How to Move Everything From One iPhone to Another

The fastest way to transfer all your data is to use iCloud during setup, or to restore from an encrypted backup on your computer

When you set up a new iPhone, Apple gives you three paths to move your data: iCloud during setup, a backup restored from your Mac or Windows computer, or a direct transfer between the two phones. iCloud is the simplest if you have enough storage and a stable internet connection. A computer backup is fastest if you have a lot of data and want to avoid uploading gigabytes to the cloud. Direct transfer works if both phones are in front of you and you have time to wait.

The method you choose depends on what you have available right now. If your old iPhone is still working and you have both phones, direct transfer takes about 30 minutes to an hour. If you only have the new phone, you will need either iCloud or a computer backup from before. If you have neither, you can still set up the new phone and read your apps and photos later, but you will lose text messages, call history, and some settings.

Key Takeaways

Direct transfer between two iPhones copies everything in one step if both phones are present and charged, and takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have.
iCloud transfer during setup requires an iCloud account with enough free storage or an active iCloud+ subscription, and works over Wi-Fi without needing a computer.
Computer backup transfer is fastest for large amounts of data and requires a Mac with macOS 10.15 or later, or a Windows PC with iTunes installed.
Text messages, call history, and some app data only transfer through direct transfer, iCloud, or computer backup — they do not read from the App Store alone.
Your old iPhone must be running iOS 12.4 or later for direct transfer to work, and both phones must be on the same Wi-Fi network or use Bluetooth.

Direct transfer between two iPhones

Direct transfer is the simplest method if you have both phones in front of you. Turn on the new iPhone and hold it next to your old iPhone. After a few seconds, a setup screen appears on the new phone asking if you want to transfer from your old device. Tap "Continue" and follow the prompts. You will be asked to scan a code that appears on the old phone using the new phone's camera, or to enter your Apple ID password.

Once you confirm your identity, the new phone begins copying your data. This includes your apps, photos, messages, contacts, calendar events, health data, and home automation settings. The transfer happens over a local Wi-Fi connection or Bluetooth, so you do not need cellular service. Both phones must stay close together and plugged in or have good battery charge. The process typically takes 30 minutes to an hour, depending on how much data you have.

If the transfer is interrupted, you can restart it by putting the new phone back into setup mode. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings, then turn the phone back on and try again. Your old phone is not affected by restarting the transfer.

Using iCloud to transfer during setup

iCloud transfer works if you have an iCloud account and enough storage space. When you turn on the new iPhone, you will be asked to sign in with your Apple ID. After you enter your password, a screen appears asking if you want to restore from an iCloud backup. Tap "Restore from iCloud Backup" and sign in again if prompted.

Choose which backup you want to restore. If you have multiple backups, the most recent one appears first and shows the date it was created. Select the backup from your old iPhone and wait for the restore to finish. This can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and how fast your internet connection is. Your new phone will read your apps, photos, messages, and settings from iCloud.

iCloud transfer requires either free iCloud storage (which gives you 5 GB) or an iCloud+ subscription. If your backup is larger than your available storage, you will need to buy more space or use a computer backup instead. You can check how much iCloud storage you are using by opening Settings on your old iPhone, tapping your name, then tapping iCloud and Storage.

Restoring from a computer backup

Computer backup is the fastest method for moving large amounts of data and does not require iCloud storage. On your Mac, open Finder and plug in your old iPhone with a USB cable. On a Windows PC, open iTunes. Your phone appears in the sidebar or in the device menu. Click it and look for a "Back Up Now" button. Choose "This Computer" instead of iCloud, then click "Back Up Now" and wait for the backup to finish.

Once the backup is complete, unplug your old iPhone and plug in your new one. The same window shows a "Restore Backup" button. Click it and choose the backup you just created. Enter your Apple ID password when prompted. The computer then copies everything from the backup to your new phone. This process is faster than iCloud because the data moves over USB instead of over the internet.

Your Mac must be running macOS 10.15 or later to use Finder for backups. On Windows, you need iTunes version 12.10 or later. If you do not have iTunes installed on Windows, you can read it from the Microsoft Store or from Apple's website. The backup file itself is encrypted and stored on your computer, so your data does not go to iCloud.

