Moving to a new phone is less about copying files than confirming that every important account, message, photo, payment method, and security tool still works. This Android and iPhone transfer checklist explains how to prepare, move data between platforms, handle eSIMs and authenticator apps, verify the result, and securely erase the old device only when you are confident nothing has been missed.
Overview
The safest phone migration has three stages: prepare the old phone, transfer or restore the data, and verify the new phone before wiping anything. The exact screens vary by phone model, operating-system version, language, and carrier, but the order of work is broadly the same.
Use the table below to set expectations before you begin. A transfer tool can usually help with contacts, calendars, photos, videos, messages, and some settings. It may not move every app's internal data, login session, downloaded media, or security credentials. Some apps must be downloaded again from the new phone's app store and signed into separately.
| Move | Same platform | Switching platforms | What to check |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts and calendars | Usually straightforward through the same account or backup | Usually possible through account sync or an approved transfer process | Confirm that contacts are not stored only on the old device or SIM |
| Photos and videos | Cloud restore or direct device transfer may work | Cloud services or a platform transfer tool may be needed | Check recent photos, albums, edited copies, and local-only files |
| Messages | Often supported by the platform backup or direct transfer | Support depends on the direction of the switch and the transfer method | Review recent conversations and group messages |
| Apps | Compatible apps can generally be downloaded again | Equivalent apps may need to be found manually | Reinstall banking, travel, work, health, and authentication apps first |
| Accounts and passwords | May restore through account sync or a password manager | Usually requires sign-in and verification | Keep recovery methods available until every account works |
How to estimate
Think of a successful transfer as a checklist rather than a single progress bar. Before starting, make five lists: personal data, communication, apps, accounts, and connectivity. Mark each item as backed up, transferred, or verified. This gives you a repeatable way to estimate whether the migration is complete.
- Prepare both phones. Charge them, connect them to reliable Wi-Fi, install available system updates if practical, and make sure the new phone has enough storage. Keep the old phone nearby until verification is finished.
- Back up the old phone. Use the phone's built-in backup system and confirm that the backup completed recently. Photos and videos may use a separate cloud service, so check its upload status rather than assuming the device backup includes everything.
- Record recovery information. Make sure you can access your main email account, password manager, recovery phone number, and backup codes. Do not rely on an authenticator app on the old phone as your only sign-in method.
- Start the official transfer flow. For Android-to-Android and iPhone-to-iPhone moves, use the setup assistant or restore process offered by the platform. For Android-to-iPhone or iPhone-to-Android transfers, follow the current transfer instructions shown by the new phone. Feature support can change, so read the prompts rather than selecting every option automatically.
- Move the mobile service. A physical SIM can usually be moved when the devices and carrier support it. An eSIM may require a transfer prompt, carrier approval, a QR code, or a new activation process. Do not erase the old phone until calls, texts, mobile data, and emergency contact details behave as expected.
- Verify before wiping. Test a call, send a text, open recent photos, check important conversations, sign into essential apps, and confirm that passwords and two-factor authentication work.
For a broader storage check before choosing the new device, see How Much Phone Storage Do You Need?. If you are changing devices because you bought a refurbished model, use the refurbished phone inspection checklist before committing to the transfer.
Inputs and assumptions
Your transfer result depends on more than the phone brand. Record these inputs before you begin:
- Transfer direction: Android-to-Android, iPhone-to-iPhone, Android-to-iPhone, or iPhone-to-Android.
- Operating-system versions: Older phones may show different prompts or offer fewer transfer options than newer devices.
- Storage used: Compare the old phone's used space with the new phone's available space, allowing room for the operating system and future use.
- Backup location: Identify whether contacts, photos, files, and messages are stored on the device, in a cloud account, on a computer, or across several services.
- Account security: List banking apps, payment wallets, password managers, authenticator apps, work accounts, and apps that require device approval.
- Connectivity: Confirm Wi-Fi access, SIM or eSIM compatibility, and whether the new phone is unlocked and suitable for your carrier. The unlocked phone activation checklist covers these checks in more detail.
Assume that app data is not guaranteed to transfer unless the app provides its own backup or sync feature. Games, secure messaging apps, finance apps, workplace tools, and health apps can have separate migration rules. Downloading an app again is not the same as restoring its data.
Authenticator codes need special care. Before losing access to the old phone, use the authenticator app's approved transfer or backup option, add the new device from the account's security settings, or use saved backup codes. For banks and payment apps, expect to verify the new device or contact the provider if the old phone is no longer available.
Worked examples
Android to Android
Back up the old Android phone, confirm that contacts and photos are syncing to the intended accounts, and begin the new phone's setup while both devices are available. Review the app list after the transfer, then open high-priority apps individually. Pay particular attention to authenticator tools, banking apps, work profiles, downloaded files, and Bluetooth accessories.
iPhone to iPhone
Use the old iPhone's current backup or the direct device-to-device setup option. Keep both phones powered and close together until the process finishes. Check Messages, Photos, Contacts, Notes, passwords, Wallet items, and cellular service. Some accounts or payment cards may require an additional verification step on the new iPhone.
Android to iPhone
Start with a list of Android-only locations, including files saved locally, downloaded media, and contacts stored outside a synced account. Use the transfer method presented during iPhone setup where appropriate, then manually compare photos, messages, contacts, calendars, and files. Find iPhone equivalents for essential apps and sign in before wiping the Android phone.
iPhone to Android
Review which iPhone data is synced through accounts and which is stored only in Apple's services. Follow the Android phone's setup instructions, then test calls, texts, photos, contacts, calendars, and core apps. If you use platform-specific services or accessories, decide whether to export the data, keep using the service through another app, or retain access to the old phone temporarily.
If the new phone uses a different connector or charging standard, the phone charging guide can help you check cables, chargers, and power requirements without buying replacements unnecessarily.
When to recalculate
Revisit this checklist whenever you change operating systems, move between Android and iPhone, switch carriers, replace a phone after loss or damage, or set up a device for another family member. Recheck it after major operating-system updates because transfer screens, supported data types, eSIM steps, and backup settings can change.
Before erasing the old phone, complete this final review:
- Make and receive a call; send and receive a text.
- Open recent photos, videos, notes, files, and message threads.
- Sign into email, banking, shopping, work, and password-manager apps.
- Generate or approve a two-factor sign-in using the new phone.
- Check contacts, calendars, alarms, Bluetooth devices, and mobile data.
- Confirm that the latest backup belongs to the new phone.
Only after these checks should you sign out of accounts, remove payment and transit cards where appropriate, disable device-finding features, and perform a factory reset. If you are trading in the old phone, compare the process with the phone trade-in checklist. Treat the old device as a backup until the new one has passed every test.
