How do I transfer everything from my iPhone to my Samsung?

Quick Answer

There are a few different ways to transfer data from an iPhone to a Samsung device. The easiest options are:

Use the Smart Switch app to wirelessly transfer contacts, photos, videos, calendar info, messages and more.
Connect both devices with a cable and use Smart Switch to transfer data.

Back up iPhone data to iCloud, then restore to the new Samsung device.
Use Google Drive or Dropbox to sync photos, videos, contacts, calendar and files.

Read on for step-by-step instructions on each method. The best options depend on how much data you need to transfer, what types, and whether you have the correct cables available.

Use Smart Switch to Wirelessly Transfer Data

Samsung Smart Switch is an official app made by Samsung specifically to help users transfer data from their old device, whether iPhone or a different brand of Android, to a new Samsung Galaxy device.

One of the easiest ways to use Smart Switch is wirelessly over Wi-Fi. Here’s how:

On your iPhone, back up your data to iCloud.

On your Samsung, download the Smart Switch app from the Google Play Store.
Open Smart Switch on your Samsung and select “iPhone” under “Get data from an old device.”
On your iPhone, go to Settings > General and tap “Send Diagnostic Data to Samsung.” This will make your iPhone discoverable by Smart Switch.

On your Samsung, Smart Switch will find your iPhone and show you a list of data types to transfer.
Select the data you want to transfer, such as contacts, photos, calendar events, and hit “Transfer.”
The app will transfer the data wirelessly from your iPhone to your new Samsung device.

Smart Switch transfers data right from your old iPhone so you don’t have to restore an iCloud backup. It transfers a wide variety of data types, making it more comprehensive than syncing to the cloud.

However, there are a couple downsides. The wireless transfer can be slow depending on your Wi-Fi connection. And you need to have both devices together to do the wireless transfer.

Use Smart Switch With a Cable

Another option is to connect your iPhone and new Samsung device directly with the included USB-C cable that came with your Samsung.

To transfer with a cable:

On your iPhone, back up your data to iCloud first.
On your Samsung, download and install Smart Switch.

Connect your iPhone to your Samsung using the USB-C cable.
Open Smart Switch on your Samsung and select “Connected devices.”
Select your iPhone and then tap “Transfer data.”

Pick the data types to import, such as contacts, messages, photos, videos, and calendars.
Tap “Transfer” and Smart Switch will move the data to your new phone.

Transferring data with a cable is generally faster than wirelessly if you have a lot of photos and videos to move. However, you need the correct cable and adapter to connect your iPhone to your Samsung device.

Restore from iCloud Backup

If you regularly back up your iPhone to iCloud, you can easily restore from your iCloud backup after setting up your new Samsung device instead of using Smart Switch.

To restore an iCloud backup:

On your iPhone, make sure you do a full iCloud backup.

On your Samsung, finish the setup process and connect to Wi-Fi.
Open Settings and tap Accounts and Backup > Manage Accounts.
Tap Add Account > Apple.

Enter your Apple ID and password to sign in.
Follow the on-screen steps to choose the iCloud backup to restore from. This will transfer your contacts, photos, calendars, device settings and more.

The main benefit of using iCloud is that it’s easy and integrated with Samsung’s setup process. You don’t have to download any extra apps.

However, Smart Switch transfers a wider variety of data types that iCloud does not back up, like your call logs, messages, app data, and system settings. You’ll have to reinstall all your apps manually after restoring an iCloud backup.

Sync Photos and Files Through the Cloud

If you mainly want to transfer just your photos, videos, files, contacts, and calendars from iPhone to Samsung, a cloud storage service like Google Drive or Dropbox can work well.

Here’s how to sync iPhone data to the cloud:

Install the Google Drive or Dropbox app on your iPhone.
Sign in with your Google or Dropbox account.
Enable auto-sync for contacts, calendar, photos/videos, and files.

