The smart way to switch to a new Android phone

Here's how to transfer information, apps, contacts, and more than from your old Android telephone to a new 1, along with tips for a smooth transition.

Contributing Editor, Computerworld |

android phone switching
JR Raphael

Ah, a new telephone. Isn't there just something strangely special nearly that moment of opening upwards a box, peeling off the protective plastic, and powering up a pristine pocket-computer for the very first time?

Unfortunately, after that fantastical startup animation finishes, reality usually sets in — and you realize y'all're in for a long, exhausting journey of copying stuff over, setting things up, and trying to go your fancy new phone to look and act the way you lot want.

To be fair, moving from one Android phone to another has gotten a heck of a lot easier over the years. But despite all that progress, it tin still be a daunting procedure that'due south filled with both quirks and doubt. And all the internet'southward advice nigh moving from an iPhone to Android won't assistance you one bit.

This guide, nonetheless, volition. If you're already in the Android universe and preparing to motion from ane Android phone to another, these are the steps and the variables you need to consider. Follow 'em closely, and yous'll exist up and running and enjoying that new phone smell in no time.

Role I: Prepare your old Android phone for switching

Believe it or non, a successful Android telephone move starts on your one-time device — the 1 you lot're ready to leave behind. Earlier you even start thinking well-nigh your shiny new replacement, we've got two important areas to work through and make sure are fully prepared for migration:

Android service syncing

Starting time and foremost, the reason switching from ane Android phone to another is so much easier than it used to be is largely thanks to all of the simple syncing systems built into our devices. So take a minute to make sure y'all're taking total advantage of those possibilities. Information technology'll set your phone-moving voyage up for much smoother sailing.

And here's the best role: If y'all use all of Google'due south built-in Android migration mechanisms, y'all don't even demand Samsung Smart Switch or any other proprietary systems (and you can safely skip over those if the prompts come up during your new phone setup). Everything with the core Google Android phone-switching tools should just work, one time fired up properly — and in most cases, it'll require very fiddling idea or effort.

To offset:

  • If you aren't already using Google Contacts on your phone, download the app now and drift your phone'southward contacts into the service. That'll become your contacts off your individual device (and/or out of your telephone-maker'south limited and proprietary storage organization) and make 'em immediately available on any device — phone or computer, no matter who made it — as soon every bit yous sign in.
  • Open up Google Photos, tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner, and confirm that your images and videos are being backed upward to the service. If they aren't, consider activating that option. It'll go along everything you lot capture on your photographic camera perpetually synced and available on any device where you sign in — including a reckoner! — and make your life immeasurably easier equally a result.
  • Have a look at your text messaging setup. With most phones and messaging apps, Google will now automatically support and sync up your messages and and so bring them over to your new device. Google's own Messages app makes this procedure particularly straightforward and manageable. (And brand yourself a mental note: If for whatsoever reason your letters don't get migrated over equally expected, an app called SMS Fill-in & Restore will help you handle that after the fact quite easily.)
  • Download the Google 1 app, if it isn't already on your device, and look for the box about your current device backup on its main screen. Tap that box, then tap "Manage backup," and you should be able to see exactly what types of data the system is set to sync for y'all and when information technology last backed all of that up. Brand certain both "Device data" and "Multimedia messages" are selected, and so tap "Back up now" to get everything as upward to engagement every bit possible.
01 switch android phone google one JR Raphael/IDG

The Google One app has become the fundamental point for managing all cloud-based Android backups.

Nigh other areas of Android tend to exist synced automatically and without whatever transmission work whatsoever these days — your calendar, your notes and documents, any files connected to Google Bulldoze or other deject storage services, and so on. Mostly, fifty-fifty something like a music collection is now tied to a streaming service and designed to be available anywhere.

If you think of annihilation on your device that'southward an exception, though, now's the fourth dimension to have stock of information technology and be prepared to deal with it later — by copying it to a cloud storage service, transferring it to a computer, or setting information technology up to automatically sync from your old phone to your new one.

RCS message migration

Here'southward one important part of the Android phone switching process that isn't exactly obvious or intuitive: If you're using the Google Messages app, you lot demand to sign out of its RCS Chat system on your old device prior to moving into your new telephone.

RCS stands for rich communication services. Information technology's a newer messaging standard that allows you lot to accept a more modern-feeling chat feel with other people who are besides using it — seeing active typing indicators and read receipts, being able to share larger-sized files, and knowing all of your communications are encrypted.

Simply RCS, past its nature, is connected to simply one device at a time. And if yous endeavor to move into a new Android phone without first disabling it on your sometime ane, yous're jump to run into problems.

Luckily, the fix for this is simple — at least, once you lot know how to do it. Just exist certain to look to do this until you're 100% ready to sign into your new device:

  • Open the Google Messages app on your sometime phone.
  • Tap the iii-dot carte icon in the app's upper-right corner and select "Settings."
  • Tap "Chat Features."
  • Flip the toggle adjacent to "Enable chat features" into the off position.

If yous want to exist extra-cautious, y'all tin can too head over to this web page, whorl downwards to the bottom, and put your phone number into the class. Follow the steps to verify it, and that'll sign you out of RCS entirely at the server level. (That'due south also a skillful option to keep in heed if your old phone is lost, broken, or otherwise unavailable.)

Once you've done that, at that place'south more 1 final pace that'southward important to do: Turn your quondam telephone off. That'll terminate severing the connection between RCS and that device and get y'all gear up to sign into the Chat feature on your new Android phone.

