How to Move Your Contacts to a New Phone

The fastest way depends on what phone you're moving from and to

If you're moving from an iPhone to an iPhone, or from an Android phone to an Android phone, the built-in transfer tools will move your contacts automatically during setup — you won't need to do anything manually. If you're switching between systems (iPhone to Android or Android to iPhone), you'll need to export your contacts first, then import them into the new phone. The method takes about 10 to 15 minutes and works reliably if you follow the steps in order.

The reason this matters: contacts stored only on your old phone's SIM card or local storage will disappear when you switch devices. Contacts saved to a Google account or iCloud account move with you automatically. If you're not sure where your contacts live right now, the safest approach is to back them up before you do anything else.

Key Takeaways

iPhone to iPhone or Android to Android transfers happen automatically during setup if you sign into the same account on your new phone.
Switching between iPhone and Android requires you to export contacts from the old phone first, then import them into the new one.
Contacts saved to your Google account or iCloud account transfer automatically; contacts stored only on the SIM card or phone storage do not.
If you're unsure where your contacts are stored, export them to a file before switching phones so you don't lose them.
The export-and-import method works on any phone combination and takes about 10 minutes.

iPhone to iPhone: Let iCloud do the work

When you turn on a new iPhone, you'll see a screen asking you to sign in with your Apple ID. Use the same Apple ID you used on your old iPhone. During setup, you'll be asked whether you want to restore from a backup — choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" and select the most recent backup from your old phone. Your contacts, along with messages, photos, and app data, will transfer automatically.

If you've already finished setting up the new iPhone without restoring a backup, you can still get your contacts back. Go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud. Scroll down and make sure Contacts is toggled on. If it was already on, your contacts should appear within a few minutes. If you turned it on just now, iCloud will sync your contacts from the cloud to your new phone.

This method works because iCloud stores your contacts in the cloud, not just on the phone itself. As long as you're signed into the same Apple ID on both phones, they stay in sync.

Android to Android: Use your Google account

During setup of your new Android phone, you'll be asked to sign in with a Google account. Use the same Google account you used on your old Android phone. The phone will automatically sync your contacts, calendar, Gmail, and other Google data to the new device.

If you've already finished setup without signing in, open Settings on your new phone, tap Accounts, then tap Google. Tap "Add account" and sign in with the Google account that has your contacts. Once you're signed in, go back to Settings, tap Accounts, then tap Google again and select your account. Tap "Account sync" and make sure Contacts is toggled on. Your contacts will sync within a few minutes.

Some Android phones also have a "Contacts" app with a menu option to import contacts. If you want to be certain your contacts transferred, open the Contacts app and look for a menu (usually three dots in the top corner). Tap it and look for "Import" or "Manage contacts" — if you see an option to view contacts by account, tap it and make sure your Google account is listed.

iPhone to Android: Export from iCloud, import to Google

You'll need a computer for this method because iCloud doesn't have a direct export option on the phone itself. On your computer, go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID. Click Contacts. Select all your contacts by pressing Ctrl+A (Windows) or Command+A (Mac). Right-click and choose "Export vCard". This downloads a file called "contacts.vcf" to your computer.

Now go to Google Contacts at contacts.google.com and sign in with the Google account you'll use on your new Android phone. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) on the left side, then click "Import". Choose the contacts.vcf file you just downloaded. Google will upload all your contacts to your account. Once that's done, sign into your new Android phone with that same Google account during setup, and your contacts will appear automatically.

Android to iPhone: Export from Google, import to iCloud

Go to Google Contacts at contacts.google.com on your computer and sign in with the Google account that has your contacts. Click the menu icon on the left, then click "Export". Choose "All contacts" and select "Google CSV" as the format. This downloads a file to your computer. Google CSV is the format that works best with iCloud.

Now go to iCloud.com on your computer and sign in with the Apple ID you'll use on your new iPhone. Click Contacts. Click the settings icon (gear) in the bottom left corner, then click "Import vCard". Choose the CSV file you downloaded from Google. iCloud will import all your contacts. When you set up your new iPhone and sign in with that Apple ID, your contacts will be there.

If you're not sure where your contacts are stored

The safest approach is to export your contacts to a file before you switch phones. This way, even if something goes wrong, you have a backup. On iPhone, you can't export directly from the phone, so use a computer: go to iCloud.com, sign in, click Contacts, select all (Ctrl+A or Command+A), right-click, and choose "Export vCard". On Android, open the Contacts app, tap the menu (three dots), look for "Import/Export" or "Manage contacts", and choose "Export". Select all contacts and choose a storage location — usually your Google Drive or your phone's storage.

Once you have the file, keep it somewhere safe like your email or a cloud storage service (Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive). When you set up your new phone, you can import the file if the automatic transfer doesn't work. This is especially useful if you're switching between iPhone and Android, because the automatic methods only work within the same system.

What to do if contacts didn't transfer

First, check that you're signed into the right account on your new phone. On iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, and make sure you're signed into the Apple ID that had your contacts on your old phone. On Android, go to Settings, tap Accounts, and make sure you're signed into the Google account that had your contacts. If you're signed into a different account, sign out and sign in with the correct one.

If you're signed into the right account and contacts still haven't appeared, wait 10 to 15 minutes — sometimes the sync takes longer on slower internet connections. If they still don't appear, try the export-and-import method described above. read the contacts.vcf or CSV file from your old phone or from the cloud service (iCloud.com or Google Contacts), then import it into your new phone. This manual method works when the automatic sync doesn't.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my contacts transfer if I don't have the same account on both phones?

No. Contacts only sync automatically between phones that are signed into the same account. If you're using a different Apple ID or Google account on your new phone, you'll need to export your contacts from the old phone and import them manually using the steps above.

What happens to contacts stored on my SIM card?

SIM card contacts don't transfer automatically because they're stored on the physical card, not in your phone's account. If you have contacts on your SIM, move the SIM to your new phone and the contacts will appear. If your new phone doesn't have a SIM slot, or if you're getting a new SIM, export your contacts to a file first, then import them after setup.

Can I transfer contacts without a computer?

Yes, if you're staying within the same system (iPhone to iPhone or Android to Android). The automatic transfer during setup works on the phone alone. If you're switching between iPhone and Android, you'll need a computer to read the contacts file from iCloud or Google and then import it. Some Android phones have built-in transfer tools that work without a computer — during setup, look for an option to import from an iPhone.

What if I've already set up my new phone and forgot to transfer contacts?

You can still transfer them. On iPhone, sign into iCloud in Settings and make sure Contacts is toggled on — they'll sync from the cloud. On Android, sign into your Google account in Settings and turn on Contacts sync. If that doesn't work, export your contacts from your old phone and import them into your new one using the manual method.

Do I need to keep my old phone to transfer contacts?

No, as long as your contacts are backed up to iCloud or Google. If you've already switched phones, you can still recover your contacts by signing into iCloud.com or Google Contacts on a computer and exporting them, then importing them into your new phone. If your contacts were only stored on the old phone and not backed up anywhere, they're gone.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.