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Feb 21, 2025 • Filed to: Data Transfer Solutions • Proven solutions
Transferring contacts on Android phones isn’t always as easy as you might think. If you approach the task manually, for instance, you risk making errors, overlooking important contacts, and losing essential data. If you choose the wrong apps for it, you risk exposing your sensitive data and even putting your entire contacts list in danger.
Therefore, if you want to stay on the safe side and go through this process as seamlessly as possible, you need to learn how to transfer contacts from Android to Samsung the right way. Check out the top tips and tricks below.
Though they certainly have a lot of features for synching devices, Androids aren’t known for their interconnectedness like iPhones are, for instance. Therefore, whenever you need to switch your phones, you must transfer data between them.
You must perform a full Android transfer to a new Samsung if you buy a new phone. Otherwise, all your data, including contacts, apps, pictures, videos, and more, won’t be available to you on the new device.
If you have two Android phones, let’s say one for personal reasons and another for business, they’ll have completely different data on them. If you need access to personal contacts on your business phone, or vice versa, you’ll have to transfer contacts from Android to Android.
Moreover, if you lose your phone or break it and haven’t backed it up or transferred your data to a different device on time, you’ll lose access to it all.
Transferring data is crucial for Android owners who want continued access to their data across different devices.
As mentioned, you need to know how to transfer contacts from Android to Android properly to avoid losing or exposing your sensitive data to unreliable third parties. That’s why you must approach data transfer carefully and be highly selective of which apps you use.
The following are your most reliable options for Android data transfers that will keep your information safe and sound.
Smart Switch is a Samsung-developed app designed for seamless data transfers between your smartphones. Even though it was developed by Samsung, it can be used by any Android device, as long as it has Android OS 4.3 or later, regardless of the specific manufacturer (whether it’s Google Pixel, for instance, OnePlus, or anything in between).
It’s also compatible with iOS 5.0 and later versions, as well as Windows 10 and later and Mac OS X 10.9 or later.
However, if you’re transferring to devices other than Samsung Galaxy, there are limitations on the type of data you can transfer using Smart Switch. For example, you won’t be able to transfer your Home layout or Alarm data unless you’re transferring data between two Galaxy phones, like Samsung Galaxy S23 and Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5.
To use Smart Switch, you just have to follow a few steps:
You’ll receive a notification telling you that the data transfer is complete. You can then exit the app and double-check if all the data has successfully been transferred to your new device.
Considering that data transfer with Smart Switch can be somewhat limiting – being most effective for Samsung Galaxy devices in particular – you might want to use a more versatile app if you’re using a different brand of Android smartphones.
Wondershare Dr.Fone is an all-encompassing smartphone management app. It handles everything from data recovery to system repair and, of course, data transfers. It works with both Android and iOS devices, regardless of their make and model, and enables seamless data exchanges between them all. However, you have to use your PC when using Wondershare Dr.Fone.
To transfer contacts from Android to Android using Wondershare Dr.Fone, you’ll have to follow the next few steps:
It shouldn’t take long for all your data to be transferred from one phone to the other. Double-check that everything is there on your destination phone and enjoy access to all your data on it.
If you’d prefer not to use any apps, you can always transfer contacts from your Android to another smartphone using your Google account. Even if you don’t already have a Google account, creating one is easy, and synching your phones to it is even easier.
All you have to do is back up your data to Google Cloud and upload your contacts. Then, you just have to sign in to your Google account using your new phone. The entire process doesn’t take more than a couple of minutes.
Here’s how to transfer contacts from Android to Android using your Google account:
Your contacts will be immediately transferred to your new device, and you’ll have access to all their information.
Perhaps the easiest way to transfer contacts from one Android to another is by using your SIM card – provided you have a removable one. As a general rule of thumb, most SIM cards have between 128 and 256 kilobytes of storage space, which is enough for about 250 contacts.
However, it only has space for the contact information, not for contact pictures, for example, or other media – that’s typically kept in your phone’s internal/external storage or on the cloud.
To transfer your contacts from Android to Android using a removable SIM card, you’ll have to follow these steps:
It might take your device a couple of seconds to complete the process. Remember, only the names and contact information will be transferred. Pictures and other media you might be using with your contacts will need to be created again.
The method above only works if you have a removable SIM card. If you have a non-removable SIM card, you must take a different route – creating VCF files. Also known as Virtual Contact Files or vCard files, they can store all your contact information in a simple file you can share as an attachment via email or other messaging apps.
Creating and sharing a VCF is nice and easy – you just have to follow a few steps:
It shouldn’t take long for your contacts to be imported and accessible through your new device.
Finally, if both of your devices have Android 6 OS or newer, you can use the Nearby Share option to transfer your contacts with the utmost ease. The feature is available on all newer Androids, so you won’t need to download any additional apps or transfer your contacts via your PC. The whole process is nice and easy.
Here’s how to transfer contacts from Android to Android using Nearby Share:
After the process is complete, you’ll have access to all your contacts on your new Android.
As you can tell, transferring contacts between your Androids can become somewhat tricky. Fortunately, you can use plenty of different methods to move data safely and efficiently.
Whether you use apps like Wondershare Dr.Fone, built-in features like Nearby Share, or options like your Google account, always double-check everything and see if all your contacts have transferred properly.
staff Editor