How To Set Up A New Android From An Old Phone

This article explains how to set up a new Android phone from an old phone. The instructions apply to all Android devices regardless of the manufacturer (Google, Samsung, etc.).

What to Know

• Have your old Android or iPhone charged up and on hand when you start the setup process.Back up current Android to the cloud, or install Google One on iPhone if your phone has Android 11 or older.During the setup process, choose the option to set up using an Android phone, iPhone, or a cloud backup.

How to Set Up a New Android Phone From an Old One

You can set up a new Android phone from scratch and start fresh if you want, but the Android setup process also allows you to copy data from your old phone. If your old phone is also an Android, you can restore your apps, settings, and other data directly from that phone or through a cloud backup.

If you’re coming from an iPhone, you can install an app to transfer your data from the iPhone to the new Android phone.

Most of the steps for setting up a new Android phone are the same regardless of which kind of phone you’re coming from, but the process differs when it comes to transferring data and settings from your old device.

How to Restore From an Android Phone

If you currently have an Android phone and it’s in working condition, you can use it to set up your new phone. Make sure the phone is charged or connected to power, then connect to your local Wi-Fi network.

If your new phone isn’t made by Google, the general order of the steps presented here will typically be the same, but you may have other ways to transfer data. For example, you will be directed to use Samsung Smart Switch if you’re setting up a new Samsung phone.

Here’s how to set up a new Android phone from an old one:

• Push the power button on your new Android to turn it on. The phone will boot up, and you will be greeted with a welcome screen.
• On the welcome screen, select your language and tap Start to continue. You can then follow the on-screen prompts to install your SIM card and set up Wi-Fi.
• When the setup wizard asks if you want to copy apps and data, tap Next. It will then present you with a list of options.
• Select a backup from an Android phone to copy data and settings from your old Android to your new one.
• At this point, you’ll have to pick up your old Android phone and turn it on if it isn’t already powered up. It will also need to be connected to the same network as your new phone.
• To start transferring data, open the Google app, and either say, “OK Google, set up my device,” or type set up my device in the search box.
• Your old phone will locate your new phone. Verify that it has found the right phone, and then select which data and setting you wish to transfer over.
• On the new phone, you’ll need to sign into your Google account, confirm the lock screen method used with your old phone, and tap Restore to start the data transfer process.
• After your new phone has been set up with data from your old phone, you can follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process.
• You will be presented with a list of Google services that you can enable or disable. Your phone will function whether or not you enable these, but some features won’t work if they are disabled.
• After that, you will have the opportunity to set a new screen lock method for your phone and choose whether or not to use Google Assistant’s voice match feature.
• When you reach the step that asks if there’s anything else and presents you with a list of options, you’re done. You can select any of the optional items if you like, or tap No thanks to wrap up the setup process.

How to Set Up a New Android Phone From an iPhone

If you’re switching from iOS to Android, you can also back up certain data from your old iPhone to your new Android phone. You’ll have the opportunity to bring over your contacts, messages, photos, and even some apps available on both platforms.

Push the power button on your new Android to turn it on. The phone will boot up, and you will be greeted with a welcome screen.

On the welcome screen, select your language and tap Start to continue. You can then follow the on-screen prompts to install your SIM card and set up Wi-Fi.

When the setup wizard asks if you want to copy apps and data, tap Next. It will then present you with a list of options.

Select a backup from an Android phone to copy data and settings from your old Android to your new one.

At this point, you’ll have to pick up your old Android phone and turn it on if it isn’t already powered up. It will also need to be connected to the same network as your new phone.

To start transferring data, open the Google app, and either say, “OK Google, set up my device,” or type set up my device in the search box.

Your old phone will locate your new phone. Verify that it has found the right phone, and then select which data and setting you wish to transfer over.

On the new phone, you’ll need to sign into your Google account, confirm the lock screen method used with your old phone, and tap Restore to start the data transfer process.

After your new phone has been set up with data from your old phone, you can follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process.

You will be presented with a list of Google services that you can enable or disable. Your phone will function whether or not you enable these, but some features won’t work if they are disabled.

After that, you will have the opportunity to set a new screen lock method for your phone and choose whether or not to use Google Assistant’s voice match feature.

When you reach the step that asks if there’s anything else and presents you with a list of options, you’re done. You can select any of the optional items if you like, or tap No thanks to wrap up the setup process.

Here’s how to set up a new Android from an iPhone:

Before you remove the SIM card from your iPhone, you need to disable iMessage. Open Settings, tap Messages, and set iMessage to off. You will also need to restart any group messages you currently have active once you switch over to your Android.

