How to Transfer Text Messages from iPhone to Android
To transfer messages from iPhone to Android, use the copy step in your new Android phone’s setup and connect the iPhone with a cable. According to Google, the cable method copies your messages, while the wireless Android Switch app does not. Turn off iMessage on the iPhone first, and before you switch, save a readable copy of any conversation you can’t afford to lose, since the transfer is a one-time copy into a different app.
Which transfer method copies your messages?
Google’s Android Help lists what each method moves. For messages, the answer depends on the method (Google: Copy apps and data from an iPhone to a new Android device):
| Method | How it connects | Messages copied? |
|---|---|---|
| Android Switch app | Wireless | No |
| Classic method | Cable | Yes |
| Upgraded method (Android 17, some devices) | Wireless or cable | Yes, including encrypted messages and messages stored in iCloud |
Google lists the upgraded method as available from Android 17 on some devices: Pixel 8 and newer, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8. If your new phone isn’t one of them, plan on the cable.
Before you start
Google’s checklist, in short:
- Charge both phones and connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi.
- Turn off iMessage on the iPhone. Google says you must do this.
- Check storage on the new phone.
- Allow time. Google says the transfer usually takes under 30 minutes but can take a few hours.
If your iPhone is managed by an employer or school, Google warns you may not be able to transfer all data.
Copy your data during Android setup
- Turn on the new Android phone and start setup. When asked, choose to copy data from an iPhone or iPad.
- On newer devices, a QR code appears. Scan it with your iPhone’s camera and follow the steps.
- If no QR code appears, choose Copy data from your old phone with a cable. Connect the iPhone’s cable to the Android phone, with a USB-A to USB-C adapter if you need one.
- If the iPhone asks, tap Trust.
- Choose the data you want, including messages, and tap Copy.
On Android 17 or later, some phones (Pixel 9 and newer, Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 and select others) can also copy data after setup from Settings > Accounts and backup. Same Google source.
WhatsApp is separate: Google says your WhatsApp history transfers after setup, as its own step. Things Google lists as not transferring include photos and videos stored in iCloud (they have their own transfer to Google Photos), paid apps, Safari bookmarks and Health data.
Turn off iMessage so your texts keep arriving
Apple’s page on deregistering iMessage covers texts from iPhone users not reaching your new phone. Its steps (Apple: Deregister iMessage):
- If you moved the SIM, put it back in the iPhone and make sure cellular data is on.
- Open Settings > Apps > Messages and turn off iMessage.
- Open Settings > Apps > FaceTime and turn off FaceTime.
If you no longer have the iPhone, Apple’s page links to a form to deregister your number online. Apple says texts should then arrive right away, though some Apple devices may take a few hours to notice the change.
Keep a readable copy of the conversations that matter
The transfer puts your messages into the Android messaging app. It doesn’t give you a file you can open anywhere, and an iPhone backup can’t be restored to an Android phone. For a conversation you’ll want to read or show years from now, a PDF or similar file stored somewhere you control is the safest extra copy.
The free ways are screenshots (Apple) or, on a Mac, File > Print and save as a PDF in Messages (Apple, macOS Sequoia guide). An iPhone backup is worth making too, in case you ever go back to an iPhone (Apple: Back up iPhone).
On the iPhone, Exportly (made by us) turns a conversation into a PDF, Word, Excel, CSV, Text or HTML file before you switch. On iOS 26 or later, its free shortcut brings in the conversation with its photos; on older versions, Record & scroll reads it from a screen recording, in English or Turkish only. Send the files to yourself, by email for example, and you can open them on the Android phone or a computer.
To be plain about the limits: Exportly doesn’t move messages to Android, doesn’t run on Android, and its files can’t be imported into an Android messaging app. It makes a copy to read and keep. Exporting needs Exportly Pro; the app shows the price before you buy.
Questions people ask
Will my iPhone texts transfer to Android?
Yes with Google’s cable method or the upgraded method on supported phones. The wireless Android Switch app doesn’t copy messages.
Do I need to turn off iMessage?
Yes. Google says you must turn it off before transferring, and Apple explains how to deregister if texts from iPhone users stop arriving.
What about my WhatsApp chats?
Google transfers WhatsApp history separately after setup.
Can I keep a copy I can read on any device?
Yes. Export the important conversations as PDF or another file format before you switch and store them somewhere you can reach from any device.
For every way to get a conversation out of Messages, see how to export text messages from iPhone. For a PDF copy, read how to save text messages as a PDF, and to make sure nothing expires before the move, how to save text messages on iPhone.
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