Switching Teams: iOS 26.3 Beta Adds Official “Transfer to Android” Data Migration Option
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Previously, Google had already introduced features within Android to facilitate data migration to iOS devices. While moving data from Android to Android or from iOS to iOS has long been relatively seamless, cross-platform transfers require close cooperation between operating system vendors.
Following Google’s rollout of comparable functionality, Apple is now preparing to offer a similar capability—an outcome of collaboration between Google and Apple—to provide baseline tools that allow users to migrate from Android to iPhone, or from iPhone to Android.
In the newly released iOS 26.3 beta, Apple has added a “Transfer to Android” option within Settings. Specifically, under Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone, users can now find an option to migrate their entire dataset to an Android system. According to Apple’s description, simply bringing an Android device close to the iPhone enables a connection and initiates data transfer. Apps, photos, messages, and contacts can all be moved to an Android smartphone. However, certain protected data types are excluded, including Health data, lists of Bluetooth-paired devices, and other safeguarded items such as locked notes.
Apple has also outlined the requirements for transferring data to Android: both devices must be running the latest software (i.e., their respective operating systems), and the iPhone must be connected with Bluetooth enabled. Users opting for wireless transfer can authenticate the process using a session ID and pairing code, or alternatively scan a QR code displayed on the Android device with the iPhone for quick pairing and transfer.
Notably, this cross-platform switching feature is available globally rather than being restricted to the European Union. Nevertheless, the impetus behind Apple’s development of this functionality can indeed be attributed to the EU’s Digital Markets Act—absent EU pressure, Apple would likely have had little incentive to implement such a feature.
Additionally, in earlier Android updates, Google’s SIM Manager app introduced support for transferring eSIMs from iPhone to Android. iOS 26 likewise supports eSIM migration to Android devices, eliminating the need for users to request reissuance from their mobile carriers.
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