Summary
- Android 17 introduces an updated Android Switch tool.
- The new tool is native to both Android and iOS and enables seamless transfer of tons of new data types, including passwords, RCS messages, and even third-party app data (with dev opt-in).
- The rollout is limited initially but will expand over the coming months.
With the release of Android 17, Google has also unveiled a major overhaul of Android Switch. The new tool is built into the OS and should mark a significant shift in the experience of moving from one platform to another.
What’s new with Android Switch
Seamless transfer, new data types
In a post on X, Paul Dunlop, Product Lead for Onboarding, Settings and Switching at Android, ran through the highlights:
- Wireless: The new tool is wireless-first. You can still use a cable if you like, but there should be fewer compromises going wireless.
- Native: This tool is now built directly into both Android and iOS (yes, iOS). No more fumbling with apps.
- New data types: Passwords, passkeys, Google accounts, Wi-Fi credentials, alarms, files and folders, calendar attachments, call history, and Apple Notes attachments are some of the newly supported data types.
- Works with third-party apps: A new API, developed with Apple, enables developers to enable cross-platform data migration. So you don’t just get your apps downloaded on your new phone — if the developer enables it, you also get all your data.
- Better Messages support: Android Switch supports SMS, MMS, RCS, and iMessage, including group chats, reactions, and threads.
- Customization support: Wallpapers, home screen layouts, app placement, and even accessibility settings now transfer.
- eSim transfer: Your eSim now transfers during initial setup, taking this clunky step out of the equation.
Combined with Android phones borrowing features from iPhones, this should make switching much less of a headache.
Quality-of-life improvements
Will switching finally be easy?
If you’ve ever tried to switch from iPhone to Android (or the other way around), you know how much of a hassle it can be. Messages don’t transfer cleanly, app data is often lost, and the whole thing tends to end up a mess. This is especially true with messages — RCS messages have been a pain for a long time (ask me how I know), so that change is very welcome.
The new data types are another huge quality-of-life improvement. Wi-Fi credentials and alarms don’t seem like a huge deal, but having these sorts of things transfer will remove a ton of friction from switching. The same is true for third-party app support. As someone who’s switched between Android and iPhone a good few times, I’m very excited for these updates. I might still miss some of those handy iPhone features, though.
Availability
Slow rollout, as usual
Rollout for these new features started on June 17 for a “small %” of Android 17 devices, with plans to expand to more devices over “the coming weeks and months.” The functionality also appears to work for Android-to-iPhone transfers, as mentioned in Apple’s support docs. The catch is you’ll need to be on Android 17 for it to work.
