Transfer Contacts from Samsung Galaxy to iPhone X

Switching from a Samsung Galaxy to an iPhone X is exciting, but your contacts are probably the last thing you want to lose. This guide shows you the fastest, most reliable ways to move your contacts—using Apple’s official Move to iOS app, a Google account, or a SIM card. No matter which method you pick, you’ll have your full address book on your new iPhone in under 15 minutes.

What You’ll Need

• Your Samsung Galaxy phone (fully charged or plugged in)
• Your iPhone X (fully charged or plugged in)
• A Wi-Fi network (for Move to iOS and Google sync)
• Your Google account credentials (if using the Google method)
• A SIM card ejector tool or paperclip (only for SIM transfer)

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Using Move to iOS (Recommended)

1. Prepare both phones. Turn on your iPhone X and place it near your Samsung. Make sure both are connected to the same Wi-Fi network and have Bluetooth enabled.
2. Start iPhone setup. On your iPhone, begin the setup process. When you reach the “Apps & Data” screen, tap “Move Data from Android.” If you’ve already set up your iPhone, you’ll need to erase it first (Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) to start over.
3. Install Move to iOS on Samsung. On your Galaxy, open the Google Play Store, search for “Move to iOS,” and install the app by Apple.
4. Connect the phones. Open Move to iOS on your Samsung and tap “Continue.” Accept the terms, then tap “Agree” when asked about location and notifications. On your iPhone, tap “Continue” on the Move from Android screen—a 6- or 10-digit code will appear.
5. Enter the code. Type that code into the Move to iOS app on your Samsung. Both devices will now connect over a private Wi-Fi network.
6. Select Contacts. On the Samsung, you’ll see a list of data types to transfer. Make sure “Contacts” is checked (you can also include messages, photos, and more). Tap “Continue.”
7. Wait for the transfer. Keep both phones close and let the transfer finish. The time depends on how many contacts and other data you have. When it’s done, tap “Done” on the Samsung and continue setting up your iPhone. Your contacts will appear in the Phone and Contacts apps.

Method 2: Using Your Google Account

1. Check Samsung contacts are synced. On your Galaxy, go to Settings > Accounts and Backup > Accounts. Select your Google account and make sure “Contacts” is toggled on. If it’s not, turn it on and wait a few minutes for the sync to complete.
2. Add your Google account to iPhone. On your iPhone X, go to Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add Account > Google. Enter your Google email and password (or use the Google sign-in page).
3. Enable Contacts. When prompted, turn on the “Contacts” toggle. Your iPhone will now pull all contacts from that Google account.
4. Verify. Open the Contacts app on your iPhone. You should see your Google contacts listed. If not, wait a few minutes and pull down to refresh.

Method 3: Using a SIM Card

1. Copy contacts to SIM on Samsung. On your Galaxy, open the Contacts app, tap the three-dot menu, then select “Manage Contacts” or “Settings.” Choose “Import/Export” > “Export to SIM card.” Select all contacts and confirm.
2. Remove the SIM from Samsung. Turn off your Galaxy and use the ejector tool to pop out the SIM tray. Remove the SIM card.
3. Insert SIM into iPhone X. Turn off your iPhone, insert the SIM card into the tray (note: the iPhone X uses a nano-SIM, same as most Galaxies), and turn it on.
4. Import contacts from SIM. On your iPhone, go to Settings > Contacts > Import SIM Contacts. Wait for the import to complete. Your contacts will now be on your iPhone.

Common Mistakes

• Not enabling Contacts in Move to iOS. It’s easy to miss the toggle if you’re in a hurry. Double-check that “Contacts” is checked before starting.
• Using a different Google account. If your Samsung contacts are saved to a Samsung account or a work profile, they won’t sync to your personal Google account. Make sure you’re using the same Google account on both phones.
• SIM card size mismatch. Older Samsung models might use a micro-SIM. The iPhone X takes a nano-SIM, so you’ll need to get a nano-SIM from your carrier or use a SIM cutter (not recommended).
• Starting Move to iOS after iPhone setup. Move to iOS only works during the initial setup. If you’ve already set up the iPhone, you must erase it first.

Tips

• Back up your Samsung contacts first. Export them as a .vcf file (Contacts > Manage > Export to .vcf) and email it to yourself as a safety net.
• Use the Google method if you plan to switch back. Keeping contacts in Google makes them accessible from any phone, Android or iOS.
• Check for duplicates. After transfer, use the iPhone’s built-in duplicate finder: open Contacts, tap “Lists” at the top left, then “More” and select “Find Duplicates.” Merge any duplicates.
• Make sure your iPhone is updated. Before transferring, update your iPhone X to the latest iOS version to avoid compatibility issues.

Troubleshooting

• Move to iOS won’t connect or keeps failing. Restart both phones, turn off any VPN or ad-blocker on the Samsung, and make sure both are on the same Wi-Fi network. If it still fails, try the Google method instead.
• Contacts didn’t appear after Move to iOS. Go to Settings > Contacts > Accounts on your iPhone and check if the “Move to iOS” account is listed. If not, the transfer didn’t complete. You can also try the Google method as a fallback.
• Google contacts not showing. Make sure Contacts is enabled in Settings > Mail > Accounts > Google. If it is, try toggling it off and on, then wait a few minutes.
• SIM import says “No SIM contacts.” This means your Samsung didn’t export contacts to the SIM, or the SIM is locked. Check the SIM is inserted correctly and try exporting again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my contacts transfer with photos?

Yes, if your contacts have photos saved in the contact entry, they will transfer along with the contact details using Move to iOS or Google sync.

Can I use Move to iOS after I’ve already set up my iPhone?

No, Move to iOS only works during the initial setup. You’d need to erase your iPhone and start over, or use the Google account method instead.

Do I need to keep the Samsung after transferring?

No, once the transfer is complete and you’ve verified your contacts on the iPhone, you can reset or trade in your Samsung.

What if my contacts are stored on the Samsung phone memory, not the SIM or Google?

That’s fine—Move to iOS and Google sync will still transfer them, as long as they’re in the Contacts app. If they’re only in a file, export them as a .vcf and email it to yourself.

Will my contacts sync in real-time after the transfer?

If you use the Google method, yes—any changes on your Samsung will sync to your iPhone as long as both are linked to the same Google account. With Move to iOS, it’s a one-time transfer.

Is there a limit to how many contacts I can transfer?

No, there’s no practical limit. Move to iOS can handle thousands of contacts, and Google accounts can store up to 25,000 contacts.

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