How to move to iOS from Android

Anula Wiwatowska - Offsite Editorial Lead

Last updated 13 July 2021

Sometimes in life we need a big change. A drastic shift in how we do things. Sometimes, that momentous leap is trading Android for iOS.

It sounds petty, but we all know how stubborn we can be when it comes to our mobile phone allegiances. But if you’re here then you’re ready to make the move from Android to iOS, congrats! If you're looking to switch over from Android to iPadOS though, we've got another guide for that.

While moving to iOS from Android can seem daunting, it's actually not that complicated and in fact you can do the vast majority simply by using the app Move to iOS. For the rest, there are simple switches as well. We’ll have you up and running on your new iPhone in no time.

How to transfer contacts from Android to iPhone

and move your camera roll, messages and more

Using Move to iOS, you’re able to transfer your camera roll, messages, Google account information, bookmarks, and transfer contacts from Android to iPhone. It is easily the most holistic way to switch between operating systems.

To move across to iOS from Android, use these steps.

Set up your iPhone until you get to the Apps and Data screen
Pick Move Data from Android
Using your current Android device, download Move to iOS and open it
Tap continue on both phones
On your Android, tap Agree and next
Enter the 12-digit code from your iPhone, where prompted on your Android device
Select what data you want to bring across
Wait (for quite a while), until the data is transferred from your Android to your iPhone
Once completed, finish setting up your iPhone

New phone, new plan!

Got yourself a new iPhone, well now is a good time to switch up your plan! If you bought your iPhone outright then you have your pick of the litter when it comes to SIM-only plans. Below are the most popular SIM-only plans available in Australia right now.

#1	SpinTel	SpinTel 25GB Data No Contract $12/mth Min. cost $12 WhistleOut Special: Enjoy $11 off for the first 6 months for new customers - $12/mth for first 6 months, then $23/mth	100%	Go to Site
#2	Boost Mobile	Boost Mobile 60GB Data $39 Per 28 Day Renewal Min. cost $39 Deal: Get 60GB data on first 6 recharges, then 30GB from 7th recharge. New customers only. Activate by 02.11.26	64%	Go to Site
#3	Tangerine Telecom	Tangerine Telecom 30GB Data No Contract $30/mth Min. cost $15 Deal: 50% off plan fees for 4 months - $15/mth for 4 months then $30/mth. Offer available until withdrawn.	28%	Go to Site
#4	Pivotel	Pivotel 25GB Data No Contract $11.45/mth Min. cost $11.45 Deal: Incl. 50% off - $11.45/mth for first 6 months, then $22.90/mth ongoing. Offer ends 31.10.2026. T&Cs apply.	22%	Go to Site
#5	Dodo	Dodo 40GB Data No Contract $30/mth Min. cost $15 Deal: 50% off for first 4 mths! Get the Medium Mobile Plan for $15/mth for first 4 mths. New and returning mobile customers only. Ends 27.10	19%	Go to Site
#6	Swoop	Swoop 30GB Data No Contract $14/mth Min. cost $14 Deal: Includes $11 off for first 6 months - $14/mth for first 6 months then $25/mth after that. Offer ends 30.06.27	11%	Go to Site
#7	Optus	Optus 100GB Data No Contract $39/mth Min. cost $39 Deal: $39/mth and 100GB/mth for first 12 months, then 60GB/mth and $60/mth or as notified. New services. Ends 12.11.26. Terms apply.	10%	Go to Site
#8	TPG	TPG 30GB Data $15 Per 1 Month Renewal Min. cost $15 Deal: 50% off - $15/mth for first 6 months, then $30/mth ongoing. Available until withdrawn. T&Cs apply.	10%	Link not supplied
#9	felix mobile	felix mobile 25GB Data $30 Per 1 Month Renewal Min. cost $15 Deal: Get 50% off your first 3 mths when you switch to felix. $15/mth for first 3 mths, then $30/mth. Use promo code FELIX50. T+Cs apply	9%	Go to Site
#10	Yomojo	Yomojo 29GB Data $24.90 Per 30 Day Renewal Min. cost $24.90	7%	Link not supplied

Move your Keep Notes to iPhone

For those well ingrained in the Google ecosystem, you’ve probably got your own collection of Keep Notes sitting around. Maybe they’re your workouts, or shopping lists, or a text message you wanted to compose somewhere first out of fear of accidentally pressing send. Maybe you just have a Google Home and still want to be able to access your grocery list on your phone.

Regardless, accessing Google Keep on your iPhone isn’t all that complicated. Simply redownload the app. While Google apps don’t come as default on your iPhone, you can still download them from the App Store. Once you’ve redownloaded Keep, simply log in and all your notes will be available to you.

Alternatively, if you want to take this opportunity to cull your mobile musings, then you can manually send the Keep you want to keep over to your iPhone. To do so simply:

Open Google Keep on your iPhone and open the note you want to send
Tap the ellipsis button in the bottom right corner
Tap send and select the app you want to share with

Set up your email on iPhone

The fun (and equally frustrating) thing about email is that you can access it at any time, from anywhere, provided that you have a stable internet connection. Oh and you remember your (hopefully secure) password.

While Apple used to be pretty strict about forcing you to use its Mail app as the default on iPhone, thanks to recent updates you can now make any app you want your default, whether it's Gmail, Outlook, or something else. To set it as the default, simply install it from the App Store and follow these steps:

Open the Settings app
Scroll down until you find the app in question and tap it
Tap Default Mail App and select the app you want to use

If you'd prefer to use Mail, you can add your accounts with the following steps:

Go to Settings app on your iPhone
Tap Mail and select accounts
Pick from your already connected accounts, or select Add Account
You’ll then be able to log in through a range of different email providers
Once your account is set up, you’ll be able to access these emails directly through the Apple Mail app

Anula Wiwatowska

Offsite Editorial Lead | Instagram

Anula is the Off-Site Editorial Lead for WhistleOut Australia, and an award winning tech journalist. She has been writing about the Australian telco industry, and consumer technology for over five years, and has been known to tell her Uber driver which phone they should upgrade to next.

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