself before you swap SIMs.
Your SIM card or eSIM
If you have a physical SIM, it typically just moves to the new phone. If you're on eSIM, most carriers have a straightforward in-app or web process to transfer the eSIM profile to the new device — do this only once you're confident the new phone is working, since some eSIM transfers deactivate the old phone's line as part of the process.
A safe order of operations
- Fully back up the old phone and confirm the backup completed.
- Use the platform's built-in transfer tool for the bulk of your data.
- Manually handle third-party messaging app backups before switching.
- Re-set-up two-factor authentication apps on the new device.
- Transfer your SIM or eSIM only once the new phone is confirmed working.
- Keep the old phone charged and unwiped for a week or two as a fallback.