Move to iOS Stuck on Preparing? 9 Fixes That Work (2026)

You bought the new iPhone, installed Move to iOS on your old Android, entered the code, picked your photos and messages, and then the screen froze on Preparing with a spinner that never ends. Minutes turn into an hour and nothing moves. It is one of the most frustrating parts of switching phones because you cannot skip the step or go back without erasing the iPhone and starting over.

The good news is that this is one of the most reported transfer problems every iPhone launch season, and the causes are well documented by Apple, Android phone makers, and the transfer community. Almost every case traces back to the wireless connection between the two phones. Work through the 9 fixes below in order, starting with the one that resolves the most cases.

Quick Answer

If Move to iOS is stuck on preparing, turn off Smart Network Switch (also called Connections Optimizer or Switch to mobile data) on your Android phone and turn off mobile data, because the phone keeps jumping between WiFi and cellular and breaks the private connection to the iPhone. Next, turn on Airplane Mode on the Android, turn WiFi back on, and rejoin the iPhone network. Keep both phones a few inches apart, plugged into power, and do not touch either phone until the transfer finishes. Restarting both phones and updating the Move to iOS app clears most remaining cases.

Why Is Move to iOS Stuck on Preparing?

During the preparing stage, your Android phone builds a direct WiFi connection to the iPhone and starts packaging your data. Based on Apple support guidance and user reports, these are the real reasons the process stalls:

1. Smart Network Switch is jumping between WiFi and mobile data, dropping the direct WiFi link to the iPhone.
2. Mobile data is active and interfering with the private WiFi connection between the two phones.
3. The WiFi signal is weak or unstable, so the handshake between the phones keeps failing.
4. Background apps on the Android are using bandwidth and memory, starving the transfer.
5. The Move to iOS app or the phone software is outdated and carries known transfer bugs.
6. The iPhone does not have enough free storage for the data being moved.
7. A VPN or proxy on the Android is rerouting traffic away from the direct connection.
8. Corrupt network settings on the iPhone are blocking the temporary WiFi network.

9 Fixes That Work

Fix 1: Turn Off Smart Network Switch on Android

This is the number one fix reported by users. Smart Network Switch, also called Connections Optimizer or Switch to mobile data depending on your phone brand, automatically jumps between WiFi and cellular. That jumping breaks the direct link Move to iOS needs.

1. On your Android phone, open Settings and tap Connections.
2. Tap WiFi, then tap the three dot menu in the top corner.
3. Open Advanced, Intelligent WiFi, or a similarly named submenu.
4. Turn off Switch to mobile data, Smart Network Switch, or Connections Optimizer.
5. Reopen the Move to iOS app and retry the transfer.

Fix 2: Turn Off Mobile Data on Android

Even with Smart Network Switch off, active mobile data can still interrupt the transfer. Move to iOS needs the Android locked on the iPhone WiFi network with nothing else competing.

1. Swipe down from the top of the Android screen to open Quick Settings.
2. Tap the Mobile Data icon to turn it off completely.
3. Confirm that only the WiFi icon shows in the status bar.
4. Retry the Move to iOS transfer and leave mobile data off until it finishes.

Fix 3: Turn On Airplane Mode, Then Turn WiFi Back On

Airplane Mode is a stronger version of the first two fixes. It shuts down every radio at once, so nothing can steal the connection mid transfer.

1. On the Android phone, turn on Airplane Mode from Quick Settings.
2. While Airplane Mode is still on, turn WiFi back on.
3. Connect to the temporary WiFi network shown on the iPhone setup screen.
4. Open Move to iOS and continue the transfer with all other radios silent.

Fix 4: Keep the Phones Close, Plugged In, and Untouched

Many stuck transfers are caused by the user, not the phones. Moving the devices apart weakens the signal, and opening other apps or taking a call pauses the transfer. Apple specifically advises leaving both phones alone.

1. Place the Android and the iPhone a few inches apart on a table.
2. Plug both phones into power so neither sleeps or dies mid transfer.
3. Keep the Move to iOS app on screen the entire time.
4. Do not take calls, open other apps, or lock either phone until the transfer completes.