• Before you get started, check to see what version of Android is running on your new phone.
• If the phone as Android 12 or newer, you’ll need to have a Lightning to USB-C cable to complete the setup process.
• If the phone has Android 11 or older, download and install Google One on your iPhone, then log into it with your Google account.
• Get Google One from the App Store
• Press the power button on your new Android phone to turn it on. The phone will boot up and present you with a welcome screen. Select your language, and tap Start to continue.
• Follow the on-screen prompts to insert your SIM card and connect the phone to Wi-Fi. If you have Android 11 or older, the phone will need to be connected to cellular data or Wi-Fi to complete the transfer procedure.
• When the setup wizard asks if you want to copy apps and data, tap Next to proceed.
• The next screen will ask where you want to bring your data from, and it will provide you with three options. Tap an iPhone device to proceed.
• If your new phone has Android 11 or older, pick up your iPhone and open the Android One app. Tap Set up data backup, and select the things you want to transfer. Google One will then upload your data to a cloud backup.
• If your new phone has Android 12 or newer, connect it to your iPhone with a Lighting to USB-C cable when prompted, then tap Next. You then have the opportunity to select the apps and data you want to transfer.
• When data is done transferring, you’ll have a few more steps to complete before the phone is ready to go.
• First, you’ll be presented with a list of Google services that you can turn on or off. The phone will work whether they’re on or off, but turning off certain settings like location services will prevent some apps from working correctly.
• You will also have to set up a new screen lock to secure your phone, and then choose whether or not to enable Google Assistant’s voice match.
• When you reach the screen that asks if there is anything else, the setup procedure is done. Tap No thanks, and the setup wizard will complete the procedure.

How to Set Up a New Android Phone From a Backup

If you already backed up your old phone to the cloud, you can set up your new phone without connecting it to the old one at all.

Before you get started, check to see what version of Android is running on your new phone.

If the phone as Android 12 or newer, you’ll need to have a Lightning to USB-C cable to complete the setup process.

If the phone has Android 11 or older, download and install Google One on your iPhone, then log into it with your Google account.

Press the power button on your new Android phone to turn it on. The phone will boot up and present you with a welcome screen. Select your language, and tap Start to continue.

Follow the on-screen prompts to insert your SIM card and connect the phone to Wi-Fi. If you have Android 11 or older, the phone will need to be connected to cellular data or Wi-Fi to complete the transfer procedure.

When the setup wizard asks if you want to copy apps and data, tap Next to proceed.

The next screen will ask where you want to bring your data from, and it will provide you with three options. Tap an iPhone device to proceed.

If your new phone has Android 11 or older, pick up your iPhone and open the Android One app. Tap Set up data backup, and select the things you want to transfer. Google One will then upload your data to a cloud backup.

If your new phone has Android 12 or newer, connect it to your iPhone with a Lighting to USB-C cable when prompted, then tap Next. You then have the opportunity to select the apps and data you want to transfer.

When data is done transferring, you’ll have a few more steps to complete before the phone is ready to go.

First, you’ll be presented with a list of Google services that you can turn on or off. The phone will work whether they’re on or off, but turning off certain settings like location services will prevent some apps from working correctly.

You will also have to set up a new screen lock to secure your phone, and then choose whether or not to enable Google Assistant’s voice match.

When you reach the screen that asks if there is anything else, the setup procedure is done. Tap No thanks, and the setup wizard will complete the procedure.

• Back up your Android if your old phone is available and you haven’t done so recently. This step is necessary to set up your new phone with your current data and settings. Otherwise, you’ll have to use an old backup, or no backup may be available.
• Push the power button on your new phone to turn it on. You’ll be presented with a welcome screen after the phone finishes booting up.
• When the welcome screen appears, select your language and tap Start. You’ll then need to insert your SIM card and connect to a Wi-Fi network before you can start setting your new phone up from your old one.
• Since you want to set up your new Android from an old phone, tap Next when asked if you want to copy apps & data from your old phone.
• The next screen will have three options. Select a backup from the cloud to proceed.
• The next screen will ask you to log into your Google account. It’s essential to use the same Google account that you used with your phone because you won’t be able to access your backed-up data otherwise.
• If you have two-factor authentication set up on your Google account, you will also need to enter that at this time.
• After you’ve logged into your account, you will need to tap I agree to proceed.
• If you want to use a different Google account with your new Android, you can add additional Google accounts to your phone later if you need to.
• The next screen will provide you with a list of available backups. If you backed up your old phone as instructed in step one, it should appear at the top of the list.
• After selecting your backup, you’ll need to confirm the screen lock method you used with your old phone. That means you’ll need to touch the fingerprint sensor, enter a PIN, draw a pattern, or hold the phone up for face recognition, depending on your method.
• The next screen allows you to choose which data to restore from your backup. Options include your downloaded apps, contacts, SMS messages, device settings, and call history. You can restore everything, nothing, or the specific things you want.
• Make sure there are check marks next to the items you want to restore before you tap Restore.
• Data restoration will take anywhere from a few moments to several minutes, so if you have a lot of apps, they will take a while to download. That won’t stop you from finishing the setup process.
• After your phone has finished restoring the backup, you can follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process. You will need to opt in or out of the Google Services you want to use, set up a screen unlock method, and choose whether or not to use Google Assistant’s voice match feature.
• When the setup wizard asks you if there’s anything else, and provides you with a list of options, you can tap No thanks to complete the setup.

