Every single person must have, at least once, found themselves in a certain situation that required them to transfer contacts from an old Android phone to a new one. Now, if you’ve ever had to go through this process using older mobile phones, you might be shaking your head at the thought of arduously entering the phone numbers from your contact list from the old phone to the new one, one by one
If that’s the case, we’re happy to inform you that you’re in luck! There are indeed several ways that would permit you to transfer your contacts from one Android device to another, and none of them are as complicated and time-consuming as the old methods. In this article, it is our goal to provide a step-by-step guide on how to do just that.
As mentioned previously, there are a couple of available options, so you’re not limited to just one way of accomplishing this task. The first and easiest way to transfer your contacts requires you to have them already synced to your Google account.
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How to use Google account to transfer contacts from one Android device to another?
As Android is owned by Google, almost all Android devices are set up to function perfectly with a Google account. So, if you’re using an Android device, it is very likely that you have a Google account of your own. And if you do have one, chances are that your contacts are synchronized with it by default. There is a way for you to check if the contacts are synchronized – and in the unlikely case that this option is disabled, you can thankfully enable it immediately.
Follow these steps in order to verify if your contacts are already synchronized with your Google account:
- Open the “Settings” app on your Android phone
- Tap on “Accounts & Sync” (the name may vary from phone to phone)
- Tap on Google account
- Depending on the phone model and the Android version, you might need to tap on “Account Sync”
- Choose “Contacts”.
If you’ve followed the steps above and successfully verified that your contacts are already synchronized, that is it! You can safely switch the mobile phone you’re using for a new one, and your contacts will be automatically updated and should be visible on your new Android device as soon as you log in to your Google account.
In the case that your mobile phone does not support using a Google account, or you do not want to share your contacts with Google (which is totally alright, we won’t judge!), there is luckily a way to transfer your contacts manually. While this process might take up a bit more time than using Google account synchronization, it is still a far cry from the painfully slow older methods as mentioned previously, so don’t fret! Now, let’s get on to the process itself.
VCF File
You can backup your phone and create a VCF file. After that, you can transfer all of your contacts at the same time via email, USB device, or cloud services.
Follow these steps in order to create a VCF file:
- Open the “Contacts” app on your Android phone and tap on Menu. After that, select “Manage Contacts”
- Tap on “Import/Export contacts” and choose “Export” the contacts as a VCF file.
- This file will then be stored in the device’s internal storage with under the default name of “Contacts.vcf”
- When all the contacts have been transferred, find the “Contacts.vcf” file on your device and send it to your email address as an attachment, and then transfer it to a USB device, or upload it to the cloud service provider of your choice
- Now log in to your email account on the new Android device and download the VCF attachment you sent in the previous step. If you transfer files to a USB device, connect your new device to a computer and transfer the file. In case you saved the file on the cloud, you can proceed with downloading it to your new Android device
- Open the Contacts App and go to “Menu > Manage Contacts”
- Select “Import/Export Contacts > Import VCF file and select the VCF file that you just downloaded or transferred. Tap on “OK” to begin the process of transferring the contacts to the new Android device
- Please be aware that these steps may vary from device to device.
Bluetooth transfer
Another way to transfer your contacts from one Android device to another is via Bluetooth. First, you will need to pair both of your Android devices via Bluetooth. After they are paired, you can start transferring.
Follow these steps in order to transfer your contacts:
- On your old Android device open the “Contacts” app and tap on Menu > Share
- Turn Bluetooth on both of your Android devices on
- Tap on “Import/Export” and select “Share name card via”. After this, you can select all the contacts you want to transfer. If you wish to transfer all of them, click “Select All” in order to save some time
- Now select “Bluetooth” as a way of sharing
- Allow Bluetooth to scan for nearby devices and select your new Android device when it appears. When the devices are paired successfully, the transfer process should begin immediately. If you’re having trouble with pairing your devices, make sure they’re close enough.
- Please be aware that these steps may vary from device to device.
Transferring contacts via SIM card
Yet another easy way to transfer your contacts is via SIM card. If your SIM card is removable and your contacts are saved on it, you can transfer the contacts to a new Android device simply by transferring the SIM card. Before removing the SIM, make sure that your contacts are stored on the card.
Follow these steps to verify if your contacts are ready for transferring from one Android device to another:
- Open “Contacts” on your old Android device and tap on “Menu”
- Select “Manage Contacts” and then tap “Import/Export Contacts”
- Tap “Export Contacts” to a SIM card
- When all the contacts on the device have been transferred to the SIM card, remove the SIM card and insert it into your new Android device
- Open the “Contacts” app on the new Android device, tap on “Menu”, then “Manage Contacts”, then “Import/Export Contacts” and then select “Import from SIM Card.”
- You will be able to see the transferred contacts on the new device within a few minutes
- Please be aware that steps may vary from the device to device
Applications for transferring contacts from one Android device to another
Besides these universal ways, there are several apps that you can download to your Android devices and use in order to transfer your contacts. To do this, go to Google’s Play Store and download some of the apps for transferring the contacts from one Android device to another. Make sure to download the same app on both of your devices. Also, make sure that the app you’re downloading is compatible with your Android device.
For example, you can use the SHAREit app. Let’s go through the process together.
Download the SHAREit to you Android phone
Follow these steps in order to transfer contacts using the SHAREit app.
- Open “Contacts” on your old phone
- Select all the contacts you would like to transfer to your new Android device
- After the contacts are selected, tap on the “Share” icon
- Choose SHAREit as the transferring option
- Open the SHAREit app on another Android device.
If you are transferring contacts from one Android device to another, and they are both from the same brand, you might have an internal app for transferring files.
Wi-Fi Direct
Another way for transferring contacts from one Android device to another is via Wi-Fi Direct.
Follow these steps in order to transfer your contacts from an old Android device to a new one using Wi-Fi Direct:
- Go to the “Contacts” app
- Select the contact you want to transfer (or choose “Select all”)
- Tap on the “Menu” > “Share”
- Choose Wi-Fi Direct as the transferring option
- Enable Wi-Fi Direct on both of your devices
- After the devices have been successfully paired, the contacts will be transferred
- Please be aware that the steps may vary from device to device.
Using the same way, you can also transfer your contacts using Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, Telegram, SMS, or any other app that allows sharing, if you have the same app on your new Android device.
Transfer of contacts via SD card
If you have an SD card in your old Android device, you can use it to transfer your contacts to a new Android device. Follow these steps to transfer contacts via SD card:
- Open the “Contacts” app
- Tap on the “Menu” button > “Import/Export” option
- Tap on “Export to SD card” and confirm with “OK”
- Move your SD card to your new Android device
- Open “Contacts” app on the new device
- Tap on the “Menu” > “Import/Export” option
- Tap “Import from SD card”
- Tap on “Phone” to save your contacts into your new Android device
- Please be aware that the steps may vary from device to device.
To conclude,
Depending on the preferences and the available options, you can transfer your contacts from one Android device to another in several different ways. Choose the one from our list that is the most convenient for you and go for it! Good luck!
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