Bought a new phone, but worried about leaving your photos, contacts and WhatsApp chats behind?
You can transfer data to a new phone using tools already provided by Apple, Google or Samsung. The right method depends on whether you are moving between Android phones, between iPhones or switching from one to the other.
Keep your old phone until you have checked the new one. No transfer method promises to move every app, account and file. Here is how to move the important things and check what needs extra attention.
1. Get Both Phones Ready
- Charge both phones and have their chargers nearby.
- Connect to reliable Wi-Fi and check that the new phone has enough storage.
- Update the phones and transfer apps where supported.
- Make a fresh backup and check that it has finished.
- Make sure you know your Google or Apple Account password and can receive verification codes.
- Keep the old phone’s screen-lock code and any backup recovery details available to you.
Cloud backups and app downloads can use a lot of data. If you use a mobile hotspot, check your data allowance before starting.
If you are still choosing a device, see our guide to buying new iPhones and Samsung phones in Ghana.
2. Transfer Data from Android to Android
Start the transfer while setting up the new Android phone. Menu names differ by brand and software version.
- Turn on the new phone and connect to Wi-Fi.
- When asked to copy apps and data, choose the copy option.
- Connect the phones with a compatible data cable, or follow the wireless transfer instructions offered on screen.
- Unlock the old phone, confirm the connection and sign in to your Google Account when asked.
- Choose the data you want and wait for both phones to finish.
Google’s setup process can copy contacts, photos, videos, messages and supported apps and app data. Downloads, hidden folders and some app data may need separate handling. Follow Google’s Android-to-Android guide for your setup options.
Moving to a Samsung Galaxy?
You can use Samsung Smart Switch. Open it on the new Galaxy, choose to receive data, select the old phone type and follow the cable or wireless instructions.
Review the categories offered before copying. Supported content depends on the devices, so check secure folders and important app data separately rather than assuming they moved.
3. Transfer Data from iPhone to iPhone
Use Apple Quick Start to set up the new iPhone from your current one.
- Connect the old iPhone to Wi-Fi, turn on Bluetooth and unlock it.
- Turn on the new iPhone and place it beside the old one.
- Follow the setup prompt and enter your old phone’s passcode when requested.
- Set up Face ID or Touch ID and choose direct transfer or downloading from iCloud.
- Keep the phones nearby and connected to power until the process finishes.
With a direct transfer, wait for both devices to finish before using them. With iCloud, apps and other content may continue downloading in the background. Check your photos and files after those downloads finish.
4. Transfer Data from Android to iPhone
A common option is Apple’s Move to iOS app. Some compatible newer devices also offer an app-free transfer; follow the option shown during setup.
- During iPhone setup, open the screen for transferring apps and data and choose From Android.
- For the app method, open the official Move to iOS app on the Android phone.
- Follow the prompts and enter the connection code shown on the iPhone.
- Choose the supported content you want to move, including WhatsApp if offered.
- Leave both phones alone until the iPhone’s progress bar finishes, then complete setup.
If you already finished setting up the iPhone, this setup method may require erasing the new iPhone and starting again. Save anything newly created on it first, or use Apple’s manual-transfer guidance instead.
Some files and apps need separate attention. Do not assume an Android app purchase also gives you the paid iPhone version.
5. Transfer Data from iPhone to Android
Start with the copy-data option during Android setup and select iPhone or iPad. Follow Google’s iPhone-to-Android instructions; available methods differ between devices.
- Connect the phones using the cable or pairing method requested by the new Android phone.
- Unlock the iPhone and approve the connection when prompted.
- Sign in to your Google Account and choose the supported data to copy.
- Keep the devices connected until the transfer completes.
Turn off iMessage on the old iPhone when switching your number to Android so messages can reach you correctly. Check photos stored only in iCloud separately: seeing them on the old phone does not necessarily mean their full files were copied.
For WhatsApp, use the separate process below. A general phone transfer is not proof that your chats have moved.
6. Move Your WhatsApp Chats
Use the same phone number for the transfer. If you are changing numbers, complete WhatsApp’s Change Number process on the old phone first. Keep access to the number needed for verification.
