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Moving to a New Android Phone: What Transfers and What Does Not

Moving to a new Android phone: what setup copies across, what it leaves behind, such as downloads and some app data, and a checklist before resetting.

By Published 3 min read

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Key takeaways

  • Android copies apps and certain app data, photos, videos, music, phone contacts, texts, call history, wallpaper and most settings during setup.
  • Google lists what will not copy, including downloads such as PDF files, apps not from Google Play and data from apps that do not use Android backup.
  • Google recommends transferring during setup, because the option may not be available afterwards, and says you can only do it once.
  • Transfers can take from a few minutes to a few hours, so charge both phones and connect them to Wi-Fi.
  • Before resetting the old phone, open each important app on the new one and check your data is there.

A new phone is exciting until you discover what did not come across. Android's setup can copy most of your phone in one go, but Google's own help lists what it leaves behind, and some of those gaps matter, especially for apps that keep your data only on the device. This guide covers how the transfer works, what moves and what does not, and a checklist before you reset the old phone.

Before you start

Google's help gives a short preparation list:

  1. Charge both phones.
  2. Make sure you can unlock the old phone with its PIN, pattern or password.
  3. Sign in to your Google Account on the old phone, which Google says transfers the most data.
  4. Back up your data.
  5. Connect to Wi-Fi; Google says you need an internet connection, and recommends Wi-Fi for both phones.
  6. Set aside time: a transfer can take from a few minutes to a few hours.
  7. Check storage on the new phone; if space is short, you can choose what to transfer.

The transfer, step by step

When the new phone asks whether to set up using another device, choose Android device. Google describes scanning a QR code to pair the phones, entering the old phone's PIN, pattern or password to bring over Wi-Fi credentials and Google accounts, then choosing to copy apps and data and selecting what to bring. A cable or a wireless connection both work, and Google says both methods support the same data.

Two rules are easy to miss. Google says you can only perform the data transfer once, and recommends doing it during setup, because the option may not be available afterwards. And if an organisation such as a school or employer manages the phone, you may not be able to transfer everything.

What copies and what does not

Google lists both sides:

Copies during setup Does not copy during setup
Apps and certain app data Downloads, such as PDF files
Music, photos and videos Photos, videos and music in hidden folders
Contacts stored on the phone or SIM Apps not from the Google Play Store
Text messages and their multimedia Data from apps that do not use Android backup
Call history Accounts other than Google Accounts, and their data
Wallpaper Contacts and calendars synced to services other than Google
Most phone settings Ringtones and certain settings

Two lines on the right deserve particular attention before you switch: downloads, and data from apps that do not use Android backup. A folder of downloaded PDFs, such as tickets, statements or scanned forms, stays on the old phone unless you move it yourself, for example to cloud storage or a computer.

Apps that keep data only on your phone

Google's list draws the line at Android backup: apps and certain app data copy, but data from apps that do not use Android backup will not. Some apps have their own route instead. Google's example is WhatsApp: chats and data are restored from the cloud after you sign in on the new phone, but only if WhatsApp backups were turned on on the old one. So before you switch, check each important app for one of three things: its own cloud backup or account, an export option, or nothing at all.

Our own Protein Diet Tracker has no account: it stores entries locally on your device rather than on our servers, and there is no cloud sync between phones. If you use an app like that, open it on the new phone before resetting the old one and check that your history is there.

A worked example: a switch checklist

You are moving phones on Saturday. On Friday evening: back up, move your Downloads folder of PDFs to cloud storage, note which apps hold on-device data, turn on any in-app backups such as WhatsApp's, and charge both phones. On Saturday: run the transfer during setup, then open your messaging app, notes, tracker apps and photos on the new phone. Only when everything checks out, and ideally after a few days of using the new phone, sign the old one out of your accounts and reset it.

After the move

Update your apps on the new phone; updating apps on Android explains automatic updates. If the new phone fills up fast, freeing up storage on Android helps, and PDF All in One Tool No Limit can compress the PDFs you brought across. If you track nutrition, how to track protein intake covers getting a new routine going. Protein Diet Tracker sits with our health and nutrition apps.

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

What does not transfer to a new Android phone?
Google's list includes downloads such as PDF files, photos, videos and music in hidden folders, apps not from the Google Play Store, data from apps that do not use Android backup, non-Google accounts and their data, contacts and calendars synced elsewhere, ringtones and certain settings.
Can you transfer data after setting up a new Android phone?
Possibly not. Google says you can only perform the data transfer once and recommends doing it during setup, as the option may not be available afterwards. Google's help notes that Samsung devices offer their own transfer options through Samsung Smart Switch.
Will my app data transfer to my new phone?
It depends on the app. Google says apps and certain app data copy during setup, but data from apps that do not use Android backup will not. If an app keeps data only on the phone, check whether it offers its own export before you reset the old one.
How long does an Android data transfer take?
Google says it can take from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on how much data you move. Charge both phones first and keep them connected until setup finishes.

Sources

  1. Copy apps & data from an Android to a new Android device (opens in a new tab)Google Android Help — accessed
  2. Switch to a new Android device (opens in a new tab)Google Android Help — accessed

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