Got it? Skillful. At present we're ready for the fun part.

Part II: Transfer information to your new Android phone

Congratulations! Y'all're officially ready to power upwardly your pretty new Android companion.

The verbal steps and interfaces involved hither may vary somewhat from ane device and Android version to another, but the basic elements should always be pretty much the aforementioned.

When you commencement start upwardly your new Android phone, it'll ask you to insert a SIM card, if you oasis't already. If you had a physical SIM card in your quondam phone, y'all should be able to bring it over to the new one. Just look for a tiny slot somewhere along the device's sides. Y'all'll typically need a minor pin-tool to get it to open. In a compression, even a paperclip can work. (And if the SIM card doesn't seem to fit, it may be a different size. You lot'll either need to option upward an inexpensive SIM card cutter or adapter — or, better however, just ask your carrier for an updated replacement. Most carriers volition provide those at no actress accuse.)

Depending on your carrier, you may besides be able to activate your service without a physical card past using an eSIM. If you lot see that option, you can certainly try information technology to see if it works.

02 switch android phone sim card JR Raphael/IDG

Android supports both concrete SIM cards and virtual eSIMs to get your telephone connected.

After that, Android will need to connect to a Wi-Fi network to go on the setup. Select the name of your abode or work network, put in the password, and wait a few minutes while the system gets things ready. (This is a fine fourth dimension to pause and become get yourself some pretzels, a hearty portion of pudding, and/or a pastrami sandwich. Don't worry: I'll wait.)

03 switch android phone waiting JR Raphael/IDG

Switching to a new Android phone involves a off-white amount of waiting.

In one case you see a screen prompting you to copy your apps and information, y'all're ready to get rolling. You lot should have the option to use a physical cablevision connection between your erstwhile and new telephone or to rely on your latest Google-stored cloud backup to handle this function of the process. The cable path is typically a teensy chip faster, merely you'll reach the same destination either way.

If your old phone is inaccessible or yous don't take a cablevision handy, the cloud backup path is obviously the way you lot'll need to go. Look for a line that says "Tin can't use old phone" — or something forth those general lines — to get at that place.

04 switch android phone copy data JR Raphael/IDG

Android volition prompt you to re-create your apps and data and then offering you the choice to utilise a cable to connect to your old phone.

Your old phone volition prompt you to ostend that y'all desire to re-create all of your info over, and you'll then have to type in your Google account countersign on the new phone to confirm. And then, you'll accept the opportunity to choose exactly which bits of info you want to bring over.

05 switch android phone choose what to copy JR Raphael/IDG

Your new phone will permit you choose exactly what you lot desire to migrate from your former device.

I'd strongly suggest taking a moment to recall carefully about what you do and don't really need. Peculiarly when it comes to your apps, this is a rare chance to give yourself a fresh start and leave some of the dust-collecting virtual cobwebs behind. So before charging frontward, tap the line that says "Apps," tap the topmost checkmark to unselect everything, and then manually select simply the apps you genuinely still use with any regularity.

A skillful rule of thumb: If you don't recall you lot'll use something within the next week, don't select it. Odds are, you won't even know information technology'due south gone — and your phone will accept more than space, fewer wasted resources, and fewer unnecessary third-party permissions granted as a result. And if you do find you miss something later, information technology'll take all of 20 seconds to head into the Play Shop and reinstall it.

Apps bated, this role of the Android phone switching procedure will also offer you the opportunity to transfer sure types of data directly from your old telephone — including any photos and videos that are stored locally also as any music or other types of audio. If you've already backed those items up to a deject service, you tin safely uncheck them here and avoid filling up your telephone's storage with redundant local copies.

And finally, you'll run across a checkbox to copy over your device settings. That one's important and something you'll absolutely want to leave checked, assuming you're happy with how yous've had things prepare before.

Once all that's done, you'll just have to leave the phones continued for a few minutes while they end their work. And y'all tin move alee with the terminal parts of your new phone configuration process.

Part 3: Ready your new Android telephone

Accept a deep breath: You're almost done! All that's left is to get a few odds and ends configured on your new Android telephone.

Your biggest remaining task at this point is to open up your important apps, one at a time, and make sure yous're signed in and fix equally needed inside each ane. In theory, most apps should do most of the heavy lifting for you, merely this office of the process often isn't as smooth and elementary as it oughta exist.

A few specific areas to make sure yous don't overlook:

  • If you're using any phone other than a Google Pixel device, follow the same steps from before and make sure your phone is using Google Contacts for all of its contacts storage and syncing. That'll pull your existing info over and allow everything to stay upwards to date moving forward.
  • Open Google Photos and follow the steps that show up to start syncing your photos and videos. Your existing library should announced and be bachelor inside a matter of moments.
  • Caput into Google Messages, if that's your preferred messaging app, and await in the app's settings to make sure the RCS Chat system is on, registered, and agile.
  • And get into Google Pay (or whatsoever other mobile payment app you rely on) and take a moment to annals your preferred payment methods so they'll be linked up and ready for use.

And wouldya look at that? You've just switched Android phones and successfully migrated all of your important stuff over. You should now be ready to charge forward — in your lovely new virtual domicile only with all the comforts and conveniences of your old one.

That wasn't and so bad, right?

Contributing Editor JR Raphael serves upwardly tasty morsels nearly the human side of technology. Hungry for more? Join him on Twitter or sign up for his weekly newsletter to go fresh tips and insight in your inbox every Friday.

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