The first thing you worry about when changing phones is to transfer the phone book, in order not to lose the stored phone numbers.
The contact list, however, could be saved in three different positions within a smartphone: in the phone memory, in the SIM card or in the account used in the configuration of the mobile phone, Google for Android smartphones, iCloud Apple for iPhone.
In this speech we must also consider that when you change your phone, because you buy a new one, you can be forced to change the SIM card as it is not said that the old one is compatible with the new phone.
While most new smartphones use the NanoSIM, there are also many models with MicroSIM card or traditional large SIM.
In any case, to transfer contacts from one phone to another, whether you change SIM or leave the same, there are two basic options that can be covered in parallel: manual and automatic transfer .
The guide also disregards the model of the phone used, therefore applies to Samsung, Huawei, iPhone and any other smartphone, using a method that is good for everyone.
First of all we must consider that when you go to set up a new Android phone or an iPhone you are asked to log in, respectively, with a Google account or an Apple account.
In the event that the old phone is an Android smartphone, you must log in to the new one with the same Google account and the same if you are facing the transfer from one iPhone to another.
On the old Android phone, you must therefore go to Settings> Accounts> Google and make sure that the address book synchronization is active and has a recent date.
Synchronization creates an online copy of the address book, so you can then automatically recover it by logging in on the new smartphone with the same Google account.
Using Google accounts, it is easy to transfer and save Android contacts and synchronize the address book.
This step is automatic if you change your phone from an old iPhone to a new one, through the same iCloud account.
To check, go to Settings> Apple ID> iCloud
In the event that you switch from an old smartphone to a new iPhone, the recovery of the contact list can be done using the same Google account as explained in the guide to transfer contacts and numbers from Android to iPhone.
In the case of moving from iPhone to Android, you can use some apps to synchronize contacts from iPhone (iCloud) on Android.
All this synchronization mechanism works even if you lose your phone or if it breaks and is no longer usable.
The problem with synchronizing contacts via Google or iCloud accounts is that it may fail or not be complete as appropriate.
For example, the Contacts app on the phone may have been configured to save numbers on the SIM or in the phone memory.
For this reason, when you change your phone and move or change your SIM card, it is always better to transfer the entire address book even manually.
To transfer contacts manually from an Android smartphone you need to open the address book in the old phone, go to the settings to find the option that exports the contacts to a VCF file.
In case you do not find this option or if you have difficulties, it is better to download the Google Contacts app .
The Google Contacts app allows you to open a side menu by tapping the three-line options button at the top left to find the settings.
In the Settings, scroll down until you find the contact management section and tap on Export to create a VCF file.
The file is saved in the phone's Downloads folder.
If the phone with the contacts to be transferred is an iPhone you can do the same operation by installing an external app like My Contacts Backup, which is free to transfer up to 500 contacts.
The operation to export the iPhone address book to VCF file is possible by going to the icloud.com website, logging into your account and using the option to export the address book to a vCard, which would be the VCF file.
To transfer this VCF or vCard file you can upload it to Google Drive, or to Dropbox or even send it by email to yourself in order to then recover it from the new phone.
If the new phone is a smartphone with Android system, you can use the option to import contacts via VCF file located in the phone's contacts app .
Also on the new Android smartphone it is convenient to install the Google Contacts app for easy import.
In the case of the iPhone, however, it is possible to import the VCF file via the iCloud website (using the option to import vCard) or directly from the iPhone, by opening the VCF file that we sent to us via email or via Dropbox or via Google Drive.
To open the VCF Vcard file on iPhone you need to download the file and then use the sharing function (the arrow icon upwards) on Import with contacts .
This should cover all cases of contact transfer between two phones, even if you change the SIM card.
Keep in mind that almost every Android smartphone has its own application for transferring and importing data, which I would not use unless the new phone is of the same brand.
For example if you need to transfer contacts between two Samsung phones or two Huawei phones, the proprietary app will work well.
