How to Transfer Your Contacts When Getting a New Phone

Getting a new phone? Here's how to move all your contacts from your old phone to your new one — whether you're switching from iPhone to Android or staying on the same platform.

In this guide (5 steps):

1.iPhone to iPhone: Use iCloud
2.Android to Android: Use Google Account
3.Export a VCF Backup File (All Platforms)
4.Import VCF on the New Phone
5.iPhone to Android: Use Google

iPhone to iPhone: Use iCloud

~21s

On your old iPhone, go to Settings → tap your name → iCloud → toggle "Contacts" to on (green). This backs up contacts to iCloud. On your new iPhone, during setup, sign in with the same Apple ID and iCloud will restore everything automatically. If setup is already complete, go to Settings → your name → iCloud → toggle Contacts on.

Android to Android: Use Google Account

~16s

On your old Android phone, go to SettingsGoogle → your account → Account sync → make sure "Contacts" is toggled on. On your new Android phone, during setup, sign in with the same Google account. Your contacts sync automatically. This usually takes 2-5 minutes.

Export a VCF Backup File (All Platforms)

~16s

On iPhone: open Contacts → tap your name → "My Card" → Export vCard. On Android: open the Contacts app → three-dot menu → SettingsExport → save as VCF. Email or save this file to Google Drive or iCloud as a backup.

Import VCF on the New Phone

~21s

Android: open the Contacts app → three-dot menu → SettingsImport → select the VCF file. iPhone: open the VCF file from your email or Files app — iOS asks if you want to add the contacts. Tap "Add All Contacts."

Quick Tip

You may get a message asking where to save the contacts (iPhone or iCloud). Choose iCloud for automatic future backup.

iPhone to Android: Use Google

~24s

On your iPhone, install the Google Contacts app. Sign in with your Gmail account. The app syncs your iPhone contacts to Google. On your new Android phone, sign in with the same Gmail account — all contacts appear. Alternatively, use the VCF export method from Step 3 and 4.

Warning

If contacts show as duplicates after transfer, open the Contacts app on your new phone → three-dot menu → "Merge duplicates" to clean them up.

You Did It!

You've completed: How to Transfer Your Contacts When Getting a New Phone

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Getting a new phone is exciting, but the worry of losing years' worth of contacts can make the transition stressful. The good news is that transferring contacts is one of the most reliable parts of switching phones — as long as they were backed up first.

The method you use depends on which phones are involved. There are four common scenarios: iPhone to iPhone, Android to Android, iPhone to Android, and Android to iPhone. Each has a straightforward path.

The fastest method for iPhone to iPhone is iCloud. If your contacts were syncing to iCloud on your old phone, they appear automatically on your new iPhone when you sign in with the same Apple ID. No manual transfer needed.

For Android to Android, Google Account sync works the same way. Your contacts are saved to your Gmail account. When you sign into your new Android phone with the same Gmail address, contacts appear within minutes.

The trickier transitions are cross-platform: iPhone to Android or Android to iPhone. For these, you export your contacts as a VCF file from the old phone and import it on the new one. This takes about 10 minutes and is not complicated.

If you are not sure whether your contacts are backed up, the safest thing to do before getting a new phone is to check both Google and iCloud sync settings, and export a VCF file as a backup — this takes five minutes and gives you a safety net regardless of how the transfer goes.

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