Do You Need a Google Account to Set Up a New Android From an Old Phone?

If you want to set up your new Android phone from an old phone, whether the old phone was an Android or an iPhone, you need a Google account. If you’re coming from an old Android phone, you need to be signed into the same Google account on both phones, and your new phone will only be able to locate your cloud backup if it was uploaded from a phone that uses the same Google account. If you’re going from iOS to Android, you also need to sign into Google One on the iPhone using the same Google account that you’re using with the new phone.

Back up your Android if your old phone is available and you haven’t done so recently. This step is necessary to set up your new phone with your current data and settings. Otherwise, you’ll have to use an old backup, or no backup may be available.

Push the power button on your new phone to turn it on. You’ll be presented with a welcome screen after the phone finishes booting up.

When the welcome screen appears, select your language and tap Start. You’ll then need to insert your SIM card and connect to a Wi-Fi network before you can start setting your new phone up from your old one.

Since you want to set up your new Android from an old phone, tap Next when asked if you want to copy apps & data from your old phone.

The next screen will have three options. Select a backup from the cloud to proceed.

The next screen will ask you to log into your Google account. It’s essential to use the same Google account that you used with your phone because you won’t be able to access your backed-up data otherwise.

If you have two-factor authentication set up on your Google account, you will also need to enter that at this time.

After you’ve logged into your account, you will need to tap I agree to proceed.

If you want to use a different Google account with your new Android, you can add additional Google accounts to your phone later if you need to.

The next screen will provide you with a list of available backups. If you backed up your old phone as instructed in step one, it should appear at the top of the list.

After selecting your backup, you’ll need to confirm the screen lock method you used with your old phone. That means you’ll need to touch the fingerprint sensor, enter a PIN, draw a pattern, or hold the phone up for face recognition, depending on your method.

The next screen allows you to choose which data to restore from your backup. Options include your downloaded apps, contacts, SMS messages, device settings, and call history. You can restore everything, nothing, or the specific things you want.

Make sure there are check marks next to the items you want to restore before you tap Restore.

Data restoration will take anywhere from a few moments to several minutes, so if you have a lot of apps, they will take a while to download. That won’t stop you from finishing the setup process.

After your phone has finished restoring the backup, you can follow the on-screen prompts to complete the setup process. You will need to opt in or out of the Google Services you want to use, set up a screen unlock method, and choose whether or not to use Google Assistant’s voice match feature.

When the setup wizard asks you if there’s anything else, and provides you with a list of options, you can tap No thanks to complete the setup.

Do You Have to Use Gmail on Android?

While you do need to sign into your Android phone using a Google account, you’re free to use an email account from any other service. You can add an email account to your phone after the setup process is done, and you’ll be able to access it through the included Gmail app. There are also a variety of other great mail apps in the Google Play Store if you don’t want to use the Gmail app.

• How do I transfer apps from Android to Android?
• To transfer apps from Android to Android, you can use the Backup and Restore feature, or you can just download the app on your new device from the Play Store. Any app data that was previously saved to the cloud should be available.
• How do set up a new Google account on Android?
• You can create a new Google account in a web browser. Then, you can switch between accounts within individual Google apps.
• What should I do when I get a new Android phone?
• Secure your Android with a PIN or password and set up Android Smart Lock if your device supports it. You can then customize your Android in various ways such as changing the wallpaper and adding widgets to the home screen.

To transfer apps from Android to Android, you can use the Backup and Restore feature, or you can just download the app on your new device from the Play Store. Any app data that was previously saved to the cloud should be available.

You can create a new Google account in a web browser. Then, you can switch between accounts within individual Google apps.

Secure your Android with a PIN or password and set up Android Smart Lock if your device supports it. You can then customize your Android in various ways such as changing the wallpaper and adding widgets to the home screen.

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