Transfer apps to a new Android phone the right way, and the new phone feels like your old one within an hour — your apps, photos, messages, and settings all in place.
The honest point first: moving the apps is the easy part — Android’s own copy does most of it. The hard part is what does not move: banking logins, authenticator codes, and WhatsApp chats each need their own step. Do those before you wipe the old phone, or you can lock yourself out of your own accounts.
There is one more thing people get wrong: the copy can only be done once, during the new phone’s setup. Google says so plainly — if you skip it, the option may not come back without a factory reset. So do not rush past the setup screens.
Which Method Should You Use to Transfer Apps to a New Android Phone?
Pick the one that fits your situation — most people only need the first:
| Method | Best for | Needs |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in setup copy | Almost everyone | Both phones, during setup |
| Google backup restore | Old phone lost, or setup already finished | Same Google account, backup switched on |
| Samsung Smart Switch | Samsung to Samsung | Smart Switch on both phones |
| Play Store Library | Just a few apps, by hand | Same Google account |
| Re-install APKs by hand | Apps installed outside the Play Store | The original source, and a safety check |
Method 1: Copy Apps and Data During Setup (Best for Most People)
This is the method Google itself recommends, and it moves the most data with the least effort.
1. Charge both phones and connect both to Wi-Fi.
2. Turn on the new phone and tap Start. Sign in with the same Google account you used on the old phone.
3. When the new phone asks to copy apps and data, tap Copy.
4. Pick with a cable — Google marks this as recommended, because it is faster and more stable — or with Wi-Fi. A USB-C to USB-C cable is best; if the cable does not fit both phones, an adapter works.
5. On the old phone, tap Copy and follow the prompts. Enter your old phone’s screen lock when asked, so your Wi-Fi passwords and Google accounts move across too.
6. Choose what to copy — apps, photos, messages, call history, settings — or transfer everything. If storage is tight on the new phone, leave out large videos and move them later.
7. Keep both phones near each other, on Wi-Fi and charging, until it finishes. A big transfer can take from a few minutes to a few hours, and you can keep setting up the new phone while it runs in the background.
Google’s own steps for this copy are on their support page: Copy apps & data from an Android to a new Android device (Google Android Help).
Method 2: Restore from a Google Backup
Use this when setup is already finished, or the old phone is lost or broken.
1. On the old phone, if you still have it, check the backup is on: open Settings → Google → Backup, and turn on Backup by Google One (on older phones it is called “Back up to Google Drive”).
2. On the new phone during setup, sign in with the same Google account, skip the copy step, and choose to restore from the backup when asked.
3. Pick the backup, choose the apps and data you want, and wait. Google says a full restore can take up to 24 hours — keep the phone on Wi-Fi and charging so apps and data can finish downloading.
Two honest limits: you cannot restore a backup made on a newer Android version onto a phone running an older one, so install any updates the new phone offers first. And only apps that support backup bring their data with them — the rest reinstall fresh, and you sign in again.
Method 3: Samsung Smart Switch (and Other Brand Tools)
If both phones are Samsung, Smart Switch is the official tool, and it moves contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, apps, and even some app data.
1. Open Smart Switch on both phones — it is often pre-installed on newer Galaxy phones under Settings → Accounts and backup → Bring data from old device.
2. On the old phone tap Send data, on the new phone tap Receive data, then choose Galaxy / Android and Wireless (or a USB cable for the fastest transfer).
3. Select Apps and anything else you want, then tap Transfer. The move usually takes 1–3 hours for a full phone.
Other brands have their own version of the same idea — OnePlus has Clone Phone, Xiaomi has Mi Mover. Use the official tool for your brand, and avoid unofficial “transfer” apps from unknown sources, which are a common way to spread harmful software.
Method 4: Reinstall a Few Apps from the Play Store Library
If you only want some apps back, you do not need a full transfer at all.
1. On the new phone, open the Play Store and tap your profile icon.
2. Tap Manage apps & device, then Manage, and switch to Not installed. You will see every app you ever installed with this Google account.
3. Tick the apps you want and install them. Paid apps come back free, because they are tied to your Google account, not to the old phone.
What About Apps You Installed from APK Files?
This is the part most transfer guides skip, and it matters on this site: apps you installed from an APK file do not come back through the Play Store library, because the Play Store never had them.
The built-in setup copy moves most apps, but an app installed from an APK may arrive without its data, or not arrive at all. Check each one on the new phone. The safe way is to re-install it from the original source — the developer’s own site or a trusted store — using our guide to installing APKs safely. Do not pull the APK from a random link just because it is faster.
After installing, run a manual scan with Google Play Protect and check the app’s permissions again with our guide to checking app permissions — a fresh install is a fresh chance to catch a permission the app does not need. And if you are unsure about a file at all, run the checks in our APK safety guide first. Never use an unofficial “transfer” or “clone” app to move APKs between phones — that is exactly how harmful files spread from one phone to another.
What Never Transfers — Move These by Hand First
No transfer method moves everything. For security reasons, some apps deliberately do not carry their login state across devices:
| What | Why it does not move | Do this first |
|---|---|---|
| Banking and payment apps | They need a fresh login and re-verification on the new phone | Keep the old phone until you have signed in on the new one |
| Authenticator apps (Google Authenticator, Authy) | The codes live only on the old phone | Use the app’s own export or transfer — before wiping |
| WhatsApp and Signal chats | They need their own in-app backup | Back up chats in the app, then restore on the new phone with the same number |
| Some game progress | Tied to the game’s own account or a local save | Sign in to the game’s account, or use its backup, before switching |
| Work profile data | Managed by your employer or school | Ask your IT admin — some data cannot transfer at all |
Before You Wipe the Old Phone — Checklist
Do not wipe the old phone on the same day. Run the new phone for a day first, and check every item on this list:
— New phone signed in everywhere that matters: bank, email, authenticator.
— Authenticator moved and tested — the codes work on the new phone.
— WhatsApp backup done and restored, with the same phone number.
— Photos backed up — Google Photos backup complete, or copied to a computer.
— Old phone still works, so you can go back if something is missing.
Only then factory reset the old phone and remove your Google account before selling or recycling it.
Frequently Asked Questions
I already finished setup. Can I still copy my apps?
The one-time copy only runs during setup. After that, restore from a Google backup, or factory reset the new phone and run setup again — the reset is the only way to get the copy screen back.
Do I have to buy my paid apps again?
No. Paid apps are tied to your Google account, not the phone. Sign in with the same account and reinstall them from the Play Store library.
Will my chats move to the new phone?
SMS and call history move with the built-in copy. WhatsApp and Signal need their own in-app backup and restore — the general transfer does not cover them.
What if my old phone is broken or lost?
Restore from your Google backup with the same account. Anything that was never backed up — unsaved photos, chats without backup — cannot be recovered this way, which is why the backup should be switched on before you need it.
Why is an app missing after the transfer?
Some apps do not support backup, and apps installed from APK files may not carry over at all. Reinstall from the Play Store library, or from the original source for APKs, and check the permissions again after installing.
Once everything is on the new phone, take ten minutes to check it properly: open your most-used apps, confirm your logins work, and check the permissions of anything you installed from outside the Play Store. See all our guides on the Browse APKs page.
Last updated: November 3, 2026