How to Switch from a Windows Phone to an Android
Add a Hotmail account., Start syncing., Wait for the sync to finish., Sign into Hotmail on a computer browser., Open your contacts list., Export contact data., Save the data., Sign into Gmail., Import contact data., Open the Accounts and Sync...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Add a Hotmail account.
From your home screen, swipe to the right to access the list of apps you can use on the Windows phone.
Scroll down until you see Settings, and tap on it.
You will be taken to the system tab by default, where you will find “email+accounts” visible on the list.
Tap on “Email+accounts.” Add a Hotmail account by tapping “Add an account,” which is the first item on the list.
Tap on “Hotmail,” and key in your login details to continue. -
Step 2: Start syncing.
On the next screen, tap on “Email, contacts, and calendars” when it prompts you to choose the content to sync.
Then tap on the “Sign in” button. , You’ll then be taken back to the email+accounts list.
The phone will take a few moments to sync all your phone’s contacts, email, and calendar.
You will know the sync is finished when “Hotmail” isn’t grayed out any longer on the list of registered accounts on the email+accounts list. , On your computer, open your favorite web browser and navigate to the Hotmail website.
Enter your username and password in their respective fields, and click on “Sign in” at the bottom. , On the main mail window, click on the down arrow at the right of the Outlook logo in the upper left corner of your screen.
Then, select “People,” which is the reddish tile with two people icons inside. , Once in the People screen, tap on “Manage” at the top right portion of the screen, and you will get to choose options from a drop-down menu.
Tap on “Export” to begin exporting your contacts data into one file. , A prompt will appear on your browser screen that will ask you to save or open the WLMContacts.csv file from your email account.
Click on “Save,” and choose a directory where you want to store the .csv file in.
This is the file you will use with a Gmail account, in order to use it with your new Android device. , Head to Gmail’s website on your web browser to access the login portal for Gmail.
Enter your login details in the fields provided, and click “Sign in” to access your account.
If you haven’t yet created a Gmail account, click on the blue “Create an account” like on the bottom, and enter the necessary details in the text fields.
It’s quite easy. , Now that you’re signed in, click on the red Gmail link in the upper left portion of the screen, right under the Google logo.
Select “Contacts” to view the Contacts screen.
Click on the “More” drop-down menu, and select “Import.” Click on the “Choose file” button in the notification window that appears, and navigate to the directory where you stored the .csv file you exported from your Hotmail account.
Click “Open,” and then hit the blue “Import” button to finish importing the contacts.
Back at the Contacts page in Gmail, you’ll see that the contacts from your Hotmail account have been carried over to your Gmail. , On you Android device, go to Settings, which can be found in the App drawer or on your home screen.
It’s the gear icon.
Scroll down the menu until you see the “Accounts and Sync” option, and tap on it. , Tap on “Add an Account,” and choose the Google option.
Log in by using the login credentials of the Gmail account you used earlier to import the contacts.
Tap on “Sign in” at the bottom to finish logging in. , The account will then appear in the Accounts screen, which you will be taken back to after signing in.
Tap on the Google account, and you will see your Gmail address in the next screen, along with some options.
Make sure “Contacts” is checked, and tap on the menu button at the top right corner.
Tap on “Sync now,” and the phone should start syncing the chosen data.
Head to your Contacts application in the home screen, and you will see that all the contacts details of your contacts in your previous phone have carried over to your new Android device. , Now that you have contacts synced, you’ll want to get some of the apps that you loved to use back on your Windows phone.
Unfortunately, not all apps from Windows Phone are available on Android, so you will have to try searching for the apps one by one.
Tap on the Play Store icon in your home screen or app drawer, which is the white shopping bag with the Play (triangle) icon in the middle. , You’ll notice a search bar at the top of the screen, tap on it to open a text field and bring up your on-screen keyboard.
Type the name of the app you want to install, and tap the result that appears in the bottom. , Tap on the “Install,” or “Buy” if the app isn’t free, button on the bottom of the app name in the App Description page.
Tap “Accept” once you have read the permissions that the app requires you to give in order for it to deliver its functionality, and wait for the application to finish downloading.
It will begin to install once the download has finished. , To try the app out, you can tap on the “Open” button, which replaces the “Install” button in the App Description page.
Or, if you’ve left Google Play, find the app’s icon on your home screen or app drawer, and tap on it there.
You’ve successfully switched over to the Android system! There are tons of apps you can try out, which are functional, intuitive, and fun to use. -
Step 3: Wait for the sync to finish.
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Step 4: Sign into Hotmail on a computer browser.
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Step 5: Open your contacts list.
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Step 6: Export contact data.
