How to switch from Windows Phone to Android Phone

Windows Phones were unarguably a breath of fresh air back in 2011. But, let’s just accept the fact that Windows Phones aren’t competing well as people would expect. Surely, there’s the app store which is better than it used to be but few big names are still missing, and people are done living without those essential apps. I mean, of course, the lack of apps was one of the deal-killer factors here.

There are a lot of factors we consider these days before buying a new phone. The build quality, camera, hardware, display and most importantly its ecosystem because that’s what decides your overall experience. If you are already familiar with one OS efficiently, moving to another seems pretty daunting, and why wouldn’t it be? After all, you’ve invested time understanding the entire ecosystem.

So, now when you’ve finally decided to enter the realm of Android OS, your mind would definitely be flooded with lots of queries such as how to switch from a Windows Mobile Phone to Android phone without losing your data, how to transfer contacts & data from a Windows phone to Android phone, etc. Don’t you worry! We have got you covered and tried to make this transition smooth with this step by step guide.

How to switch from a Windows Phone to Android Phone

Step 1: Move Contacts and Calendar from Windows Phone to Android Phone

Since you are a Windows phone user, chances are pretty high that you are using a Microsoft account. All you have to do use your Gmail and the Microsoft account to transfer calendar and contacts from Windows phone to Android phone. Here is how you can sync Outlook contacts and calendar later on Android device.

1. First and foremost, take the backup and sync everything with your Windows account. You simply need to go to the Settings and tap on it. You will see Email+accounts on the list, tap on Hotmail and enter your credentials. When the screen prompts you to sync up the data, tap on Contacts, email and calendar. The phone will take some time to sync all your data and you are done with the first step.

2. Now, here is how you can sync that data on your Android device. Just go to the settings, tap on the “Account” option and click on “Add account.” There, you are supposed to enter your Microsoft account email address and password. Once done logging in, you’ll be asked to set up your account. Click on the options of Sync email, calendar, and contacts. This way your Microsoft account will sync with the new device, and you will have your calendar and contact details on your new Android phone.

Step 2: Transfer your data from Windows Phone to Android Phone

1. You can painlessly transfer data from Windows phone to Android phone through your desktop in an old-fashioned way. Simply connect your Windows phone to your desktop using a Micro USB cable. Select the item you want to have on your new Android device and paste them into a folder. Then connect your Android device to your desktop in the similar fashion and get all the data on your phone from that folder be it photos, music, videos or documents.

2. If you don’t have PC, nevermind! We’ve got you covered anyway. There are plenty of third-party apps available, like Phone Copier, that help to transfer data between smartphones. SHAREit is another one that is available for both Windows and Android platforms. You just need to download SHAREit app on both the devices. And yes, don’t forget to connect to the Wi-Fi Hotspot created by SHAREit on the Windows device. You need to be connected with Hotspot to send the files.

Now open it up on Windows phone, tap on the send button and choose the photos, music, docs you want to have on Android device. Once selected, tap on the device name showing on the app’s radar and the files will be sent.

Step 3: Sync Old Data with Google Account

Unlike iOS ecosystem, the only Google necessity you need on an Android smartphone is a Google account. Now that you have your old data on your new Android device, we would suggest you sync it with your Gmail account. It makes things a lot easier to access, and it is always a good idea to do it in advance.

Pro Tip

As you’ve just been through the entire process of how to switch from a Windows phone to Android phone, let me tell you there is no way you can move app data. Hence, if your next question is “how to transfer WhatsApp messages from Windows phone to Android phone”, I am afraid there’s no such way. This is not just the case with Windows OS; even other ecosystems do not let users access the app data.

So, if you have been planning to move from Windows Mobile Phone to Android phone, these tips will come handy to make your transition as painless as possible. If you’ve done it using a different way, let us know your experience in the comment section, we would be more than happy to learn from you.

Planning to switch to iPhone? Read our post on how to switch from Windows Phone to iPhone.