Android to Android
On the old phone, open WhatsApp → Settings → Chats → Chat backup and complete a backup. On the new phone, use the same Google Account and phone number, then restore when prompted, or choose the direct transfer option if available.
See Google’s WhatsApp transfer guide. Old and newly created chat histories cannot simply be merged, so transfer before starting new conversations on the new phone.
iPhone to iPhone
Use WhatsApp’s offered iPhone chat-transfer process or restore its iCloud chat backup with the matching account and phone number. Check the latest instructions in WhatsApp’s changing-phones guide before starting.
Android to iPhone
Use the supported WhatsApp transfer within the Move to iOS process. A Google Account WhatsApp backup cannot be restored on an iPhone as though it were an iCloud backup.
iPhone to Android
Follow the official iPhone-to-Android WhatsApp process, which requires a compatible cable. Depending on your device, the WhatsApp step appears during setup or through the phone’s transfer settings afterwards.
Do not start using WhatsApp on the new Android before completing the transfer. Open several old chats and media files afterwards; WhatsApp Business users should check the instructions for their specific app.
7. Check Photos, Contacts and Downloaded Files
Open a few old photos, play some videos and search for important contacts on the new phone. Check both recent items and older ones.
Look through Downloads, Documents, voice recordings, notes and any memory card. Copy missing files using the phone maker’s supported tools, your computer or a trusted storage service.
A thumbnail alone is not proof that a full photo is saved locally. If you need files offline, open them without an internet connection after downloading them.
8. Move Passwords and Authenticator Codes
If you use a password manager, install its official app or enable the supported password service on the new phone. Sign in and test a few important accounts before handing over the old device.
When switching between Apple and Android, password and passkey availability can differ. Follow your password manager’s migration instructions rather than assuming the phone-copy tool handles everything.
Google Authenticator
If your codes are saved to your Google Account in Authenticator, signing into that same account in the new app syncs them. If you use it without an account, use the old app’s Transfer codes → Export codes option, then scan the displayed codes using Transfer codes → Import codes on the new phone.
Follow Google’s Authenticator guide and test a login. Keep the transfer QR codes private and store account recovery codes somewhere safe; other authenticator apps have their own migration processes.
9. Set Up Your SIM, Banking and Payment Apps
Moving phone data and moving your mobile number are separate tasks. Transfer a compatible physical SIM, or follow your network’s supported eSIM activation process.
Check that calls, text messages and verification codes reach the new phone. Re-register banking and mobile money apps where required, using the provider’s official instructions.
Do not give a shop attendant your banking password, MoMo PIN or verification codes. If you need help, enter these details yourself and stay with your phone. Read our mobile money safety guide for more practical checks.
10. Check Everything Before Resetting Your Old Phone
- Your important photos, videos, contacts and documents are available.
- WhatsApp chats and media have transferred.
- You can sign in to email, your password manager and important apps.
- Authenticator codes and recovery methods work.
- Calls and text messages reach the new phone.
- You have a fresh backup of the new phone.
Keep the old phone securely stored until you are satisfied. If you plan to sell or give it away, follow the manufacturer’s sign-out and factory-reset instructions, remove your SIM and memory card, and check the eSIM removal options.
Do not tidy the old phone by manually deleting cloud-synced photos or contacts. Those deletions can also remove the copies you want to keep. Apple explains the safe process in its guide to selling or giving away an iPhone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I transfer everything to a new phone?
Usually you can move much of your everyday data, but app logins, downloaded content and some protected data need extra steps. Use the checklist above rather than relying only on a “transfer complete” message.
Can I transfer data after setting up the new phone?
Some phones offer this, while others require setup to be repeated for certain transfers. Check your model’s instructions first, and back up anything on the new phone before considering a reset.
What if my old phone is broken or missing?
You may be able to restore an existing cloud or computer backup. Data stored only on the missing or damaged phone may be unavailable; use official account-recovery options if you cannot receive login codes.
How long does a phone transfer take?
Allow plenty of time. The amount of data, connection and device speeds matter, and app or photo downloads may continue after the main transfer finishes.
Enjoy Your New Phone
Transfer first, check the important things and erase the old phone only when you are ready. A few careful checks now can save you from losing photos or getting locked out of an account.
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