How to Transfer Contacts to a New Android Phone

Difficulty
Beginner
Tested on
Android 15 - Google Pixel 9
You will need
Old Android phone, New Android phone, Stable Wi-Fi connection, Google Account

Step by step

  1. 1 min

    Enable Google Contact Sync on the old device

    Open Settings on your old phone and navigate to Passwords & accounts. Tap your Google Account, select Account sync, and ensure the Contacts toggle is switched to the On position. Wait for the sync process to complete before proceeding.

    Note: Verify the last sync timestamp under Account sync to ensure your data is current.
  2. 2 min

    Back up device-stored contacts

    If you have contacts saved locally on the SIM or device storage, open the Contacts app. Tap the menu icon (three lines) or your profile icon, select Contacts settings, and tap Import. Choose SIM card or .vcf file to move these contacts into your Google account.

  3. 1 min

    Sign in to the new Android device

    Power on your new phone and follow the on-screen setup prompts. When prompted, sign in with the same Google Account used on your previous device. The system will automatically pull your synced contacts during the initialization phase.

    Note: Ensure the device is connected to Wi-Fi to prevent excessive mobile data usage.
  4. 30 sec

    Confirm contact synchronization

    Once the setup is complete, open the Contacts app on your new device. Tap the profile icon to ensure the correct Google account is selected. Pull down from the top of the contact list to refresh the view and force a sync.

  5. 30 sec

    Merge duplicate contacts

    Navigate to the Fix & manage tab within the Contacts app. Select Merge & fix to identify and consolidate any duplicate entries created during the transfer process. Confirm the merges to clean up your address book.

    Note: This tool is highly effective at identifying contacts with identical names or redundant phone numbers.