How to Transfer Contacts from Android to Android: A Comprehensive Guide

How to Transfer Contacts from Android to Android: A Comprehensive Guide

Upgrading to a new Android phone can be exciting, but it can also be a hassle to transfer all your contacts to the new device. Fortunately, there are many ways to transfer contacts from Android to Android. In this article, we will go through different methods that you can easily follow to transfer your contacts safely and hassle-free.

Method 1: Transfer Contacts Using Google Account

Google Account comes in handy for transferring contacts from one Android device to another. This method is easy, and all you need is a Google account signed in to both phones. Here is how to do it:

1. Go to your phone’s Settings and Scroll down to find Accounts.
2. Inside Accounts, click on Google.
3. Select the Gmail account associated with your Android device.
4. Ensure that the Contacts toggle button is activated.
5. Repeat the process on your new device and ensure that Contacts syncing is activated.
6. Your contacts will now synchronize with your Google Account, and you will have all your contacts on your new device.

Method 2: Use Android’s Built-in “Transfer Data” Feature

Android has a built-in feature, “Transfer data,” which transfers everything, including contacts, from your old device to the new one. Here is how to use it:

1. Swipe down from the top of your old device’s screen and click on the gear icon to access Settings.
2. Scroll down and click on Accounts and Backup.
3. Click on Transfer data to other device.
4. Select your type of transfer – Wired or Wireless.
5. Follow the on-screen instructions carefully to introduce the devices to each other.
6. Select Contacts from the list of items to be transferred to your new device.
7. Wait for the process to complete before disconnecting the two devices.

Method 3: Transfer Contacts via Bluetooth

Bluetooth can be utilized to transfer contacts from your old Android phone to a new one. It is an easy and reliable method of transferring contacts. Here is how to do it:

1. Go to your old phone’s Contacts app.
2. Find and Click the share/export option.
3. Select the contacts you want to transfer.
4. Click on Share or Export, then select Bluetooth as your sharing method.
5. Select your new phone’s Bluetooth device name to transfer the contacts.
6. On your new device, accept the incoming file through Bluetooth, and the contacts will be transferred automatically.

Method 4: Backup and Restore Contacts Using Third-Party Apps

There are several third-party backup and restore apps that you can use to transfer your contacts between Android devices. Here are two of them:

a) Google Contacts App

1. Download and Install the Google Contacts app on both phones.
2. Sign in to the app with the same Google account on both devices.
3. On your old device, click on the three lines at the top left corner and click on the “Export” option.
4. Select the contacts you want to transfer and click Export.
5. Select your preferred delivery method, either through email or messaging.
6. On your new device, open the email or message app and download the exported contacts.
7. Select “Import,” and all your contacts will be transferred to your new Android phone.

b) My Contacts Backup App

1. Download and Install the “My Contacts Backup” App on your old Android phone.
2. Open the app and select “Backup.”
3. Wait for the app to backup your contacts and then click on “Email.”
4. Enter your email address, then send the backed-up contacts list to your email.
5. Inside your new device, open the email and click on the attachment file of your contacts.
6. Click on “Import” when prompted, and your contacts will be transferred to your new Android phone.

Method 5: Move Contacts Using SIM or SD Card

If your phone is dual SIM capable, it is easy to transfer contacts using your SIM cards. Another option is to use an SD card. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the Contacts app on your old device.
2. Click on the three dots icon on the top right corner and select “Settings”.
3. Select the option “Import/Export Contacts”.
4. Select “Export to SIM card” or “Export to SD Card”.
5. Put the same SIM or SD card into your new device.
6. Open the Contacts app on your new device.
7. Click on the three dots icon on the top right corner and select “Settings”.
8. Select the option “Import/Export Contacts”.
9. Select the option “Import from SIM card” or “Import from SD card”.
10. Select the contacts you want to transfer and click on Import.

Method 6: Use Cloud Storage Services

Cloud storage services can be used to transfer your contacts between two different Android phones. Here are two examples of cloud storage providers you can use:

a) Google Drive

1. On your old device, open the Google Drive app.
2. Log in to your account and select “+” on the bottom right.
3. Select “Upload” and choose the “Contacts.vcf” file.
4. Wait for the contacts file to upload to your Google Drive.
5. On your new device, open the Google Drive app.
6. Log in to your account and locate the “Contacts.vcf” file uploaded to your account earlier.
7. Click on the file and select “Download.”
8. When prompted, click on “Import” to import the contacts to your new device.

b) Dropbox

1. Download and install the Dropbox app from Google Play Store on your old Android phone.
2. Ensure that you are signed in to the same Dropbox account on both devices.
3. Open the Dropbox app, click on the “+” button, and select “upload files”.
4. Select the backup file(s) you’d like to move, and click Upload to Dropbox.
5. On your new Android phone, install Dropbox and login with the same account as used on the old device.
6. Open the Dropbox app and download the backup file(s) to your new device.
7. Then, click on “Import” to have the contacts transferred to the new phone.

Method 7: Transfer Contacts Via Email

Email can be used as an intermediary to transfer contacts between Android devices. Here is how:

1. Open the Contact app on your old device and click on the three dots icon on the top right corner.
2. Select “Settings” then “Export” then “To Email”.
3. Select the contacts you want to transfer, then click on “Send” or “Share”.
4. Enter your email address and send the email.
5. On your new device, open your email and download the attached file.
6. Click on “Import” to automatically import the file, and your contacts will be transferred to your new Android phone.

How to Avoid Duplicates

Since you may have transferred the same contacts multiple times during the transfer process, it’s crucial to ensure that you don’t end up with duplicate contacts. To avoid duplicates:

• Choose which medium/method you want to use and stick to one option only.
• Before importing contacts, ensure that the file or app does not contain duplicate contacts.
• Once you have successfully imported contacts, go to the contacts app and select “Find Duplicates” to have duplicates detected, then merge them together.

Conclusion

We have gone through different methods of transferring contacts from Android to Android, and it is clear that some methods are more accessible or reliable than others. In general, methods like Google Account syncing, Bluetooth transfers, or the built-in transfer data option are widely preferred. Furthermore, users should pay attention to avoiding duplicates and backing up contacts beforehand. You may try different methods to discover the most effective and user-friendly way to move contacts safely and seamlessly.