The excitement of getting a new phone often diminishes as the hassle of setting it up. While it might seem like a daunting task to sync contacts, it is actually a quick and painless task on the Android operating system.
Android to Android
If you have an Android already, you probably also have a Google account—or a Gmail account, now the same thing—which will make this quite simple. If you don’t have a Gmail account, create one: you’ll need it to get the most out of your Android anyway. Once that is set up, go to “Settings” on your old Android phone, then “Accounts,” and select “Google.” This will give you a list of items to sync, including your calendar and Drive documents. Select “Contacts” and anything else you would like to transfer. Check “Sync Now,” and your data will be saved in Google’s servers.
Start your new Android phone; it will ask you for your Google account information. When you sign in, your Android will sync contacts and other data automatically. If you started using your phone before you established a Google account, go to “Accounts & Sync” to add your account manually.
From iPhone to Android
Even switching to a different operating system doesn’t make it hard to sync contacts. Again, if you don’t have a Gmail account, set one up first. On your iPhone, go to “Settings,” then “iCloud,” and turn on “Contacts,” if it isn’t on already. This ensures that your contacts are backed up on iCloud.
Next, go back to “Settings,” then to “Mail, Contacts, Calendars.” Under “Accounts,” select your Gmail account (if Gmail is not listed as an option, instead select “Add Account” and follow the instructions on your iPhone). Next, confirm that “Contacts” are turned on; this should sync your contacts between your iPhone and your Gmail account. At this point, follow the instructions above: in short, turn on your Android and follow the directions it provides.
For more info on how to switch from iPhone to Android, check out this post.
Other Devices to Android
While other mobile devices might have slightly different control buttons, most systems have an intuitive way to do the same thing: set up a Google account and sync contacts to it. If your phone won’t sync directly, export your contacts into a CSV or vCard file, then simply open up your Gmail account on the phone and import the contacts from the file.
Last step for all of these instructions: enjoy your new phone! Are you having any difficulties switching to your new Android? Please share below!
Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
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