Bought a new phone? One of the first things you should do is transfer your contacts list.
Not only will it mean you can still easily get in touch with friends and family, but you won't lose the vital details of trusted plumbers and your favourite hairdressers.
In this guide, we're catering to Android users who want to transfer phone numbers to another Android phone or to an iPhone. There are several ways to get your contacts across, none of which require any special know-how. We’ll outline each of the methods in turn.
Follow these steps and we’ll help you transfer your contacts as painlessly and quickly as possible.
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1) Transferring your contacts via Google Cloud
The simplest way to transfer your contacts from your current Android phone to another handset is to use the reliable Google Cloud backup service available on all Android devices.
The great advantage of transferring your contacts this way is that once you’ve set up Google Cloud, you won’t have to worry about transferring contacts again.
That’s because, going forward, they’ll be synchronised with any of your Android devices in which you have signed in with your Google account.
If you’re already signed in with your Google account, it’s likely that the contacts are already synced.
If you’re unsure, go to Settings > Accounts > Google and check that Contacts is switched on:
If it's not, activate it, and in a few minutes all your contacts will be synced to your Google account.
If you use Gmail, the contacts should also appear with telephone numbers.
If you’re switching to another Android phone, you’ll be prompted to enter your Google details when setting it up.
If not, go to Settings > Accounts > Add new + and choose Google.
In a few minutes, all your contacts will appear on your new Android phone
If you’re switching to an iPhone (or iPad), open the Settings app. Select **Accounts > Add Account > and select “Google”.
Your Google contacts will be synced in the Contacts app.
2) Transfer your contacts by saving them to your SIM
If you’re unhappy with linking all of your contacts with your Google account or don’t plan to set up a Google account on your new phone, you can use the old-fashioned method of storing your contacts on your SIM.
First, ensure the SIM card from your previous phone fits into your new handset.
This is critical because if it doesn’t fit, you won’t be able to transfer your contacts using this method.
Checked the SIM fits? It does, you say? Good news. The next step is to take your old phone and open the Contacts app and find the settings menu.
This may look different depending on your phone, but it is generally located on the top right of your main Contacts screen.
Your next move is to choose Import/Export (or just Export on some phones), then “Export to SIM card”.
Now you can transfer your contacts into your new phone using your old SIM.
If you’re transferring to a new Android phone, insert the old SIM and open Contacts, then Settings > Import/Export > Import from SIM card.
If you’re transferring to a new iPhone, go to Settings > Contacts and then Import SIM contacts.
Once the transfer is complete, you can swap the old SIM for the new one.
3) Switching from Android to an iPhone? You can use Apple's Move to iOS
Apple's extremely handy Move to iOS app is probably the best tool to help you switch from an Android to an iPhone.
In addition to transferring contacts, this neat app syncs all your messages, photos, and calendars and even suggests iOS alternatives to your existing Android apps.
Download Move to iOS for Android.
Need some help transferring your phone number to a new network? You'll find all the help you need with our one-stop guide.
Want help choosing a new provider? Or need some international roaming tips? Or ways to get the most out of your phone? Take a look at our mobile guides.
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