How to Transfer Contacts from Sony to iPhone

Moving from a Sony Xperia to a new iPhone means you don’t have to lose your contacts. This guide walks you through the most reliable ways to transfer your address book, whether you’re coming from an Android phone or a Sony feature phone. You’ll need your Sony phone, your iPhone, and a computer (for some methods).

What You’ll Need

Your Sony phone (charged and unlocked)
Your iPhone (charged and connected to Wi-Fi)
Your Google account credentials (the one used on your Sony phone)
Your Apple ID and password
A computer with a USB cable (optional, for the manual method)

Step-by-Step

Method 1: Using the Move to iOS App (Recommended)

On your iPhone, during initial setup, look for the “Apps & Data” screen. If you’ve already set up your iPhone, you’ll need to erase it and start over, or use a different method.
Choose “Move Data from Android” on this screen.
On your Sony phone, open the Google Play Store and install the “Move to iOS” app.
Open the app and tap “Continue”. Agree to the terms and conditions.
On your iPhone, tap “Continue” on the “Move from Android” screen. A 6- or 10-digit code will appear on your iPhone.
Enter that code on your Sony phone.
When asked, connect both phones to the same Wi-Fi network (or use the temporary network the app creates).
On your Sony phone, select “Contacts” (and any other data you want, like messages or photos). Tap “Continue”.
Wait for the transfer to finish. The time depends on how many contacts you have. Keep both phones near each other and plugged into power.
When done, tap “Done” on your Sony phone and continue setting up your iPhone. Your contacts will appear in the Phone and Contacts apps.

Method 2: Using Your Google Account

On your Sony phone, go to Settings > Accounts (or Accounts & sync) and make sure your Google account is synced. Tap the account, then tap “Sync now” or ensure “Contacts” is checked.
Wait a minute or two, then check that your contacts are visible at contacts.google.com on a computer.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Contacts > Accounts > Add Account > Google.
Sign in with the same Google account. Make sure the “Contacts” toggle is on.
Your contacts will sync automatically. If they don’t appear immediately, pull down on the Contacts list to refresh.

Method 3: Export/Import via vCard (Manual)

On your Sony phone, open the Contacts app.
Tap the menu (three lines or three dots) and look for “Settings” or “Manage contacts”.
Choose “Export” or “Import/Export”. Select “Export to .vcf” or “Export to storage”. Save the file to your phone’s internal storage or SD card.
Transfer this .vcf file to your computer (via USB cable, email, or cloud storage).
On your computer, go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID.
Open the Contacts app in iCloud.
Click the gear icon and choose “Import vCard”. Select the .vcf file you exported.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > Contacts > Accounts > iCloud and make sure “Contacts” is enabled. Your imported contacts will sync to your iPhone.

Method 4: Using a Computer (for non-smart Sony phones)

If your Sony phone is a feature phone (not Android), connect it to a computer with a USB cable.
Check if the phone appears as a removable drive. Look for a folder named “Contacts” or “Phonebook”.
If you find a .vcf or .csv file, copy it to your computer.
If it’s a .csv file, you can import it into Google Contacts (contacts.google.com) first, then sync that Google account to your iPhone as in Method 2.
If it’s a .vcf, follow steps 5-8 of Method 3.

Common Mistakes

Not syncing before switching: If you don’t sync your Sony phone to Google first, the Move to iOS app may not capture all contacts.
Choosing the wrong Google account: Make sure you use the same Google account on both phones. A typo in the email address means zero contacts.
Turning off iCloud Contacts: If you import via iCloud but have Contacts disabled in iPhone settings, nothing shows up.
Not waiting long enough: Large contact lists can take several minutes to sync. Don’t assume failure too quickly.
Using a USB cable that only charges: Some cables can’t transfer data. Use the cable that came with your Sony phone.

Tips

Before starting, clean up your contacts on the Sony phone. Delete duplicates and any numbers you no longer need. This makes the transfer faster and your new phone tidier.
If you have contacts saved on the SIM card, copy them to phone storage first. Go to Contacts > Settings > Import/Export > Import from SIM.
After the transfer, check a few contacts to make sure all fields (phone, email, address) came over correctly.
If you use a third-party contacts app on your Sony phone (like a company directory), export from that app separately.
Keep your Sony phone for a week after switching, in case you realize you missed something.

Troubleshooting

Move to iOS app won’t connect

Make sure both phones are close together and have Wi-Fi enabled.
Restart the app on your Sony phone and the transfer on your iPhone.
If you have a VPN or ad blocker on your Sony phone, turn them off temporarily.
Try using a different Wi-Fi network (e.g., a mobile hotspot from another device).

Contacts don’t appear after syncing Google

Go to Settings > Contacts > Default Account and make sure it’s set to your Google account, not “On My iPhone”.
Open the Contacts app and pull down to refresh.
Check that the Google account is enabled in Settings > Contacts > Accounts.
On your computer, log into Google Contacts and verify the contacts are actually there. If not, re-sync your Sony phone.

vCard import fails on iCloud

Make sure the .vcf file isn’t corrupted. Try opening it on your computer with a text editor to see if it contains “BEGIN:VCARD”.
If the file is too large, split it into smaller files (e.g., 500 contacts each) using a free vCard splitter tool.
Try importing into Google Contacts first, then sync that account to your iPhone.

Duplicates after transfer

On your iPhone, go to Contacts > Lists > All iCloud and look for duplicate entries.
You can merge them manually by editing one contact and tapping “Link Contact” at the bottom.
For bulk cleanup, use a third-party app or a computer with iCloud.com to merge duplicates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Move to iOS transfer contacts from a Sony phone that’s not running Android?

No, Move to iOS only works on Android devices. For older Sony feature phones, use the vCard or computer method.

Can I transfer contacts using Bluetooth?

You can send individual contacts via Bluetooth, but it’s impractical for large lists. Use the methods above for bulk transfer.

Will my contact photos and custom ringtones transfer?

Contact photos usually transfer, but custom ringtones assigned to contacts may not. You’ll need to set those up again on the iPhone.

Do I need to erase my iPhone to use Move to iOS?

Yes, Move to iOS works during initial iPhone setup. If your iPhone is already set up, you can either erase it (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings) or use the Google sync method instead.

How long does the transfer take?

It depends on the number of contacts and the connection speed. For a few hundred contacts, it usually takes less than 5 minutes. For thousands, it can take 15-20 minutes.

What if I don’t have a Google account?

Create one for free at accounts.google.com. Even if you don’t use Gmail, you can use the account to sync contacts. Alternatively, use the vCard export/import method.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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