On your Samsung, sign into the same Google Drive or Dropbox account.
The synced content will download to your new device.

This method is best if you don’t need to transfer everything, just your main personal data. An additional benefit is that everything will remain synced between devices going forward.

Summary Comparison of Transfer Methods

Method	Pros	Cons
Smart Switch Wireless	Transfers many data types No cables required	Can be slow depending on WiFi Need both devices together
Smart Switch Wired	Fast transfer speed Transfers many data types	Need correct cable and adapter
iCloud Restore	Simple integrated restore	Doesn’t transfer all data types Must reinstall apps
Cloud Sync	Only transfers needed data Keeps data synced	Limited data types Must wait for upload/download

Step-by-Step Guide for Each Transfer Method

Here are more detailed instructions for using each of the main iPhone to Samsung transfer methods:

Smart Switch Wireless Transfer

To use Smart Switch to wirelessly transfer data from iPhone to Samsung:

Back up iPhone data – On your iPhone, back up your data to iCloud to have a backup available just in case. Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap “Back Up Now”.

Download Smart Switch – On your Samsung Galaxy device, open the Google Play Store app and search for “Smart Switch”. Download and install the Smart Switch app.
Open Smart Switch – Open the Smart Switch app on your Samsung device. Tap “Get data from an old device” and then tap “iPhone”.
Make iPhone discoverable – On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > About and tap “Send Diagnostic Data to Samsung”. This will make your iPhone discoverable by Smart Switch.

Select data to transfer – Smart Switch will find your iPhone and show a list of data types to transfer. Select the data you want to transfer such as contacts, photos, videos, calendars, call logs, messages, music, documents, application data, and more.
Start wireless transfer – Tap “Transfer” in Smart Switch. It will now transfer all the selected data wirelessly from your iPhone to your Samsung device over Wi-Fi.
Check transferred data – Once finished, check your apps and photo gallery on the Samsung to make sure everything transferred properly.

The wireless transfer may take a while depending on how much data you are transferring and your Wi-Fi connection speeds. Make sure both devices stay nearby and remain on during the process.

Smart Switch Wired Transfer

To transfer data from an iPhone to Samsung Galaxy device using a direct USB-C cable connection:

Back up iPhone – On your iPhone, back up to iCloud so you have a backup available if needed.

Download Smart Switch – On your Samsung, download Smart Switch from the Google Play Store and open the app.
Connect phones – Use your Samsung’s included USB-C cable and connect your iPhone to your Samsung. You may need an adapter or dongle for your iPhone’s charging port.
Open Smart Switch – In Smart Switch, tap “Connected devices” and select your iPhone.

Select data to transfer – Select the data you want to transfer like contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, documents, app data, and more.
Start data transfer – Tap “Transfer” and Smart Switch will transfer the data directly from your iPhone to your Samsung device.
Check transferred data – Once complete, check that contacts, photos, and other data transferred correctly onto your Galaxy device.

The wired data transfer process will be faster than wireless since it uses a direct connection. Make sure you have the required cable and adapter ready first.

Restore iPhone iCloud Backup to Samsung

To transfer data by restoring an iCloud backup from iPhone to your new Samsung Galaxy device:

Back up iPhone to iCloud – On your iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Tap “Back Up Now” to do a full backup.

Set up new Samsung – On your Samsung Galaxy device, complete the setup process including connecting to Wi-Fi.
Add Apple account – Go to Settings > Accounts and Backup > Manage accounts. Tap Add account > Apple. Enter your Apple ID and password.
Choose backup to restore – Follow the steps to select the iCloud backup associated with your iPhone. Pick a recent backup that has your latest data.

Restore iCloud backup – Your Samsung device will restore contacts, photos, calendars, settings and other data from your iCloud backup.
Check restored data – Once the restore finishes, check your photos, contacts and other apps to make sure your data transferred correctly.

Restoring an iCloud backup is simple since it’s integrated with Samsung’s device setup process. However, it will not transfer all data types that Smart Switch can.

