GoKawiilRyan Haines / Android Authority
TL;DR Android 17 introduces a native, wireless-first Android Switch experience developed in collaboration with Apple, eliminating the need for additional apps, cables, or complex permissions.
The update supports migrating previously unavailable data types, including passwords, passkeys, alarms, wallpapers, home screen layouts, Apple Notes attachments, and eSIMs. New cross-platform APIs also allow developers to transfer actual in-app data to Android, moving beyond simple app reinstallation.
The new Android Switch experience rollout begins today on a small percentage of Android 17 devices.
Late last year, Google and Apple teamed up to make switching between Android phones and iPhones more seamless. Google shared a glimpse of these changes at I/O 2026, but the results of this collaboration are now (almost) here: Android 17 introduces a new iOS-to-Android switching experience via Android Switch.
Android’s Product Lead for Onboarding, Settings, and Switching, Mr. Paul Dunlop, has shared on X that Google is launching a new version of Android Switch that brings a “ground-up new iOS to Android switching experience for Android 17.”
No more apps, cables, and dongles Starting off, you no longer need to download any standalone apps or grant complex permissions. The new Android Switch experience is built directly into the core of both Android and iOS, so the whole setup automatically becomes more beginner-friendly.
Further, Android Switch is now wireless-first. This is a big change from the previous experience, where you needed a wired connection to transfer a lot of key information, such as text messages and device settings. The app still fully supports wired transfer, but most users will find wireless transfer much more convenient (and eliminates the risk of a device running out of battery due to an occupied USB port — been there too many times).
Support for more data types Android Switch now also supports migrating passwords, passkeys, Wi-Fi credentials, and alarms. Yes, none of these would have transferred previously if you switched from an iPhone to an Android phone.
Another win is that the new migration experience also brings over your wallpaper, home screen layouts, and app placements, though Google mentions that this will happen in “just a few taps.” We’ll have to see what the process looks like, but it is a big upgrade from the previous experience, where none of these migrated at all. Google is also promising to migrate key accessibility settings to your Android phone.
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