Use Move to iOS during setup
The transfer happens during the new iPhone's initial setup, not afterwards. On the Apps & Data screen choose Move Data from Android, then install the Move to iOS app on the Android phone from Google Play and follow the code it displays.
If your iPhone is already set up, you have to erase it to get back to that screen: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings. Do the transfer first and save yourself the round trip.
What it brings across
Contacts, message history, camera photos and videos, photo albums, files and folders, accessibility and display settings, web bookmarks, mail accounts, WhatsApp messages and media, and calendars. It also suggests free App Store equivalents for the Android apps you had.
Both devices need to stay on the same Wi-Fi network, plugged in, with the screens on, until it finishes. Expect anywhere from twenty minutes to a couple of hours.
What does not come across
Paid Android apps do not transfer — App Store and Google Play are separate purchases, and you buy again. Music and video bought from Google Play do not move, though anything from a streaming subscription simply reappears when you sign in.
DRM-protected content, some app data, and passwords stored in Google's password manager also stay behind. Export or note anything you need before wiping the Android phone.
WhatsApp and other messaging apps
WhatsApp chat history transfers through Move to iOS, but only during setup and only in that flow — there is no way to do it later without third-party tools of varying honesty. Make sure WhatsApp is up to date on the Android phone first.
Signal, Telegram and most others have their own migration or cloud-restore processes and are worth handling individually before you hand the old phone on.
Two-factor authentication first
If you use an authenticator app on the Android phone, move or export those codes before anything else. Google Authenticator has a transfer flow; others vary; some require you to re-enrol each account manually from the service side.
Getting locked out of your own accounts is the worst outcome of a switch, and it is entirely avoidable with twenty minutes of preparation.
After the move
Sign into your Apple Account, then set up iCloud Backup so the new phone is protected — Settings → your name → iCloud → iCloud Backup. Our iCloud backup guide covers it.
Keep the Android phone for a couple of weeks. Things you only use monthly are exactly the things you will discover did not come across.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I transfer from Android to iPhone?
Use the Move to iOS app during the iPhone's initial setup, choosing Move Data from Android on the Apps & Data screen.
Can I use Move to iOS after setting up my iPhone?
No. It only runs during initial setup, so you would have to erase the iPhone and start again.
Do paid Android apps transfer to iPhone?
No. App Store and Google Play purchases are separate, so paid apps must be bought again.
Does WhatsApp history transfer from Android to iPhone?
Yes, through Move to iOS during setup. There is no supported way to do it after setup is complete.