4 Quick Ways to Import All Your Contacts to an iPhone

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Easy ways to transfer mobile contact information to your new iPhone

Co-authored by Josef Storzi and Rain Kengly

Last Updated: August 23, 2024 Fact Checked

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Using a SIM Card

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Using iCloud

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Using an iTunes Backup (Windows)

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Syncing Google Contacts

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

Did you want to transfer all your contacts to a new iPhone? You can easily sync and move contacts through the cloud using iCloud or Google Contacts. If you have a physical SIM card from an old non-Apple phone, you can import your contacts. Always confirm you have successfully transferred your contacts before deleting them on old devices. This wikiHow will show you how to transfer your contacts list from an old phone to a new iPhone.

Things You Should Know

On the old and new device, enable iCloud Contacts. Go to "Settings" → your Apple ID → "iCloud" → "Show all" → toggle on "Contacts".
If you have a non-Apple SIM card, insert the new SIM card. Go to "Settings" → "Contacts" → "Import SIM Contacts".
To sync Google Contacts, go to "Settings" → "Contacts" → "Accounts" → "Add Account" → "Google". Enter your Google login information.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Using a SIM Card

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1
Input your SIM card into your iPhone. Use a SIM removal tool or a push pin to remove the SIM card tray. This will usually be on the side of the iPhone on newer models or at the top for older models. Put the SIM card into the tray and push it back in.
- Be sure to use the SIM card that has your contacts stored. iPhone models don't store contacts on a SIM card. However, some non-Apple phones do. Check the phone's manufacturer's website to confirm.
This is the grey cog icon.

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You can find this underneath Mail.
4
Tap Import SIM Contacts. This will be at the very bottom of the page.^{[1]
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- If asked for a location, select where to import your SIM card contacts.
- The import will take a moment to complete.
You can view your contacts here. If needed, you can sort your contacts differently from Apple's default.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Using iCloud

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1
Open the Settings app. This is the grey cog icon.
- If you're moving from an Android to an iPhone, jump to our section on syncing Google Contacts.
- To transfer contacts to your iPhone from iCloud, you must enable iCloud contacts on the old device before it can sync to the new device. Follow these steps on both devices to activate it.
- When you back up your iPhone contacts into iCloud, you can access them from other iOS devices, such as your iPad or Mac.
2
Tap your Apple ID. It's the section at the top of the menu that contains your name and image, if you've added one.^{[2]
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- If you are not signed in, tap Sign in to (Your Device), enter your Apple ID and password, then tap Sign In.
You can find this below Subscriptions.
This will expand the list of available apps.
5
Toggle on
“Contacts”. The switch should be green. Your iPhone contacts will be synced to iCloud. If you make any changes to the contacts on your iPhone, it will also reflect in iCloud.
- If you have existing contacts in iCloud, you may be prompted to tap Merge to finish syncing.
- After you repeat these steps on the new device, the iCloud contacts will be synced to your new device.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Using an iTunes Backup (Windows)

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It's a white app with a multicolored musical note.
Use the cable that came with your iPhone or iPad, plugging the USB end into the computer and the other end into your device's charging port.
3
Click on your device's icon. It's in the gray bar at the top-left of the iTunes window.
- If prompted, enter the old phone's passcode to unlock it.
It's in the left pane of the iTunes window.
5
Click on Back Up Now. It's in the right pane of the window.
- If prompted, click on Transfer Purchases to transfer purchases (apps, music, etc.) you made on your device to iTunes.
- Once the backup is finished, disconnect your current device by clicking the "Eject" icon in the upper-left corner and removing the cable from the USB port.
Use the cable that came with the iPhone, plugging the USB end into the computer and the other end into your iPhone's charging port.
7
Click on your iPhone's icon. It's in the gray bar at the top-left of the iTunes window.
- If prompted, enter the old phone's passcode to unlock it.
It's in the left pane of the iTunes window.
9
Click on Restore iPhone. It's in the upper part of the window's right pane.
- If prompted, turn off Find My iPhone on the new iPhone. To do so, open Settings, then tap Apple ID, tap iCloud, tap Find My iPhone and slide "Find My iPhone" to "Off" (white).
Choose the backup with the latest date and time.
Once the process is complete, the contacts and other settings from the current device will be available on the new iPhone.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Syncing Google Contacts

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1
On the new iPhone, open Settings
. This is the grey cog icon.
- To use Google to sync from an Android device, open Settings on your Android, scroll down and tap Accounts in the "Personal" section, then tap Google and slide "Contacts" to the "On" (green/blue) position. If it appears, tap the overlapping arrows next to "Contacts" to sync them.
It's in a section with other Apple apps, like Calendar and Notes.
You can find this in the middle of the page.
It's at the bottom of the "ACCOUNTS" section.
It's in the middle of the list.
Use the Gmail address with the contacts you want to sync.
7
Enter your password and tap Next. If you forgot your Gmail password, you can always recover it.
- If you've enabled two-step verification for Gmail, enter the verification code you received via text or using Authenticator.
8
Toggle on
"Contacts". The toggle will turn green.
- If needed, select other Gmail data you want to sync with your iPhone by toggling their switches on.
This will return you to the Accounts page. Now your Google and Gmail contacts will be available in the Contacts app on your iPhone.

Community Q&A

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Question

Where are the contacts after importing them onto a SIM card?

Community Answer

They will appear in your Contacts app.

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Question

How do I import contacts from my broken iPhone to my new iPhone?

Community Answer

If you made an iCloud or iTunes backup before the phone was broken then you can restore from that backup. Unfortunately if the phone won't turn on and there is no backup, then you may be out of luck.

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Question

How can I copy iPhone to SIM?

Community Answer

iPhones do not support saving contacts to the SIM card.

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Tips

If you are setting up your iPhone for the first time, you can select to import data from an iCloud or iTunes backup, which will include your contacts (if you have them synced from your old phone) as well as other synced data, like photos, calendars, mail, etc.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Make sure all of your contacts have transferred over correctly! I speak from experience: if a contact is listed only under their first name (or if it's, say, a company where you don't include a surname), they may not transfer over. You may need to transfer such contacts manually.
You should be able to transfer all your contacts to a new iPhone with AirDrop. Open AirDrop on both phones, then go to your old phone and select "transfer contacts."

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Warnings

Make sure your contacts are backed up or transferred before erasing any data from your old device. Once erased, the contacts cannot be retrieved.

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