Move your data from iOS to Android

So, you're ready to leave your iPhone for greener pastures — specifically, the bright green hue of Google's Android ecosystem.

It's a major move, to be sure, but it doesn't have to be daunting. Beneath the surface-level differences, Android and iOS actually have a lot in common — and with the right steps, you can switch from an iPhone to an Android device without losing anything significant.

First things first: Some Android devices, like Samsung's Galaxy phones and Google's Pixel products, ship with their own all-in-one iPhone-to-Android switching systems. These systems may include special software and possibly even physical cables for moving a bunch of data from your iPhone to your new Android device in one fell swoop. If your Android phone offers such a service, it's a smart place to start.

Of course, these all-in-one methods aren't available for every phone, and they don't always work flawlessly or across all of the areas relevant to your needs. Next, we'll get into the step-by-step details of how you can get every important category of data moved over on your own, bit by bit, without giving yourself a migraine.