READ ALSO:
- Switch from Android to iOS and transfer data to iPhone
- Transfer phonebook, photos and apps from iPhone to Android on the new smartphone
The contact list, however, could be saved in three different positions within a smartphone: in the phone memory, in the SIM card or in the account used in the configuration of the mobile phone, Google for Android smartphones, iCloud Apple for iPhone.
In this speech we must also consider that when you change your phone, because you buy a new one, you can be forced to change the SIM card as it is not said that the old one is compatible with the new phone.
While most new smartphones use the NanoSIM, there are also many models with MicroSIM card or traditional large SIM.
In any case, to transfer contacts from one phone to another, whether you change SIM or leave the same, there are two basic options that can be covered in parallel: manual and automatic transfer .
The guide also disregards the model of the phone used, therefore applies to Samsung, Huawei, iPhone and any other smartphone, using a method that is good for everyone.
First of all we must consider that when you go to set up a new Android phone or an iPhone you are asked to log in, respectively, with a Google account or an Apple account.
In the event that the old phone is an Android smartphone, you must log in to the new one with the same Google account and the same if you are facing the transfer from one iPhone to another.
On the old Android phone, you must therefore go to Settings> Accounts> Google and make sure that the address book synchronization is active and has a recent date.
Synchronization creates an online copy of the address book, so you can then automatically recover it by logging in on the new smartphone with the same Google account.
Using Google accounts, it is easy to transfer and save Android contacts and synchronize the address book.
This step is automatic if you change your phone from an old iPhone to a new one, through the same iCloud account.
To check, go to Settings> Apple ID> iCloud
In the event that you switch from an old smartphone to a new iPhone, the recovery of the contact list can be done using the same Google account as explained in the guide to transfer contacts and numbers from Android to iPhone.
In the case of moving from iPhone to Android, you can use some apps to synchronize contacts from iPhone (iCloud) on Android.
All this synchronization mechanism works even if you lose your phone or if it breaks and is no longer usable.
The problem with synchronizing contacts via Google or iCloud accounts is that it may fail or not be complete as appropriate.
For example, the Contacts app on the phone may have been configured to save numbers on the SIM or in the phone memory.
For this reason, when you change your phone and move or change your SIM card, it is always better to transfer the entire address book even manually.
To transfer contacts manually from an Android smartphone you need to open the address book in the old phone, go to the settings to find the option that exports the contacts to a VCF file.
In case you do not find this option or if you have difficulties, it is better to download the Google Contacts app .
The Google Contacts app allows you to open a side menu by tapping the three-line options button at the top left to find the settings.
In the Settings, scroll down until you find the contact management section and tap on Export to create a VCF file.
The file is saved in the phone's Downloads folder.
If the phone with the contacts to be transferred is an iPhone you can do the same operation by installing an external app like My Contacts Backup, which is free to transfer up to 500 contacts.
The operation to export the iPhone address book to VCF file is possible by going to the icloud.com website, logging into your account and using the option to export the address book to a vCard, which would be the VCF file.
To transfer this VCF or vCard file you can upload it to Google Drive, or to Dropbox or even send it by email to yourself in order to then recover it from the new phone.
If the new phone is a smartphone with Android system, you can use the option to import contacts via VCF file located in the phone's contacts app .
Also on the new Android smartphone it is convenient to install the Google Contacts app for easy import.
In the case of the iPhone, however, it is possible to import the VCF file via the iCloud website (using the option to import vCard) or directly from the iPhone, by opening the VCF file that we sent to us via email or via Dropbox or via Google Drive.
To open the VCF Vcard file on iPhone you need to download the file and then use the sharing function (the arrow icon upwards) on Import with contacts .
This should cover all cases of contact transfer between two phones, even if you change the SIM card.
Keep in mind that almost every Android smartphone has its own application for transferring and importing data, which I would not use unless the new phone is of the same brand.
For example if you need to transfer contacts between two Samsung phones or two Huawei phones, the proprietary app will work well.
READ ALSO:
- Switch from Android to iOS and transfer data to iPhone
- Transfer phonebook, photos and apps from iPhone to Android on the new smartphone
