Fix issues with data transfer on a new Pixel phone

If you have trouble copying data from your current phone to your Pixel phone during setup, try the following troubleshooting steps.

If you're on a new Pixel phone, click here for support:

Contact Pixel onboarding help

On Pixel 9 and later, you can restore data from your previous phone anytime without the need to factory reset. You can merge the transferred data with the existing data on your phone with Android Switch. Learn how to transfer data from a cloud backup.

Important: To help protect your backed-up data, use a PIN, pattern, or password screen lock.

To automatically back up your files with Google One:

1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Tap Back up or copy data Back up data.
   • If this is your first time, turn on Backup your device with Google One and follow the on-screen instructions.
   • Select the data you want to back up: Photos & videos, Device data, or both.
3. Turn Backup by Google One on or off.

Your Google One backup can take up to 24 hours. When your data is saved, “On” will be displayed below the data types you selected.

• Not all apps can be backed up or restored. To know more about an app, learn how to contact an Android app’s developer.
• Photos in your Locked Folder can’t be backed up.

A Google One backup saves this info from your phone:

• Apps and some app data
• Call history
• Contacts
• SMS and MMS messages
• Device settings, home screen layouts, widgets, and wallpaper

Photos and videos are backed up separately through the Google Photos app. To manage these settings:

1. Open the Google Photos app .
2. Tap your profile icon Photos settings Back up & sync.

You can also launch the backup settings:

1. Open your device’s Settings app.
2. Tap System Backup.

Learn how to choose the backup quality of your photos and videos.

Your backups upload to Google's servers and are encrypted with your Google Account password. For some info, your device's screen lock PIN, pattern, or password is also used for encryption.

1. Turn on your new device.
2. On the “Welcome to your Pixel” screen, tap Get started.
   1. On the “Set up using another device” screen, tap Pixel or Android device or iPhone or iPad.
   2. Select an option based on the previous device you have.
3. When you receive a prompt to scan the QR code, tap Skip.
   • Connect to Wi-Fi.
4. Sign in to your Google Account with the same email that was connected to your previous device.
5. On the “Copy data from your Android device” screen, tap Next.
6. Choose the backup you’d like to restore onto your new device. To finish setup, follow the on-screen instructions.

Important: You can only restore data from one previous device. If you want to restore from a different device, first reset your Pixel phone.

1. Open your device’s Settings app.
2. Tap Accounts and backup Android Switch Start.
3. If you used another device to transfer data, scan the QR code through the old device.
   • If you didn’t use another device to transfer data, you can choose a device to copy data from.
4. Select the data you want to transfer over.
5. Tap Copy.

Tips:

• If errors occur during data transfer, try again to retrieve missing data types. Learn what does and doesn’t transfer during post-setup data transfer.
• If you haven't set up your backup, learn how to back up data on your Pixel phone.

1. Install any available updates for your current phone.
2. Restart your current phone. On most phones, press and hold the power button until it fully restarts.

Tip: Data transfer is supported from most phones with Android 5 or later versions.

If your Wi-Fi connection isn’t strong enough, your phone will notify you to transfer data with a cable instead or at the same time. Learn how to transfer data with a cable.

Tip: Pixel 8 and later phones support Wi-Fi transfer when you connect your devices during setup using the QR code.

Check the cable

• Unplug and then replug the cable on both ends.
• Carefully check for debris or other blockages inside the cable port.
• Try a different cable. Not all USB-C cables can transfer data.

If you lose power, Wi-Fi or mobile connectivity, or your cable comes out between the phones and your Pixel is unable to re-establish the connection, it may finish with only a partially complete data transfer.

To complete the transfer:

• Pixel 9 and later:
  1. Open your phone’s Settings app.
  2. Tap Backup or copy data Copy data.
• Once your previous phone has been charged, perform a factory reset and start again.

Tip: If your Pixel loses power during transfer and reboots, it'll attempt to either continue setup or start again.

If the setup gets stuck, you get a summary of the data which did or didn't copy.

You can attempt to copy any missing data again. On Pixel 9 and later:

1. Open your device's Settings app.
2. Tap Back up or copy data Copy data Start.

Tip: Note that certain data can only be copied during device initialization, learn which data can be copied.

If you encounter issues when you set up a work profile during phone setup, try these steps:

Skip work profile setup

1. During setup, when you get the prompt “Add your work account on the next screen,” tap Skip.
2. Complete setup normally.
3. Once setup is complete, tap Settings Passwords and Accounts Add Account Google.

Tip: To learn more on how to set up a work profile, refer to Set up Google Workspace on an Android device.

If you copied data after setup, your Pixel will attempt to merge new data with existing data. Learn which data can be copied. In rare cases, your Pixel may be unable to merge certain data types and instead they'll appear as duplicates. You can manually delete duplicate entries or you can clear the data set from your Pixel and copy it again to fix any visible duplicates.

• Downloads, like PDF files
• Photos, videos, and music stored in hidden or locked folders
• Apps that aren’t from the Google Play Store
• Data from apps that don't use Android backup
• Accounts other than Google Accounts and their data
• Contacts and calendars synced to services other than Google
• Ringtones
• Certain phone settings (varies by phone and Android version)

Learn what will and will not copy to your device.

Return to setup

• Within a few minutes:

1. You'll get a "Finish setting up your Pixel" notification.
2. Tap on the notification.

• For a few days:
  1. Open your Settings app.
  2. At the top, tap Finish setting up your Pixel.

If you move from another Android device, make sure that your WhatsApp data is backed up to Google Drive on your old phone. Learn how to transfer Whatsapp data to your new device.

If you already use contacts in your Google Account, like in Gmail, they'll automatically show on your Pixel phone after you sign in. To find your contacts, open your Pixel phone's Contacts app .

If your contacts are on a SIM card, learn how to add, move, or import contacts.

• Connected to the internet:
  Upload content from your current phone or computer to your Google Account. Content in your Google Account shows on your Pixel phone. Learn how to upload to Google Drive and back up to Google Photos.
• Can't connect to the internet:
  Transfer content to your Pixel phone with a USB cable.

If you no longer have your old phone or it's not available for transfer, you may still be able to restore data if you have a cloud backup. Learn how to manage backups.

During Pixel setup:

1. On your Pixel phone, tap Get started.
2. On the next screen, if “Set up using another device” appears, tap Skip.
3. Connect to a Wi-Fi or mobile carrier.
4. Sign in to the Google Account that has the backup of your data.
5. Follow the on-screen steps.

After Pixel setup (Pixel 9 and later):

1. Open your device’s Settings app.
2. Tap Back up or copy data Copy data using Android Switch Start.
3. Tap Can’t use other device?
4. Choose from the available cloud backups.

Important: You can only restore data from one previous device. If you want to restore from a different device, first reset your Pixel phone.

Frequently asked questions