So, you finally did it. You ditched the pixel-peeping custom ROMs or the reliable Samsung ecosystem for the walled garden. Honestly, the hardware is great, but the actual process of moving data from android to iphone is where the honeymoon period usually hits a brick wall. People think it’s a "set it and forget it" button. It isn't.
Apple makes an app for this called Move to iOS. It’s sitting there on the Google Play Store, looking all official and helpful. But if you talk to anyone who does this for a living—IT admins or the folks at the Genius Bar—they’ll tell you that the 1-star reviews on that app aren't just trolls. It’s finicky. It breaks if your Wi-Fi sneezes.
🔗 Read more: Why You Can't Actually Download iTunes on Mac Anymore (and What to Do Instead)
The Move to iOS App: The Good, The Bad, and The Frustrating
Apple’s official bridge is basically a private Wi-Fi network created by the iPhone. Your Android joins it, and they start talking. Sounds simple. In reality, your Android phone is literally designed to hate this. Modern Android versions have "Smart Network Switch" features that see a Wi-Fi signal without internet (the iPhone's temporary signal) and immediately disconnect to find "real" internet.
To actually make moving data from android to iphone work on the first try, you have to be aggressive with your Android settings. Turn off cellular data entirely. Forget every saved Wi-Fi network on the old device. If you don't, the phone might jump ship halfway through a 50GB photo transfer, and you're back to square one.
Apple claims it moves "everything." That's a bit of a stretch. It moves your camera roll, contacts, web bookmarks, mail accounts, and calendars. It will even try to find the free versions of your Android apps on the App Store. But it won't touch your WhatsApp backups (usually), your music files that weren't bought through a major service, or your local documents buried in the "Downloads" folder.
The WhatsApp Headache
This is the big one. For years, transferring WhatsApp from Android to iOS was a nightmare involving paid third-party software that felt a little like malware. Now, Move to iOS officially supports it. But there is a massive "but."
✨ Don't miss: Apps to Make Music: Why Your Phone is Actually a Better Studio Than You Think
Your iPhone must be brand new or factory reset. You cannot decide to move your WhatsApp chats a week after you've started using your iPhone without wiping the whole thing. Also, if you’re using a modified version of WhatsApp or have a massive library of 4K videos in your chats, expect the process to hang at 99%.
Why Your Photos Might Look Messy
When moving data from android to iphone, metadata is the silent killer. Android stores file information differently than iOS. Sometimes, after a transfer, you’ll open your new iPhone gallery only to find photos from 2018 listed as "Today."
This happens because the transfer process occasionally rewrites the "Date Created" attribute to the date of the transfer rather than the date the photo was snapped. If you have a massive library, it’s often smarter to use Google Photos on both devices. Keep the photos in the Google cloud, download the app on your iPhone, and boom—everything is there, organized, and not eating up your local 128GB of storage.
The "Manual" Way (Because Sometimes Technology Fails)
If the app fails three times—and it might—stop trying. You’re just wearing down your battery's cycle count. There’s a manual path that works every single time, even if it’s a bit tedious.
- Contacts: Don't export vCards. Just make sure they are synced to your Google Account. When you sign into Gmail on the iPhone (Settings > Mail > Accounts), toggle the "Contacts" switch. They appear instantly.
- Documents: Use a middleman. Dropbox, Google Drive, or even a physical USB-C thumb drive if you have a newer iPhone 15 or 16. The Files app on iOS is actually decent now.
- Music: If you still have MP3s, you’re going to need a computer. You have to use Apple Devices app (on Windows) or Finder (on Mac) to sync those files. It feels very 2010, but it’s the only way to get local files into the native Music app.
What Nobody Tells You About Apps
You’re going to lose some money. If you bought a pro version of a weather app or a specialized calculator on the Google Play Store, that license does not follow you to the Apple App Store. Developers treat these as two different products. You’ll be reaching for your credit card to re-buy your "Pro" tools.
Gaming is hit or miss. Games with their own login systems (like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty) are fine. Just log in. But games that rely solely on "Google Play Games" for cloud saves? You might be starting over at Level 1.
The Ecosystem Shock
Once the process of moving data from android to iphone is finished, the real work begins. You'll notice the keyboard feels "mushy" compared to Gboard. You'll realize you can't just place icons anywhere on the home screen without them snapping to the grid.
But you get iMessage. You get AirDrop. You get a system that doesn't kill background apps with the same aggression as some Chinese Android skins.
Actionable Steps for a Clean Migration
Don't just wing it. Follow this sequence to ensure you don't lose a decade of digital memories.
- Cleanup First: Delete those 400 blurry screenshots and "Good Morning" WhatsApp GIFs on your Android before you start. Why move trash?
- Battery Power: Plug both phones into a wall outlet. Do not rely on a 40% charge. The Wi-Fi radio usage during a 100GB transfer will cook the battery and potentially trigger a thermal shutdown, killing the transfer.
- The "Dummy" Trick: If Move to iOS keeps failing, try doing the transfer without selecting "Files" or "Photos" first. Just do contacts and messages. Then, move the heavy photos later using Google Photos or a computer. It lowers the chance of a timeout error.
- Check Your SIM: If you have an eSIM, don't delete it from your Android until the new iPhone is fully set up and calling works. If it's a physical SIM, most iPhones in the US are now eSIM only, so you'll need to use your carrier’s app to "convert" that physical plastic into a digital profile.
- Audit Your Logins: Before wiping the Android, go into your 2FA apps (like Google Authenticator or Authy). These do not move automatically. If you wipe your old phone before exporting your 2FA seeds, you will be locked out of your bank, your email, and your life. Export the accounts via QR code within the app itself.
Moving platforms is a chore, but doing it methodically saves you from the "missing photo" panic that usually happens three weeks later when it's too late to go back. Ensure your Google Account is fully synced, keep your cables handy, and be patient with the progress bar. It lies, but it eventually finishes.