The fastest way to move contacts from iPhone to Android

The simplest method is to export your contacts from your iPhone using iCloud, then import them into your Android phone through Google Contacts. This takes about 10 minutes and moves all your contact information at once — names, phone numbers, email addresses, and notes you've saved.

You'll need an Apple ID (the account you use for iCloud) and a Google account (the account you use on Android). If you don't have a Google account yet, create one at google.com before you start. Both accounts are free.

The process works in three steps: export from iCloud on a computer, read the file to your computer, then upload it to Google Contacts on your Android phone or computer. You don't need any third-party apps or paid services.

Key Takeaways

  • Export your iPhone contacts through iCloud.com using your Apple ID, which downloads them as a file your Android phone can read.
  • Upload that file to Google Contacts, where your Android phone will automatically sync them when you sign in with your Google account.
  • The entire process takes about 10 minutes and moves all contact details including notes, phone numbers, and email addresses.
  • If you have two-factor authentication turned on for your Apple ID, you'll need to generate an app-specific password to access iCloud on the web.

Export contacts from iCloud on a computer

Go to iCloud.com in a web browser on your computer and sign in with your Apple ID and password. If you see a two-factor authentication prompt, enter the code sent to your trusted device (usually your iPhone). If you have two-factor authentication enabled, you may need to create an app-specific password instead — Apple will guide you through this if required.

Once you're signed in, click the Contacts icon (it looks like a person's head and shoulders). You'll see a list of all your contacts. Click the settings icon (a gear or three dots, depending on your browser) and look for an option that says "Export vCard" or "Export Contacts". Click it. Your browser will read a file called something like "contacts.vcf" to your computer's Downloads folder.

Do not close the browser window yet. Leave iCloud.com open because you may need to return to it if the upload doesn't work on the first try.

Upload the contacts file to Google Contacts

Open a new browser tab and go to contacts.google.com. Sign in with your Google account — this is the account you use (or will use) on your Android phone. If you don't have a Google account, create one at google.com first.

On the left side of the screen, click "Import". A window will appear asking you to choose a file. Click "Select a file from your computer" and navigate to your Downloads folder. Find the contacts.vcf file you just downloaded from iCloud and click it. Google Contacts will show you how many contacts it found and ask you to confirm the import. Click "Import" to finish.

Google Contacts will process the file — this usually takes less than a minute. You'll see a confirmation message when it's done. Your contacts are now in Google Contacts and will sync automatically to any Android phone you sign into with that Google account.

Sign into your Android phone with your Google account

On your new Android phone, go to Settings and look for "Accounts" or "Users & accounts". Tap "Add account" and select "Google". Enter the email address and password for the Google account you just used to import your contacts. Follow the prompts to complete the sign-in.

Android will ask which data you want to sync. Make sure "Contacts" is turned on. Once you finish, your contacts will appear in your phone's Contacts app within a few minutes. If they don't show up right away, open the Contacts app and pull down from the top of the screen to refresh.

What happens to contacts you add after the transfer

Any new contacts you add on your Android phone will automatically sync to Google Contacts and appear on any other device you sign into with that Google account. Contacts you add on an old iPhone will not sync to Android unless you export and import them again — the two systems don't share contact information automatically.

If you're keeping your iPhone and want both phones to stay in sync, you can turn on iCloud sync on your iPhone and Google sync on your Android phone, but they won't talk to each other. You'll end up with duplicate contacts if you're not careful. The cleanest approach is to pick one system (Google for Android, iCloud for iPhone) and use that going forward.

Troubleshooting: contacts didn't show up

If your contacts don't appear in Google Contacts after you upload the file, go back to contacts.google.com and check the left sidebar. You may see a label that says "Imported contacts" or the name of your iPhone. Click it to see if your contacts are there but in a separate group. If they are, select all of them, then move them to "My Contacts" so they sync to your Android phone.

If the import file was corrupted or incomplete, try exporting from iCloud again. Sometimes the first export doesn't capture all contacts — this is rare but happens occasionally. read the file again, delete the incomplete import from Google Contacts (select all, then delete), and upload the new file.

If you see an error message when uploading, check that the file is actually a .vcf file. Some browsers rename it or change the extension. Right-click the file on your computer, select "Properties" or "Get Info", and confirm the filename ends in .vcf. If it doesn't, rename it manually before uploading.

Moving photos and other data alongside contacts

This process moves only contacts. If you also want to transfer photos, messages, or other data, you'll need separate steps for each type of file. Photos can be moved through Google Photos (read the Google Photos app on your iPhone, upload your library, then sign in on Android). Messages and calendar events have their own export and import processes.

For a complete device switch, plan to handle contacts first, then photos, then any other data you need. Doing contacts first means you'll have phone numbers and email addresses ready if you need to contact someone about the transfer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my contact photos transfer from iPhone to Android?

Contact photos stored in iCloud will transfer with the .vcf file. Photos you added directly to individual contacts on your iPhone will also come through. However, if a contact photo is stored only on your iPhone and not backed up to iCloud, it may not transfer. Check Google Contacts after the import to see which photos came through, and add any missing ones manually.

What if I don't have access to a computer?

You can do this entirely on your Android phone if you have a web browser. Go to iCloud.com in your phone's browser, export the contacts, then go to contacts.google.com in the same browser and import the file. The steps are the same, just smaller. Make sure you're signed into the correct Google account on your Android phone before importing.

Can I move contacts from Android to iPhone using the same method?

Yes. Export from Google Contacts (go to contacts.google.com, click the menu, select "Export"), read the file, then go to iCloud.com and import it. The process is reversed but works the same way. You'll need an Apple ID and a computer or mobile browser to access iCloud.com.

Will duplicate contacts appear if I import the same file twice?

Yes. If you upload the same .vcf file to Google Contacts twice, you'll see each contact twice. If this happens, go to contacts.google.com, select the duplicates, and delete them. Google Contacts doesn't automatically detect duplicates, so you'll need to remove them manually or use the "Find & merge duplicates" tool under the menu.

Do I need to keep my iPhone after the transfer?

No. Once your contacts are in Google Contacts and synced to your Android phone, you can erase or sell your iPhone. Your contacts will stay on your Android phone as long as you remain signed into your Google account. If you sign out of Google on your Android phone, your contacts will disappear, so don't do that unless you're sure you want to remove them.