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How to Transfer Data from One iPhone to Another

The easy way to switch Apple phones

By Evan Killham Evan Killham Writer University of Nebraska Evan Killham has been writing about tech and pop culture since 2008. His work has appeared in publications that include Fandom, VentureBeat, and ScreenRant. lifewire's editorial guidelines Updated on March 1, 2021 Tweet Share Email Tweet Share Email

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Expand Jump to a Section How to Transfer Data to a New iPhone With iTunes How to Use iCloud to Transfer Data to a New iPhone How to Transfer From iPhone to iPhone Got a new iPhone? You probably have data like photos, contacts, calendars, payment methods, smart home settings, and health information to move, too. This article explains how to move all your data from one iPhone to another. These instructions apply to devices running iOS 10.3 and higher. If you need help activating your iPhone or managing other actions, check out How to Set Up a New iPhone.

How to Transfer Data to a New iPhone With iTunes

If you have a Mac or Windows computer with iTunes installed, you can make a backup of your old iPhone's data to transfer to the new phone. These instruction apply to iTunes 10 and later. Connect your old phone to your computer and open iTunes. Select the device icon in the upper-left corner of the window. Select Back Up Now to save a backup of your phone to the computer. Alternatively, you can select Sync to both create a backup and update your phone with any changes you've made to your music library, TV shows, or other items iTunes manages. Once iTunes completes the operation, disconnect your old phone. Connect your new phone to the computer. What you do next depends on whether you've set up the new device or not. If you haven't, begin the process. When the startup asks if you'd like to set up your iPhone as a new device, select Restore from iTunes backup. If you've already done the initial setup of your new phone, select the device icon in iTunes, then select Restore iPhone. iTunes will delete your new iPhone during this process. You'll lose anything you've added since you first set it up. On the confirmation screen that appears, select Restore. iTunes will delete your new phone's current contents and replace them with the backup from your old device.

How to Use iCloud to Transfer Data to a New iPhone

The iPhone also lets you back up your data to iCloud, Apple's cloud storage platform. Once you've backed up your old phone, you can restore your new one with that data without connecting either of them to a computer. On your old phone, open Settings. Tap your name at the top of the screen. Tap iCloud. Tap iCloud Backup. If the switch next to iCloud Backup isn't on, tap it to turn it on. It should turn green. Tap Back Up Now. Your iPhone will save a backup to iCloud. When you set up your new phone, tap Restore from iCloud Backup to move your old iPhone's data to your new one.

How to Transfer From iPhone to iPhone

The third method to set up a new iPhone with an old one's data, which Apple calls Quick Start, is only available when first activating the new device. While the iTunes procedure basically lets you move data around whenever you want, this process has a smaller window of use. If you miss it, you can restore your new iPhone and go through initial setup again, but one of the other methods might be easier at that point. Here's how to transfer data between iPhones wirelessly. These instructions apply to devices running iOS 12.4 and later. Plug both phones into power supplies. Turn on your new device to start the setup process. Place the old device near it. Your new phone will show the Apple ID on the old phone and ask if it's the one you want to use on the new one. Tap Continue to confirm. Apple An animation will appear on your new phone. Center it in the viewfinder of your old device's camera to continue. You can also tap Authenticate Manually if the camera isn't available. On your new phone, enter your current passcode. Set up Touch ID or Face ID (depending on which model of iPhone you have), or tap Set Up Later. Face ID is available on iPhone X and newer. The next screen will ask how you'd like to transfer data to your new phone. Tap Transfer from iPhone. Apple Your data will transfer from the old iPhone to the new one. If you're going from an Android device to an iPhone, you can still move your data. You'll use the Move to iOS app to keep your information intact. Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Subscribe Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit More from Lifewire How to Transfer Messages from iPhone to iPhone How to Pair and Connect an Apple Watch With a New iPhone How to Set Up a New Android From an Old Phone How to Transfer Data from iPad to iPad How to Transfer Contacts From iPhone to iPhone How to Factory Reset an iPhone (All Models) How to Set up a New iPhone How to Restore Your iPhone From a Backup How to Restore WhatsApp Messages How to Back Up iPhone 5 How to Recover Deleted Text Messages on Any Phone How to Transfer Apps From Android to Android How to Reset Restrictions Passcode on an iPhone How to Restore Your iPod Touch to Factory Settings How to Switch From iPhone to Android How to Unpair Apple Watch Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up Newsletter Sign Up By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Cookies Settings Accept All Cookies