How to transfer contacts from a Jitterbug to an iPhone
The right method depends on your Jitterbug. A Jitterbug Smart runs Android and moves easily; a Jitterbug Flip needs a different approach.
Photo by Vojtech Bruzek on Unsplash
Jitterbug phones are made by Lively, which is owned by Best Buy. The current models are the Jitterbug Smart4, a simplified Android smartphone, and the Jitterbug Flip2, a flip phone with large buttons. Moving from either to an iPhone is common when a family decides a parent or grandparent is ready for FaceTime, photos and group texts. The contacts are the part that matters most, and they can almost always come across.
Which method should you use?
- New iPhone, not set up yet, Jitterbug Smart: Move to iOS. It copies contacts, messages, photos and more in one go.
- iPhone already set up, Jitterbug Smart: sync through a Google account, or email the contacts as a file.
- Jitterbug Flip or Flip2: ask Lively to help, check the SIM card, or add a short list by hand.
First, find where the contacts are saved
On a Jitterbug Smart, open Contacts, tap a contact and look for the account shown, such as Google or Phone. Contacts saved to Phone only live on the device, so they will not sync. Move them to Google first, or export them as a file.
The fix
Jitterbug Smart: Move to iOS during setup (best)
- 1
Charge both phones and connect the Jitterbug to Wi-Fi.
Keep both plugged in during the transfer, which can take 10 minutes to an hour depending on how many photos come across.
- 2
Start setting up the iPhone until you reach Transfer Your Apps & Data, then tap From Android.
- 3
On the Jitterbug, install Move to iOS from the Google Play Store and open it.
- 4
Enter the code shown on the iPhone.
The iPhone creates a temporary Wi-Fi network, and the Jitterbug joins it to send the data. Tap Connect if the Jitterbug asks.
- 5
Select Contacts (and anything else you want) and wait for the transfer to finish.
Move to iOS stuck or not connecting?
- Keep the two phones next to each other and do not use either one until the transfer finishes. A phone call on the Jitterbug stops the transfer.
- On the Jitterbug, turn off any setting that switches Wi-Fi to mobile data when the signal is weak, often called Smart network switch or Switch to mobile data.
- Turn off mobile data on the Jitterbug during the transfer, so it stays on the iPhone’s temporary network.
- If it fails, restart both phones and start again. On the iPhone, you may need to erase it in Settings › General › Transfer or Reset iPhone to see the From Android option again.
The fix
Jitterbug Smart: sync with Google (iPhone already set up)
- 1
On the Jitterbug, make sure contacts are saved to your Google account.
Open Settings › Accounts (or Google) and check that Contacts sync is on.
- 2
On the iPhone, add the same Google account.
Go to Settings › Apps › Contacts › Contacts Accounts › Add Account › Google and turn on Contacts.
- 3
Open the Contacts app. Your contacts appear after a few minutes.
The fix
Send contacts as a file by email
- 1
On the Jitterbug Smart, open Contacts, then the menu, and choose Export or Share.
- 2
Select all contacts and share them by email as a .vcf file.
A .vcf file, also called a vCard, holds every contact’s names, numbers and emails in one small attachment. Send it to an email address that is set up on the iPhone.
- 3
Open the email on the iPhone and tap the attachment.
- 4
Tap Add All Contacts.
If you are asked which account to use, pick iCloud so the contacts are backed up. Delete the email afterward if you do not want the file lying around.
Jitterbug Flip: your options
A Jitterbug Flip or Flip2 cannot run Move to iOS or sync with Google, so the smartphone methods above do not work. These are the realistic options, from easiest to most work:
- Call Lively customer service at 1-800-733-6632, or dial 611 from the Jitterbug. Lively operators are available around the clock and can help with the contact list, and Best Buy stores can often help in person too.
- If the Flip saves contacts to its SIM card and the SIM fits your iPhone, go to Settings › Apps › Contacts › Import SIM Contacts. iPhones sold in the US since the iPhone 14 have no SIM tray, so this only works on older iPhones with a physical SIM slot.
- For a short list, add the contacts to the iPhone by hand in the Contacts app.
Should the contacts live in Google or iCloud?
Both work. If you used the Google method, the contacts stay in the Google account and sync to the iPhone, which is fine and means they are backed up. For someone who will only use Apple devices from now on, keeping everything in iCloud is simpler to manage. After Move to iOS, contacts are saved on the iPhone; turn on Contacts in Settings › your name › iCloud so they are backed up. Then set iCloud as the Default Account in Settings › Apps › Contacts so new contacts go there too.
Check the transfer worked
- 1
Count the contacts.
Open the Contacts app on the iPhone and scroll to the bottom, where the total number is shown. Compare it with the Jitterbug.
- 2
Test a few favorites.
Call or text two or three of the most important people to make sure the numbers came across correctly.
- 3
Merge duplicates.
If contacts appear twice, open Contacts and look for the Duplicates Found card at the top of the list, then tap Merge.
- 4
Keep the Jitterbug for a week.
Do not reset, sell or recycle it until you are sure nothing is missing from the iPhone.
Keeping the same phone number
If you are leaving Lively for another carrier, you can usually keep the number. Ask Lively for your account number and a transfer PIN, then give them to the new carrier when you activate the iPhone. Do not cancel the Lively plan first, or the number may be lost. From a Jitterbug, dial 611 to reach Lively customer service. Once the number moves, the Jitterbug stops working as a phone, so finish copying contacts before the switch. Most carriers, including Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile, can move the number the same day. Ask about plans for customers aged 55 and over; T-Mobile, for example, offers one, and they are often cheaper than a standard plan for one or two lines.
Replacing the Jitterbug’s safety features
Many Jitterbug owners rely on Lively’s urgent response button and health services. An iPhone has its own safety tools, but they work differently, so set them up before the switch:
- Emergency SOS: press and hold the side button and a volume button to call 911. Add emergency contacts in the Health app under Medical ID, so they get a text with the location.
- Medical ID: in the Health app, fill in medications, allergies and conditions, and turn on Show When Locked so first responders can see it.
- Crash Detection and Fall Detection: iPhone 14 and later detect severe car crashes; an Apple Watch adds fall detection.
- If the person used Lively’s medical alert or nurse services, ask Lively whether they can keep a standalone plan for those after moving the phone line.
Frequently asked questions
Which Jitterbug do I have?
A Jitterbug Smart, such as the current Smart4, has a touch screen and runs Android with Google Play. A Jitterbug Flip, such as the Flip2, folds shut and has physical buttons. The steps are different for each.
Will my Jitterbug phone number move to the iPhone?
Your number belongs to your carrier plan, not the phone. Ask your carrier, or Lively if you use Lively service, about moving your number to the iPhone before you cancel anything.
Can I move contacts using the SIM card?
iPhone can import SIM contacts in Settings › Apps › Contacts › Import SIM Contacts, but many Jitterbug phones do not save contacts to the SIM, so check first.
Will photos and texts come across too?
Photos can be moved with Google Photos on a Jitterbug Smart. Text messages from a flip phone usually cannot be transferred.
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