How To Transfer Text Messages to a New Phone

Lee Stanton December 19, 2022

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It’s always thrilling to have a new phone. However, it can be quite challenging in the beginning since you have to set up everything from scratch and make sure all data are migrated safely to the new device. While you can easily sync your photos and contacts via your Google account, transferring text messages will require more work since they don’t sync automatically.

How To Transfer Text Messages to a New Phone

This article will help you learn several different ways to transfer text messages easily when you switch to a new device.

How to Transfer Text Messages From Android to Android Using Bluetooth

You might be able to use Bluetooth to migrate text messages from your old phone to the new one, although this is actually an obsolete method and not widely recommended since it is time-consuming. Newer devices usually don’t have the option to perform it at all. It is also not advised from a security standpoint as it can transfer malware (if there’s any) from the sending phone to the receiving phone. Consequently, you should only think about this choice as a last alternative, or if your old phone doesn’t have a reliable internet connection.

Follow the steps below to transfer text messages from your old phone to the new one via Bluetooth:

Bring both phones to close together.
Enable Bluetooth on both devices.
Pair the devices. This can be done from either phone.
Navigate to the source device’s messaging app and decide which messages or conversations you want to transfer. This is usually done by pressing and holding o
Go to Settings, and select “Send” or “Share” for the selected messages.
Select “Bluetooth” from the list of options.
When the option of accessible devices appears, select your target device to receive messages.
The target device (your new phone) will prompt for incoming data. Tap on “Agree” to start

receiving messages from your old phone.

Depending on the model, transferring via Bluetooth might be limited to a conversation at a time or not exist at all. Use third-party apps for a better solution.

How to Transfer Text Messages From iPhone to iPhone Using iCloud Backup

There are different ways to transfer text messages between iPhones, you can use iCloud or a third-party app. Nevertheless, it’s safe to say that using iCloud backup is the most common way to migrate data.

Here’s what you need to do:

Tap “Settings” on your old iPhone.
Tap on your name.
Select “iCloud.”
On the list of apps, scroll down to make sure “Messages” is selected (green switch).
Tap on “iCloud Backup.”
Move the iCloud Backup slider to the green or “ON” position.
Tap on “Back Up Now” to start backing up immediately. Wait until the backup process finishes.
Start setting up your new iPhone and follow the onscreen instructions up to the restore page.
Select Restore from iCloud Backup and wait until the process finishes.
Now all of your backed-up messages are restored in Messages.

If your iPhone is past the initial setup stage, selecting Messages in the “iCloud” section should automatically download them from the last known backup. If you select the option, you can download them manually.

How to Transfer Text Messages From Android to iPhone via App

There are many apps that can help you transfer text messages from your Android device to your new iPhone. One of the most popular apps is Move to iOS. This is an official app that you can download from the Google Play Store. It allows you to migrate text messages, contacts, photos and videos, browser bookmarks and email accounts.

The app only works if the iPhone is in a blank state, and replaces the usual initial setup. If your iPhone is already activated, you need to find another way to transfer your messages.

Here’s the complete guide on how to transfer text messages with Move to iOS:

Set up your iPhone until you see the “Apps & Data” page.
Select “Move Data from Android.”
Install and open the app on your Android phone. Your new iPhone will create a QR code you can scan on the old Android to perform this easily.
Open the app and follow the on-screen instructions, “Continue” and “Agree.”
On your iPhone, tap “Continue.”Wait for a code with six or ten digits to display.
Enter the code on your Android in the Move to iOS app.
Select “Messages” and any other content you want to transfer.
Tap Next. Keep your devices close to each other until the transfer is complete. Both devices will display a loading bar which will need to finish before you can continue.
Tap “Done” on your Android.
Select “Continue” on the iPhone and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup.

How to Forward Text Messages to Email

This is one of the simplest techniques to ensure that no essential information is lost. It’s actually fairly straightforward, with only a few steps.

If you use Android, you can follow the steps below:

Open the messaging app.
Select the text thread you want to forward.
Press and hold the message until the options menu appears, then tap “Share.”
Select your email app and enter the recipient’s information.
Tap the send arrow.

The forwarding method is equally straightforward on iPhone:

Open iMessages.
Select the text thread you want to send to email.
Tap and hold the message until the options menu appears, then tap “More.”
Tap the circle next to each text and tap the forward button.
Enter the destination email address and tap the green arrow.

Unfortunately, text messages you send to an email address aren’t formatted. In the email, you may find one or more attachments, which are divided based on file type. The text is included in a single file, but it can be divided into segments when there is a picture or video attached.

Don’t Complicate Things

Transferring text messages from one device to another can be a daunting task for many people, especially when you’re switching from Android to iOS or vice versa, as they don’t sync automatically. Luckily, you can use some official apps and features during setup to make the process easier. You can also use third-party apps that can be downloaded to help you get the job done easily.

How did you transfer text messages to your new phone? Do you know another, more efficient, transfer method? Tell us in the comment section below.