What transfers and what does not

Direct transfer, iCloud, and computer backups all move the same core data: your apps, photos, videos, messages, contacts, calendar, reminders, notes, health data, home automation settings, and passwords stored in Keychain. They also copy your home screen layout and your Wi-Fi network settings.

Some things do not transfer no matter which method you use. Your cellular plan and carrier settings stay with your old phone's SIM card. If you are switching carriers, you will need a new SIM card in the new phone. Your Apple Watch pairing does not transfer — you will need to unpair your watch from the old phone and pair it with the new one. Banking apps and some other apps with high security may ask you to sign in again even after transfer.

If you only read apps from the App Store without using iCloud or a backup, you will get the apps but not your app data. This means you will lose saved games, in-app settings, and login information for apps that do not use iCloud. Text messages and call history only transfer through direct transfer, iCloud, or computer backup.

Transferring data if your old iPhone is not working

If your old iPhone is broken or lost, you can still recover most of your data using iCloud. When you set up the new phone, sign in with your Apple ID and choose "Restore from iCloud Backup." Your most recent backup appears in the list. Select it and the new phone downloads everything that was backed up to iCloud.

This method only works if you backed up your old phone to iCloud before it stopped working. If you never set up iCloud backups, you will not have a backup to restore. In that case, you can still read your apps from the App Store, but you will lose messages, call history, photos that were not synced to iCloud Photos, and other data that was only stored on the phone itself.

If you have a computer backup from before your old phone stopped working, you can restore from that backup instead. Plug the new iPhone into the computer, open Finder or iTunes, and click "Restore Backup." Choose the backup file from your old phone and the new phone will restore from it.

Troubleshooting transfer problems

If direct transfer fails, make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and that neither phone is in airplane mode. Check that your old iPhone is running iOS 12.4 or later by going to Settings > General > About and looking at the Software Version. If it is older, you will need to use iCloud or a computer backup instead.

If iCloud transfer is slow or keeps stopping, check your internet connection by opening Safari and loading a website. If the connection is weak, move closer to your Wi-Fi router or wait until you have a stronger signal. If your backup is very large, the transfer may take several hours. You can leave the phone plugged in and come back to it later.

If you see an error message during computer backup, try unplugging the phone and plugging it back in. If that does not work, restart both the computer and the phone. Make sure you are using the latest version of Finder on Mac or iTunes on Windows. On Windows, you can check for updates by opening iTunes and clicking Help > Check for Updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data from an iPhone to an Android phone?

No, the methods described here only work between iPhones. Android phones use a different system and cannot restore from an iPhone backup. Google offers a tool called "Switch to Android" that can move some data like contacts and calendar events, but it does not move apps, messages, or photos. You would need to manually read your apps from the Google Play Store and move photos using a cloud service like Google Photos.

What if I do not have Wi-Fi during setup?

Direct transfer can use Bluetooth if Wi-Fi is not available, though it is much slower. For iCloud transfer, you will need Wi-Fi or cellular data to read your backup. If you do not have either, you can set up the phone without transferring data, then transfer later when you have internet access. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings to start the transfer process again.

How long does it take to transfer data?

Direct transfer usually takes 30 minutes to an hour. iCloud transfer can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours depending on your internet speed and how much data you have. Computer backup is typically the fastest, taking 15 to 45 minutes depending on the size of your backup and your USB connection speed.

Do I need to keep my old iPhone after transferring data?

No, you can erase your old iPhone after the transfer is complete. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings to wipe it. Make sure the transfer finished successfully and that you have signed out of your Apple ID before erasing. After erasing, the old phone can be recycled, sold, or given away.

Will my text messages transfer if I use iCloud?

Yes, if you have iCloud Backup turned on for your old iPhone, your text messages will transfer when you restore from the iCloud backup on your new phone. To check if iCloud Backup is on, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and make sure the toggle is turned on. Messages are only included in backups made after iCloud Backup is enabled.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.