How To Transfer Android To Android

Tips
1

I just upgraded to a new Android phone and I’m confused about the best way to transfer all my data, apps, photos, messages, and settings from my old Android. I’m worried about losing important files and I’m not sure if I should use Google backup, a cable, or a third-party app. Can someone explain the simplest, safest step-by-step method to move everything over without missing anything?

2

Quick rundown for Android to Android, so you do not lose stuff.

  1. Prep the old phone
    • Update Android and apps.
    • Charge both phones.
    • Connect both to Wi‑Fi.
    • Turn off VPN if you use one.

  2. Use Google’s built in transfer (best option)
    On the new phone:
    • Turn it on.
    • Pick language and Wi‑Fi.
    • When it asks to copy apps and data, pick “Next”.
    • Choose “From an Android phone”.
    On the old phone:
    • When a prompt shows up, open Google app or Settings, search “Set up my device”.
    • Scan the QR code on the new phone or use the cable.
    • Confirm your Google account.
    • Select things you want to copy, like apps, photos, SMS, call history, settings.
    This brings over home screen layout on many phones, Wi‑Fi passwords, and some system settings.

  3. Make sure Google backup is on before transfer
    On the old phone go to:
    Settings > Google > Backup
    • Turn on “Backup by Google One” or “Backup”.
    • Make sure “App data”, “Call history”, “Contacts”, “SMS” are enabled.
    • Tap “Back up now”. Wait until it finishes.

  4. Photos and videos
    If you use Google Photos:
    • Open Google Photos on old phone.
    • Turn on “Backup & sync”.
    • Wait until it says “Backup complete”.
    On the new phone, sign in to the same Google account and all your photos show up.
    If you keep local photos only, connect the phones with a cable or use a PC and copy the DCIM and Pictures folders manually.

  5. WhatsApp and other chat apps
    WhatsApp:
    • On old phone, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
    • Pick Google Drive backup and tap “Back up”.
    On new phone:
    • Install WhatsApp.
    • Register same phone number.
    • When it finds a backup, restore it.
    Telegram, Messenger etc use cloud, you just log in.

  6. Contacts
    Best option is to store them in Google:
    On old phone: Contacts app > settings > Move or export to Google account.
    On new phone, log in to the same Google account, contacts sync automatically.
    If you have SIM contacts, import them into Google contacts first.

  7. Text messages if not covered
    If the built in transfer misses SMS, you can use an app like “SMS Backup & Restore” on both phones to export and import.

  8. Files and downloads
    For random files, documents, Downloads folder etc, use:
    • USB cable to a PC, copy from old then to new, or
    • Google Drive, Dropbox, or similar, upload then download, or
    • “Files by Google” app with Nearby Share.

  9. Manufacturer tools
    Samsung: use Smart Switch.
    • Install Smart Switch on both phones.
    • Use cable or Wi‑Fi direct.
    It moves apps, SMS, call logs, home screen layout, alarms, etc.
    Other brands have similar tools, like Xiaomi’s Mi Mover or OnePlus Clone Phone.

  10. After setup
    • Open Play Store, go to your profile > Manage apps & device > Manage, check for anything not installed.
    • Open banking and authenticator apps and re‑login. Many do not restore sessions for security.
    • Check Photos, Contacts, Messages, Files, to verify nothing is missing before you wipe the old phone.

If you follow the Google transfer screen on first boot and have backup on, you keep almost everything with minimal hassle.

3

Couple of extra angles to think about that @hoshikuzu didn’t really get into:

  1. Decide what you don’t want to transfer
    Everyone obsesses over “how do I bring everything,” but honestly, dragging 5 years of junk apps and cached crap to a new phone kinda defeats the point of a “fresh start.”
    On the Google transfer screen, don’t blindly hit “All apps.”
  • Deselect games you never open
  • Skip old airline / event / food apps you used once
    You’ll end up with a faster, cleaner phone and fewer random notifications.
  1. Use multiple safety nets instead of trusting a single tool
    I wouldn’t rely only on Google’s built in transfer, even though it’s decent. Before you start:
  • Manually export your contacts to a .vcf file (Contacts app > Export). Save that to Drive or email it to yourself. If sync glitches, you still have a file.
  • For super important photos, copy your DCIM folder to a PC or external drive, not just Google Photos. Cloud is great until your Wi Fi dies halfway or you’re on the wrong account.
  • Important documents: move them into a “To move” folder and upload to Drive/Dropbox so you know exactly where they are.
  1. Authenticator / 2FA apps are the trap
    This is where most people get burned:
  • Google Authenticator: recent versions support cloud sync, but if that is not on, you must move them manually by exporting QR codes.
  • Microsoft Authenticator, Authy, etc: follow the in app migration flow before you wipe the old phone.
    Do this before you even start the main phone transfer, or you’ll lock yourself out of stuff like bank and email.
  1. Messaging apps that don’t behave nicely
    WhatsApp is covered by @hoshikuzu, but:
  • Signal: use “Transfer account” from within Signal while you still have both phones. It uses local direct transfer and will not pull from backup like WhatsApp.
  • RCS / Google Messages: most of the time the Google transfer brings them over, but if your carrier app is involved, some messages might live in their own store and not port. Do not factory reset the old device until you confirm your current threads look complete.
  1. Launcher & layout weirdness
    Even if the system says it is copying your home screen, different manufacturers handle this differently. If your old phone uses a third party launcher (Nova, Niagara, etc):
  • Export the launcher backup from inside the launcher settings
  • Save the backup file to cloud or external storage
    On the new phone, install the same launcher and import that backup. This is way more reliable than hoping the system understands your custom layout.
  1. Check “hidden” storage hogs before moving
    On the old phone, open Settings > Storage and see what’s huge:
  • If some game has 15 GB of cached data, realize that most of that will not meaningfully restore anyway. You’ll just redownload when you reinstall the game. Might as well uninstall now.
  • Clear Downloads and old screen recordings so you don’t copy junk.
  1. For SD card users
    If your old phone has a microSD card:
  • Photos, music, and offline media are usually there already. Just put the card in the new phone.
  • But don’t assume app data on SD will magically work on the new phone. Most modern apps expect internal storage and will treat the new device as clean. So treat SD as media only, not as a full backup.
  1. Do a “post transfer audit” before erasing the old phone
    This is the boring part, but it saves you:
    On the new phone, one by one quickly open:
  • Photos / Gallery: scroll way back to check old years exist
  • Contacts: search for a few specific people you absolutely need
  • Messages: confirm old threads and older dates exist
  • Files: open Downloads / Documents and see if work or school files are there
  • Banking / money apps / 2FA: confirm you can log in successfully
    Only after that, put the old phone in airplane mode and put it in a drawer for a week. If you realize you missed something, you still have it. Factory reset it later.
  1. If you’re switching brands (like Xiaomi to Samsung or Pixel)
    Manufacturer tools (Smart Switch, Clone Phone, Mi Mover) are nice, but mixing them with Google transfer sometimes creates duplicates or weirdness. Personally:
  • Let Google handle the initial account / app restore
  • Use the brand’s tool only for what Google does poorly on that brand (for Samsung, Smart Switch is pretty solid for SMS and app arrangement, but I still avoid letting it re download everything that Google already restored).

If you do all that, losing important stuff is actually pretty hard. The real threat is not data loss, it’s migrating 6 years of digital hoarding and then wondering why your shiny new phone feels like the same cluttered mess as the old one.