Fix 5: Restart Both Phones and Start Fresh

A simple restart clears stuck processes and cached network states on both sides. If the transfer already failed once, this gives you a clean slate.

1. Power off the Android phone completely and wait about 30 seconds.
2. Power off the iPhone completely and wait about 30 seconds.
3. Turn both phones back on.
4. You may need to erase the iPhone and return to the Apps and Data screen, because Move to iOS only runs during initial setup.
5. Start the Move to iOS process again from the beginning.

Fix 6: Update the Move to iOS App and Both Phones

Outdated software is a documented cause of preparing stage stalls. App updates fix transfer bugs, and OS updates fix the underlying WiFi code.

1. On the Android, open the Google Play Store and update the Move to iOS app.
2. On the Android, go to Settings, then System, then System Update, and install anything available.
3. Make sure the iPhone is on the latest iOS version before you begin the setup.
4. Retry the transfer with everything updated.

If the Move to iOS app itself crashes on launch instead of reaching the preparing screen, the problem is with the app rather than the transfer. Our guide on apps not opening on Android covers the general fixes for crashing Android apps.

Fix 7: Free Up Storage Space on the iPhone

If the iPhone is nearly full, the transfer cannot finish preparing because there is nowhere to put your data. The app often stalls instead of showing a clear storage warning.

1. Check how much data you selected on the Android, especially photos and videos.
2. On the iPhone, confirm the free space is larger than the data being moved.
3. On the Android, deselect the largest categories or delete files you do not need.
4. Retry Move to iOS with a smaller data set.

Fix 8: Reset Network Settings on the iPhone

Corrupt network settings on the iPhone can prevent the temporary WiFi network from working properly. Resetting them returns WiFi behavior to a clean state.

1. On the iPhone, go to Settings, then General.
2. Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone, then tap Reset.
3. Choose Reset Network Settings and confirm.
4. Restart the Move to iOS process from the Apps and Data screen.

Fix 9: Try the USB C Cable Transfer Instead

If the wireless transfer keeps failing, Apple supports a wired transfer using a USB C cable on newer iPhone models. A cable removes WiFi from the equation entirely.

1. Get a USB C cable that supports data transfer, not a charge only cable.
2. Connect the Android phone directly to the iPhone with the cable.
3. Follow the on screen prompts on both phones to authorize the connection.
4. Select your data and let the wired transfer complete.

Still Not Working?

If all 9 fixes failed, work through these last options.

1. Erase the iPhone and start over. Move to iOS only appears on the Apps and Data screen during initial setup.
2. Try a different WiFi environment. Router firewalls and crowded networks can block the direct connection.
3. If everything moves except your chats, the issue is WhatsApp specific. See our guide on WhatsApp transfer from Android to iPhone failing for the chat specific fixes.
4. As a fallback, sign in to your Google account on the iPhone. Contacts, calendars, mail, and photos synced to Google reappear without any transfer app.

Note that this guide covers Android to iPhone moves. If you are moving between two Apple phones instead, our guide on transfer data from iPhone to iPhone walks through the Apple to Apple methods.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How long should the preparing stage normally take?

A few minutes for a typical data set. If the spinner has not moved for 15 to 20 minutes, treat it as stuck and work through the fixes above.

2. Do I have to erase my iPhone to retry Move to iOS?

In most cases yes. The option only appears on the Apps and Data screen during the initial iPhone setup.

3. Can I use my phones during the transfer?

No. Keep the Move to iOS app on screen and do not take calls or open other apps on either phone. Interruptions are a leading cause of stalls.

4. Does Move to iOS need an internet connection?

It needs a direct WiFi connection between the two phones, not the public internet. That is why turning off mobile data and Smart Network Switch matters so much.

5. What if only some of my data transfers?

Check iPhone storage first, then retry with a smaller selection. Anything left behind can usually be moved manually through your Google account or cloud storage.