4 Ways to Transfer Your Text Messages from an Android Device to an iPhone

The release of the new iPhone 7 (and a recall of exploding Samsung Galaxy Note 7 devices) means many people are considering switching from their Android device to the Apple ecosystem. Luckily, the process tends to be pretty painless — with perhaps one exception: moving your SMS text messages. Sure, most of them won’t be missed, but there might be certain texts that you want to save.

Unfortunately, there’s no real way to transfer these messages without the use of specially designed software. And there’s really no way of knowing the reliability of such software without thorough research. Speaking of which, here is a list of well-vetted options for you to consider.

1. Wondershare MobileTrans

When it comes to paid options, Wondershare MobileTrans is an excellent choice. It’s recommended by the editing staff at CNET and carries a pretty high satisfaction rating among users.

It’s an intuitive, one-step process. You simply plug both phones into your PC or Mac, and click the transfer button. It’s a secure process with zero data loss, and as a bonus, you can use the software to create a backup of your current data as well. It’s also currently the only phone transfer program that’s compatible with iOS 10. So keep that in mind. It’s available for purchase here.

2. Backuptrans iPhone Android SMS Transfer +

Backuptrans iPhone Android SMS Transfer + is a paid option for moving SMS text messages around. It’s available for both Mac and Windows, and claims to transfer data in lossless quality.

Their main standout feature is the SMS management options that come with it. You can save SMS text messages to your computer for easy backup, and with a few or trackpad clicks, you can export your SMS messages into document files, or even print them out directly from the app. It’s available to purchase here.

3. Phone Transfer by Transphone

Phone Transfer is a powerful desktop app for both Windows and Mac. It alleges that it can easily transfer content such as SMS text messages, photos, music and videos from an Android phone to an iPhone.

But even beyond SMS transfer, Phone Transfer allows you to move app data from applications like WhatsApp, Messenger, Skype and Instagram from your old Android phone to your iPhone. As an added bonus, you can permanently wipe data off of your old phone within the app — a useful feature if you want to sell or give away your old device. It’s available here.

4. TxtArchive

For the budget-conscious — and if transferring your SMS messages to your shiny new iPhone isn’t exactly necessary — TxtArchive is a really good option. It’s a free Android app that saves copies of your text messages — and archives them, making organization a bit easier. You can then export them to a SD card or an email address.

So while you can’t read your new texts in Apple’s Messages app, you could find and read them on a web browser or mail client on your new iOS device. It’s available as a free download here.

Would you like to learn other iPhone tips and tricks? Find more here.