How To Transfer Apps From Android To Android | What Can Move

Android’s setup transfer copies Play Store apps and certain app data to a new Android phone over Wi-Fi or a cable.

A new phone feels unfinished until the old app list is back, and knowing how to transfer apps from Android to Android cuts down on manual reinstalling. Android’s built-in setup can pair the two phones, copy supported apps, and bring over selected data in the same session. App data is less predictable because each app decides whether its data can be backed up and restored.

Keep the old phone powered on, unlocked, and connected until you have checked the new one. Google says some setup-copy steps require Android 10 or later, while cable transfer works with most devices running Android 5.0 or later.

Transfer Android Apps To A New Phone: What Moves And What Doesn’t

Android can move Play Store apps and certain app data during setup, but the transfer is not a full phone clone. Files in some locations, non-Play Store apps, and data from apps that do not support Android backup need separate attention.

• Charge both phones before starting.
• Connect both phones to an active internet connection when possible.
• Check that the new phone has enough free storage for the apps and data you select.
• Keep the old phone until you have opened the apps that matter most and confirmed your data is present.

Use Android’s Built-In Transfer During Setup

Android’s setup process is the main place to copy apps from an old Android phone to a new one. Current Android setup may pair the phones with a QR code, then offer the supported apps and data for copying.

Pair And Copy From The Old Phone

The Android device-to-device setup flow starts on the new phone and uses the old phone for identity and pairing.

1. Turn on the new phone and start device setup.
2. When asked to set up using another device, choose Android device.
3. Follow the prompts to scan the QR code and pair the two phones.
4. Enter the old phone’s PIN, pattern, or password when requested so Android can bring over supported Google Account and Wi-Fi information.
5. Choose the apps and data you want, then follow the on-screen copy prompts.

The new phone will continue setup while the selected apps and data are copied or queued for installation.

Use A Cable When Setup Offers It

Cable transfer supports the same data categories as Google’s wireless setup flow and is useful when wireless pairing is unavailable or slow.

1. On the new phone, tap Copy when Android asks whether to copy apps and data.
2. Connect the phones with a compatible cable or adapter when prompted.
3. On the old phone, tap Copy.
4. Choose what you want to copy, then tap Copy again.

During the transfer, the new phone shows “Copying your data…”. The old phone shows “Copying’s done” when its part of the transfer has finished.

Can You Transfer Every App And Its Data?

No, Android cannot promise that every app will arrive with its local data, settings, or signed-in session. Apps from Google Play transfer more reliably, while data restoration depends on the backup behavior built into each app.

A paid app you already bought on Google Play can be installed on another compatible Android device without paying again when the new phone uses the same Google Account. Secure apps may still ask you to sign in, confirm the new device, or use an app-specific transfer process.

Google’s Android app and data transfer instructions list the current copy steps and the data categories that do and do not move during setup. WhatsApp is one example where installing the app is not the same as restoring its chats; chat history depends on WhatsApp’s own backup or transfer process.

Restore From Backup When The Old Phone Is Gone

A Google Account backup can restore supported apps and data when the old phone is unavailable, as long as a usable backup already exists. The restore starts during setup on the new Android device.

1. Turn on the new phone and continue through the first setup screens.
2. When asked whether you are setting up with another device, tap Skip.
3. Connect to Wi-Fi, set up the SIM or eSIM, and sign in with the Google Account used on the old phone.
4. When Android offers apps and data to restore, choose the backup you want.
5. Select the supported data types and continue the restore.

Android may ask for the old device’s PIN, pattern, or password before restoring the backup. Google notes that a full restore can take up to 24 hours to finish, so some apps may appear later than the first home-screen load.

What If The New Phone Is Already Set Up?

Android 17 and later can copy data after initial setup from Settings > Accounts & backup, using the option to copy data from another device. Selected earlier Android versions also expose an after-setup copy option, but the location can vary by manufacturer.

If the phone still shows Finish setting up near the top of Settings, open it and return to the transfer flow. If no after-setup transfer control is available, a factory reset may be required to run the full setup copy again, so back up anything newly created on the new phone before resetting it.

Fix Missing Apps After The Transfer

Google Play can reinstall apps tied to the same Google Account when they were missed during setup. The Play Store also shows apps you previously installed but do not currently have on the new phone.

1. Open the Google Play Store on the new phone.
2. Tap the profile icon on the right.
3. Tap Manage apps & device, then Manage.
4. Select the apps you want to install. If an app is missing from the list, tap This device, then Not installed.
5. Tap Install or Enable.

The selected apps will begin installing on the new phone. If an app no longer appears in Google Play, is unavailable in your region, or does not support the new device, Google Play cannot reinstall it there.

Move The Apps, Then Check The Data

A successful Android move has two parts: get the supported apps onto the new phone, then verify the data that matters inside them. Leave the old phone untouched until that check is finished.

1. Use the built-in Android setup copy while the new phone is being configured.
2. Choose cable transfer if wireless pairing fails or the setup asks for a cable.
3. Restore from the Google Account backup when the old phone is unavailable.
4. Open banking, authenticator, messaging, notes, and other data-heavy apps to see whether they need sign-in or their own restore process.
5. Reinstall any missing Play Store apps from Manage apps & device.
6. Only erase, trade in, or recycle the old phone after the apps and data you care about are confirmed on the new device.

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