Android 17 can now copy iMessage history and home screen layout from iPhone, in the biggest upgrade Google's Android Switch tool has ever received. The overhauled transfer process, detailed by Google's Product Lead for Android Onboarding and Android Settings Paul Dunlop, goes far beyond the basic contacts and photos that the tool previously handled.
Starting with Android 17, users switching from iPhone to a Pixel (and eventually other Android devices) can bring over their entire Google account, SMS and MMS threads, iMessage history with attachments and stickers, and even encrypted RCS messages.
The home screen itself now migrates, including wallpaper, app layouts, and folders. Passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi credentials, alarms, and accessibility settings all move over.
Apple Notes attachments and labels, calendar attachments, files and folders, and call history transfer too. eSIM migration is supported, though not for every carrier yet.
Google had previewed this overhaul in May, announcing a collaboration with Apple to revamp the iOS-to-Android transfer process. The company said the upgraded system would support wireless migration and launch first on Samsung Galaxy and Pixel devices.
The new Android Switch tool uses native APIs on both platforms, leveraging a framework Google and Apple announced last year. App developers can also opt in to allow their in-app data to transfer between devices, opening the door for smooth app-level migration down the line.
Dunlop said the upgrade is rolling out starting today to a "small percentage" of Android 17 devices, which for now means Pixel phones exclusively. The improvements will expand "over the coming weeks and month," with non-Pixel Android devices also receiving the upgraded switching capabilities.
The irony is not lost that Android 17's Switch tool may now offer a more complete data transfer experience than what users get moving between Android phones from different brands. Switching from a Pixel to a Samsung Galaxy, for instance, still often means losing the home screen layout and various settings.
Android-to-Android transfers may be next in line for a similar overhaul, though Google has not confirmed any timeline.
Android 17 itself began rolling out to Pixel 6 and newer devices on June 16, bringing features like App Bubbles, Screen Reactions for content creators, a 50/50 gaming mode for foldables, and security upgrades including biometric-locked "Mark as Lost" and PIN-guessing caps. The more advanced Gemini Intelligence features are expected to ship later this summer to select devices.
