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Google’s updated migration tool takes the pain out of iPhone to Android switching

Android Switch tool can now transfer app data, iMessages, passwords, and more

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iPhone 16 Pro and Pixell 9 Pro on top of it.
Prakhar Khanna / Digital Trends

Moving from an iPhone to an Android device has never been the smoothest experience. Apple did introduce some improvements with iOS 26.3, which let users move things like photos, messages, notes, contacts, passwords, and apps wirelessly. Google has now completely revamped the Android Switch, its migration tool, to make the process even more seamless for people making the jump from iOS to Android.

According to Paul Dunlop, Google’s product lead for Onboarding, Settings and Switching on Android, the company has worked closely with Apple to improve the migration experience on Android 17 devices. The update introduces a wireless-first transfer process, support for migrating more types of data, seamless Google Account and eSIM transfers, and new developer tools that can preserve app data when moving between platforms. Here are all the new features coming to Android Switch.

No cables, extra apps, or complicated setup

One of the biggest changes is a new wireless-first migration experience. While Android Switch still supports wired transfers, Google says users no longer need special cables (like a USB-to-lightning cable) or adapters to move their data from an iPhone. The wireless process now offers the same functionality as a wired transfer.

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Shikhar Mehrotra / Digital Trends

The company has also integrated Android Switch directly into the setup process on both Android and iOS. Users no longer need to install separate migration apps or work through additional permission requests before moving their data.

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Another new addition is direct Google Account migration. Users can transfer their Google Account from an iPhone to a new Android device and be signed in automatically during setup. Android Switch can also transfer eSIM information for supported carriers. Wallpapers, home screen layouts, app placement, and accessibility settings can also be carried over.

Messages, passwords, and app data now come across too

The list of supported data types has significantly increased, which now allows passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi credentials, alarms, call history, files and folders, calendar attachments, encrypted RCS messages, and Apple Notes attachments and labels to move through intact.

Back of the iPhone 16 Pro next to the Pixel 9 Pro
Nirave Gondhia / Digital Trends

The company has also upgraded message transfers. SMS, MMS, RCS, and iMessage conversations can all be migrated, including large group chats, stickers, reactions, and conversation threads.

Google says it has also worked with Apple on new migration APIs that allow developers to preserve in-app data when users switch platforms. If supported, users can continue where they left off instead of starting from scratch after reinstalling software on Android.

The feature is currently available on a small percentage of Android 17 devices, with a wider rollout planned over the coming weeks and months. If Google’s claims hold up in real-world use, it could make switching from an iPhone to Android significantly easier than before.

Sudhanshu Kumar Mangalam
Sudhanshu Kumar Mangalam
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I’ve got about 4 years of experience, mostly covering gaming, PC hardware, and smartphones. In my free time, I like…
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