Using a smartphone, the first step in moving contacts to a new phone.
A new phone should feel exciting, not stressful, yet nothing kills the excitement faster than opening the contacts app and finding it completely empty.
The good news is that moving contacts between phones is now mostly automatic, whether you are switching from Android to iPhone, iPhone to Android, or staying on the same platform.
This guide covers every reliable method, from cloud sync and official transfer apps to vCard files and the humble SIM card, so you can pick the one that fits your situation.
Key Highlights of Transferring Contacts to a New Phone
Cloud sync is the easiest route: contacts stored in your Google or Apple account reappear automatically as soon as you sign in on the new phone.
Move to iOS handles the whole switch: Apple's free app moves contacts, messages, photos, and more from Android during the iPhone setup process.
vCard files work everywhere: a single .vcf file can carry your whole address book between any two phones, with no account or app required.
SIM cards only carry the basics: a SIM transfer moves names and one number per contact, but photos, emails, and extra details usually stay behind.
Check before you wipe: always confirm the contacts are visible on the new phone before erasing or trading in the old one, because a missing backup is hard to undo.
Duplicates are normal and fixable: both Google Contacts and iCloud can merge duplicate entries, so a messy first import is not a disaster.
Before You Start: Find Out Where Your Contacts Live
Before choosing a method, find out where your contacts actually live, because contacts can be saved to your Google account, your Apple account, your SIM card, or only on the device itself.
On Android, open the Contacts app and check which account each contact belongs to, then make sure contact sync is switched on for your Google account in Settings.
On iPhone, go to Settings, tap your name, then iCloud, and confirm that Contacts is switched on, so your address book is safely backed up before you move anything.
If some contacts live only on the old device, sync or export them first, because a transfer tool can only move contacts that it can actually see.
Method 1: Transfer Contacts With Your Google Account
Google sync is the most flexible method of all, because it works between two Android phones, from Android to iPhone, and from iPhone to Android, all without a cable.
On the old Android phone, open Settings, go to Accounts or Google, select your Google account, and confirm that Contacts sync is switched on.
Wait a few minutes on Wi-Fi so the sync finishes, then open contacts.google.com on a computer to confirm that your contacts are actually there.
On the new phone, sign in with the same Google account during setup, make sure Contacts sync is enabled, and give the phone a few minutes to download the list.
If the new phone is an iPhone, add the Google account in the Contacts or Mail accounts section of Settings, then switch the Contacts toggle on for that account.
If contacts do not appear right away, open the account sync settings on the new phone and trigger a manual sync, then wait a few more minutes on a stable connection.
Method 2: Transfer Contacts From Android to iPhone With Move to iOS
Apple's free Move to iOS app, available on the Google Play Store, is the most complete option when your new iPhone is still on its first-time setup screens.
Install Apple's free Move to iOS app from the Google Play Store on your Android phone, and keep both phones charged and connected to Wi-Fi.
Start setting up the new iPhone and, when you reach the Apps and Data screen, choose Move Data from Android to begin the transfer.
A one-time code appears on the iPhone, so enter that code in the Move to iOS app on Android, then choose Contacts and any other data you want to move.
Leave both phones alone, side by side, until the iPhone progress bar finishes, because interrupting the transfer can leave contacts only partly copied.
Move to iOS only works during the iPhone setup screens, so if your iPhone is already set up, use Google sync or a vCard file instead of erasing the phone.
Method 3: Transfer Contacts From iPhone to iPhone With iCloud
Moving from one iPhone to another is the simplest case of all, because signing in with the same Apple ID and switching on iCloud Contacts restores the whole address book automatically.
During setup you can also use Quick Start by holding the old iPhone near the new one, which transfers your Apple ID sign-in and settings, including your contacts.
If you skip setup transfer, simply sign in with the same Apple ID afterwards, switch on iCloud Contacts, and wait for the list to download over Wi-Fi.
Method 4: Transfer Contacts With a vCard File
A vCard file, with the .vcf extension, is a portable copy of one contact or your entire address book, and almost every phone and contacts app can read it.
On Android, open Contacts, choose Import or Export, export your contacts to a .vcf file, then send that file to the new phone by email, cable, or cloud storage.
From an iPhone, open iCloud.com on a computer, select all contacts, choose Export vCard, then import the downloaded file into Google Contacts or directly onto the new phone.
A vCard transfer is a one-time copy rather than ongoing sync, so contacts you add later on one phone will not automatically appear on the other.
Keep the .vcf file somewhere safe, such as your email or cloud drive, because it doubles as a handy backup of your whole address book.
Method 5: Transfer Contacts With a SIM Card
If your contacts are stored on your SIM card, moving the SIM itself carries them along, and you can also copy device contacts onto the SIM from the Contacts app on Android.
On iPhone, put the old SIM in the new phone, then go to Settings, then Contacts, and tap Import SIM Contacts to copy them into the phone.
Treat the SIM method as a last resort, because SIM cards usually store only a name and a single number per contact, and many modern phones no longer save contacts to the SIM at all.
Brand Transfer Tools: Smart Switch and Android Setup Transfer
Samsung Galaxy owners can use Smart Switch, which moves contacts and much more from almost any old phone, wirelessly, by cable, or from an iCloud backup.
Google Pixel and other Android phones offer a cable or Wi-Fi transfer during setup, which copies contacts, photos, and apps from the old phone in one pass.
These brand tools are worth using when both phones are in your hands, because they move far more than contacts, including messages, photos, and settings.
Which Method Should You Choose?
| Method | Best for | Keeps syncing afterwards? |
|---|---|---|
| Google account sync | Any combination of Android and iPhone | Yes |
| Move to iOS | Android to a brand-new iPhone | No, one-time transfer |
| iCloud | iPhone to iPhone | Yes |
| vCard (.vcf) file | Any two phones, no account needed | No, one-time copy |
| SIM card | Basic names and numbers only | No |
| Smart Switch / setup transfer | Same-brand moves and full phone migration | No, one-time transfer |
After the Transfer: Verify, Merge Duplicates, Then Wipe
Open the Contacts app on the new phone and spot-check a few important names, numbers, and photos, because a quick check now saves a frantic search later.
If you see the same person twice, use the merge or fix duplicates option in Google Contacts or on iPhone, which combines matching entries without deleting any numbers.
Only erase, sell, or trade in the old phone after the new one shows the full list, and keep a vCard backup somewhere safe until you are certain nothing is missing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are some contacts missing after the transfer?
The missing contacts were probably saved to a different account or only on the old device, so check the old phone's contact accounts and repeat the export for any account you missed.
Do I need the same brand of phone?
No, cloud sync and vCard files work across brands and platforms, so you can move from Samsung to iPhone, iPhone to Pixel, or any other combination.
Will transferring delete contacts from my old phone?
No, every method here copies contacts rather than moving them, so the old phone keeps its list until you deliberately erase it yourself.
Pick the method that matches your two phones, verify the list on the new device, and your contacts will be waiting for you the moment you start calling, texting, and sharing.