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Step 7: Save the data.
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Step 8: Sign into Gmail.
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Step 9: Import contact data.
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Step 10: Open the Accounts and Sync Settings menu.
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Step 11: Add a Gmail account.
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Step 12: Sync contact data.
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Step 13: Open Google Play.
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Step 14: Search for apps.
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Step 15: Download and install the app of your choice.
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Step 16: Open the app.
Detailed Guide
From your home screen, swipe to the right to access the list of apps you can use on the Windows phone.
Scroll down until you see Settings, and tap on it.
You will be taken to the system tab by default, where you will find “email+accounts” visible on the list.
Tap on “Email+accounts.” Add a Hotmail account by tapping “Add an account,” which is the first item on the list.
Tap on “Hotmail,” and key in your login details to continue.
On the next screen, tap on “Email, contacts, and calendars” when it prompts you to choose the content to sync.
Then tap on the “Sign in” button. , You’ll then be taken back to the email+accounts list.
The phone will take a few moments to sync all your phone’s contacts, email, and calendar.
You will know the sync is finished when “Hotmail” isn’t grayed out any longer on the list of registered accounts on the email+accounts list. , On your computer, open your favorite web browser and navigate to the Hotmail website.
Enter your username and password in their respective fields, and click on “Sign in” at the bottom. , On the main mail window, click on the down arrow at the right of the Outlook logo in the upper left corner of your screen.
Then, select “People,” which is the reddish tile with two people icons inside. , Once in the People screen, tap on “Manage” at the top right portion of the screen, and you will get to choose options from a drop-down menu.
Tap on “Export” to begin exporting your contacts data into one file. , A prompt will appear on your browser screen that will ask you to save or open the WLMContacts.csv file from your email account.
Click on “Save,” and choose a directory where you want to store the .csv file in.
This is the file you will use with a Gmail account, in order to use it with your new Android device. , Head to Gmail’s website on your web browser to access the login portal for Gmail.
Enter your login details in the fields provided, and click “Sign in” to access your account.
If you haven’t yet created a Gmail account, click on the blue “Create an account” like on the bottom, and enter the necessary details in the text fields.
It’s quite easy. , Now that you’re signed in, click on the red Gmail link in the upper left portion of the screen, right under the Google logo.
Select “Contacts” to view the Contacts screen.
Click on the “More” drop-down menu, and select “Import.” Click on the “Choose file” button in the notification window that appears, and navigate to the directory where you stored the .csv file you exported from your Hotmail account.
Click “Open,” and then hit the blue “Import” button to finish importing the contacts.
Back at the Contacts page in Gmail, you’ll see that the contacts from your Hotmail account have been carried over to your Gmail. , On you Android device, go to Settings, which can be found in the App drawer or on your home screen.
It’s the gear icon.
Scroll down the menu until you see the “Accounts and Sync” option, and tap on it. , Tap on “Add an Account,” and choose the Google option.
Log in by using the login credentials of the Gmail account you used earlier to import the contacts.
Tap on “Sign in” at the bottom to finish logging in. , The account will then appear in the Accounts screen, which you will be taken back to after signing in.
Tap on the Google account, and you will see your Gmail address in the next screen, along with some options.
Make sure “Contacts” is checked, and tap on the menu button at the top right corner.
Tap on “Sync now,” and the phone should start syncing the chosen data.
Head to your Contacts application in the home screen, and you will see that all the contacts details of your contacts in your previous phone have carried over to your new Android device. , Now that you have contacts synced, you’ll want to get some of the apps that you loved to use back on your Windows phone.
Unfortunately, not all apps from Windows Phone are available on Android, so you will have to try searching for the apps one by one.
Tap on the Play Store icon in your home screen or app drawer, which is the white shopping bag with the Play (triangle) icon in the middle. , You’ll notice a search bar at the top of the screen, tap on it to open a text field and bring up your on-screen keyboard.
Type the name of the app you want to install, and tap the result that appears in the bottom. , Tap on the “Install,” or “Buy” if the app isn’t free, button on the bottom of the app name in the App Description page.
Tap “Accept” once you have read the permissions that the app requires you to give in order for it to deliver its functionality, and wait for the application to finish downloading.
It will begin to install once the download has finished. , To try the app out, you can tap on the “Open” button, which replaces the “Install” button in the App Description page.
Or, if you’ve left Google Play, find the app’s icon on your home screen or app drawer, and tap on it there.
You’ve successfully switched over to the Android system! There are tons of apps you can try out, which are functional, intuitive, and fun to use.
About the Author
Sophia Stevens
Creates helpful guides on organization to inspire and educate readers.
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