How to Transfer Data from One iPhone to Another

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.

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.

1. Connect your old phone to your computer and open iTunes.

2. Select the device icon in the upper-left corner of the window.

3. 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.

4. Once iTunes completes the operation, disconnect your old phone.

5. Connect your new phone to the computer.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. On the confirmation screen that appears, select Restore.

9. 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.

1. On your old phone, open Settings.

2. Tap your name at the top of the screen.

3. Tap iCloud.

4. Tap iCloud Backup.

5. If the switch next to iCloud Backup isn't on, tap it to turn it on. It should turn green.

6. Tap Back Up Now.

7. Your iPhone will save a backup to iCloud.

8. 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.

1. Plug both phones into power supplies.

2. Turn on your new device to start the setup process. Place the old device near it.

3. 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.

4. 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.

5. On your new phone, enter your current passcode.

6. 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.

7. The next screen will ask how you'd like to transfer data to your new phone. Tap Transfer from iPhone.

8. Your data will transfer from the old iPhone to the new one.