Fix issues with data transfer on a new Pixel phone

If you have trouble copying data from your current phone to your Pixel phone during setup, try the following troubleshooting steps.

On Pixel 9 and later, you can restore data from your previous phone at any time without the need to factory reset. You can merge the transferred data with the existing data on your phone. Learn how to transfer data from a cloud backup.

1. Install any available updates for your current phone.
2. Restart your current phone. On most phones, press and hold the power button until it fully restarts.

Some older devices may not be able to transfer data over Wi-Fi. If the phone that sends data is an iPhone with iOS 7 or earlier or is an Android 4 or earlier, the transfer may not work. For iOS devices, you can download the Android Switch app on the Apple App Store to help with the data transfer.

Check the cable

• Unplug and then replug the cable on both ends.
• Try a different cable. Not all power cables can transfer data.

Try the Quick Switch adaptor

Important: Pixel 9 and later phones don't come with a Quick Switch adaptor in the box. If you need one, contact support to order a Quick Switch adaptor at no extra charge.

• If you're using the Quick Switch adaptor, check that it's inserted in your Pixel phone.
• If you're not using the Quick Switch adaptor, try it. The adaptor can show your phones which direction to move your data. If needed, use a USB-C to USB-A cable with the adaptor.

If no cable works, find out how to transfer without a cable.

If you lose Wi-Fi or mobile connectivity, power or your cable comes out, perform a factory reset and then start again immediately.

On Pixel 9 and later, you can restore your data after setup. Learn how to restore data post setup.

If you encounter issues when you set up a work profile during phone setup, try these steps:

Skip work profile setup

1. During setup, when you get the prompt 'Add your work account on the next screen', tap Skip.
2. Complete setup normally.
3. Once setup is complete, tap Settings  Passwords and accounts  Add account  Google.

Tip: To learn more on how to set up a work profile, refer to Set up Google Workspace on an iOS device.

Clear iPhone settings

If your iPhone's work account includes device management, it might not update some settings correctly during data transfer. If you encounter issues:

1. Remove your device management profile.
   1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app.
   2. Tap General  Device management.
   3. Select your profile.
   4. Tap Remove management.
   5. Enter your passcode.
2. Clear your iPhone settings.
   1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app.
   2. Tap General  Transfer or reset iPhone  Reset  Reset all settings.
3. Repeat phone setup.

Tip: Your apps or data don't get erased when you reset your iPhone settings.

• In-app purchases
• Phone settings, like Wi-Fi passwords
• Music with Digital Rights Management (DRM) protection
• Bookmarks from Safari®
• Paid apps and apps not available on Google Play
• Some app data, like data from apps that isn't stored in the cloud

Learn what will and won't copy to your device.

Return to setup

• Within a few minutes:

1. You'll get a 'Pixel setup isn't done' notification.
2. Tap Finish setup.

• For a few days:

1. Open your Settings app.
2. At the top, tap Finish setup.

• Once you've had your phone for a while:
  You can always reset your phone. When you reset, it'll erase all your data on your phone. Learn how to reset to factory settings.

Copy contacts

In your Google Account:

If you already use contacts in your Google Account, like in Gmail, you'll find them in your communication apps on your Pixel phone.

From your iCloud account:

1. Make sure that all your contacts are in iCloud.
2. Export your contacts from icloud.com as a vCard file.
3. Import your contacts to Gmail. Learn how to add, move or import contacts.
4. After you copy your contacts, you'll find them in your communication apps on your Pixel phone.

Copy photos and videos

Google Photos will show on your Pixel phone. Learn how to transfer iCloud photos and videos to Google Photos.

To back up your photos and videos from your iPhone to Google Photos, learn how to back up to Google Photos.

Tip: To find your photos and videos, open your Pixel phone's Photos app .

Previous messages don't show up:

• Check if you've chosen to transfer the messages while setting up. If you didn't choose the option, if you aren't sure or if there's an issue, follow the post-setup data transfer.
  • To complete the setup:

1. Open your phone's Settings app.
2. Tap Back up or copy data  Copy data.

• If you can't find messages on your new Pixel phone immediately after data transfer, it can take up to 24 hours after setup for messages to show up. This issue occurs more commonly when you transfer from iPhone to Pixel.

• If you can't find messages even after 24 hours, complete the post-setup data transfer.

New messages don't show up:

This issue is common in iPhone to Pixel phone transfer. If you switch from an iPhone to a Pixel phone, turn off iMessage. Learn how to turn off iMessage.

To automatically find your original high efficiency image file (HEIF) photos on your Pixel phone, save your HEIF photos to Google Photos from your iPhone. Learn how to back up Google Photos.

Tip: If your iPhone doesn't have Google Photos, HEIF photos turn into JPG photos on your Pixel phone during setup.

Supervised iPhone

If a business, school or other organisation supervises your iPhone, your data can't copy. To check whether your iPhone is supervised:

1. Open Settings  General  About.
2. Under the device name, search for 'This iPhone is supervised'.

Managed iPhone

If a business, school or other organisation manages your iPhone, your copying could be limited. To check whether your iPhone is managed:

1. Open Settings  General  VPN and device management.
2. Under the device name, search for policy profiles from your organisation.

Tip: To increase what you can transfer, you can remove these profiles. This can affect your access to your organisation's information.

If you move from an iPhone to a Pixel phone and want to transfer your WhatsApp messages data, learn how to transfer WhatsApp data to an Android phone.

Tip: If you don't see your WhatsApp data on your Pixel phone, you can remove WhatsApp from your device and reinstall from the Google Play Store.