Sync iPhone Photos, Contacts and Calendar to Samsung

To sync your main personal data from iPhone to Samsung using cloud storage:

Install Google Drive – On your iPhone, download the Google Drive app from the App Store and sign into your Google account.
Enable auto-sync – In Google Drive, tap the menu icon ≡ and turn on auto-sync for Contacts, Calendar, and Photos.

Set up Google Drive on Samsung – On your new Galaxy device, sign into the same Google account in Google Drive.
Check synced data – Contacts, calendar events, and photos from your iPhone will automatically sync to your new device.
Transfer files – You can also upload files/folders on your iPhone to Google Drive and access them on your Samsung.

Similar steps apply for Dropbox or other cloud storage services. The auto-sync and cloud upload features provide an easy way to transfer your main personal data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are answers to some common questions about transferring data from iPhone to Samsung Galaxy devices:

Does Smart Switch transfer everything from my iPhone?

Smart Switch can transfer a wide variety of data types, but not necessarily everything. For example, it does not transfer over all app data or settings. Some types of data like Health app data also do not transfer over. So you may need to reconfigure some apps manually after transferring.

Is Smart Switch transfer safe for my data?

Yes, using Samsung Smart Switch is a safe process that will not delete or modify data on your iPhone. It simply copies data to your new device. However, it’s always smart to back up important iPhone data to iCloud or iTunes before transferring, just in case.

Do I need to delete data on my iPhone before transferring to Samsung?

No, you can transfer data to your Samsung device without needing to delete anything on the iPhone. The iPhone data remains intact after the transfer. You can later manually delete any leftover data on the iPhone that you no longer need.

Does Smart Switch work between any iPhone and Samsung models?

Smart Switch is designed to work with most recent models of Samsung Galaxy and iPhone devices. However, very old device models may not be fully supported. As long as both devices are relatively modern, Smart Switch should function correctly.

What types of data can I transfer from iPhone to Samsung?

Smart Switch can transfer contacts, messages, call history, photos, videos, music, documents, calendar events, reminders, notes, browser bookmarks, and some app data between devices. The exact types of app data that can transfer over will vary.

Can I transfer paid iOS apps to Samsung?

Unfortunately, you cannot transfer paid iOS apps and simply continue using them on a Samsung device. You will need to re-purchase any paid apps from the Google Play Store that you want to use on the Samsung device. App purchase histories do not transfer between iOS and Android platforms.

How long does it take to transfer data from iPhone to Samsung?

The transfer time will depend on the amount of data and the transfer method:

– Smart Switch wireless – Can take 20+ minutes for large transfers
– Smart Switch wired – Usually 5-15 minutes
– iCloud restore – Up to 1-2 hours
– Cloud sync – Varies based on upload speed

For large transfers, expect it to take a significant amount of time and plan accordingly. The wired Smart Switch method will be noticeably faster than wireless.

Can I transfer data from Samsung to iPhone?

Yes, Smart Switch also allows you to transfer contacts, photos, music, documents, and other data from a Samsung phone to a new iPhone. The process is very similar – you install the Smart Switch app on your iPhone and then connect the devices to transfer over the data.

Transferring Data from iPhone to Samsung – Conclusion

Migrating all of your personal data from an old iPhone to a new Samsung Galaxy device can seem daunting. Thankfully, Samsung provides the Smart Switch app to help automate much of the process and get you up and running quickly.

If you mainly need to move over contacts, photos, calendar events, and files, syncing to the cloud is also an easy option. Just make sure to do a full iPhone backup to iCloud or iTunes so all your data stays safe throughout the transition.

With a combo of Smart Switch transfers and some manual app re-installation, you’ll be all set up and enjoying your new Samsung device in no time. Seamlessly transferring your data allows you to fully switch platforms and start benefiting from the great features available in the latest Samsung Galaxy phones and tablets.