How to switch from iOS to Android

There are plenty of reasons why you’d want to make a change when it comes to your phone and its OS. Maybe you realize you’re not using your phone to its full potential or don’t need one with so many features. Or maybe your phone doesn’t even have the features you want. There’s also the possibility the operating system isn’t what you hoped it would be, and you want to make a change.

Two of the most common operating systems for smartphones are iOS and Android. Apple’s iOS is strictly limited to iPhones, while Android is used by several different manufacturers. The variety of phone choices is a single reason enough you might be considering switching from iOS to Android.

You, no doubt, have a ton of stuff on your iPhone that you’ll want to transfer over to your Android phone. You’re not just going to give up your data, such as messages, photos, contacts, and other files. Bringing them over is essential, and you don’t need to pay someone to do it for you. It’s easy to transfer your data from iOS to Android — here’s how.

Why might you change from iOS to Android?

They’re incredibly different

Android, although created by Google, is an open-source operating system, which means it isn’t bound to one company. Multiple manufacturers, including Samsung, Google, Motorola, and OnePlus, all use Android as the operating system for their phones. On the other hand, iOS is only available on iPhones.

Some Android phones have better cameras than iPhones, and the editing software and photo features are superior, making a high-end Android device an excellent choice for anyone into photography.

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Android devices also have access to a wider variety of apps, which is because the operating system is easier to develop apps for. Android is also more customizable, allowing users to set up their phones exactly how they prefer, while Apple provides a more controlled interface.

How to transfer from iOS to Android

There are two ways to do so

Unsplash / Pocket-lint

If you’re switching from iOS to Android, you’ll need a few things. First, you’ll need an iPhone and an Android phone. You want to ensure that both phones are charged significantly, as you can swap data wirelessly. But in order to transfer over everything that you want to, doing so with a cable is smarter. For both processes, you need to download Android Switch.

Another step you want to take before you begin your transfer is to turn off FaceTime and iMessage on your iPhone. You should also deregister your phone, so any text that comes through while you’re doing the transferring process doesn’t remain in limbo.

To start:

1. Activate the SIM card on your Android phone. Add your Google account and sign in.
2. Tap Set Up Device and choose Transfer from iPhone.
3. Connect the two phones via the cable.
4. There will be on-screen prompts asking you what data you want to transfer. Select all that apply — Contacts, Messages, Photos, Attachments, Fiiles, etc.
5. Tap Copy at the bottom of the screen.

That’s it. The two phones will begin to transfer over the data. You’re even able to use your new Android phone while you’re setting it up.

If you have a Google Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, or Pixel 9 Pro Fold, you can actually transfer data from iOS after you’ve already set up your phone. There’s a feature in settings that lets you just add things from an iPhone to your Pixel 9 phone. You can also do this using the Android Switch app.

For those that have a Samsung phone, you can use the Samsung Smart Switch app to transfer over your items from an iPhone to a Samsung phone.

What can you transfer over?

It varies depending on the method

If you switch over from iOS to Android, you can send over almost all of your data. But, what you’re actually able to transfer over depends on whether or not you’re connecting the phones via a cable or doing it wirelessly.

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In order to transfer photos or videos stored in iCloud, you will need to request a transfer with Apple. Apps will be downloaded from Google Play when you transfer them over at no cost to you, but you can’t transfer iTunes music or Apple Music from your iPhone to your Android. But, you can transfer over WhatsApp messages as well as SMS, MMS, iMessages and more.