When your old iPhone is available, use Apple’s Quick Start to set up the new one and choose either a direct phone-to-phone transfer or an iCloud download. If the old phone is unavailable, restore an iCloud or computer backup during setup. No method guarantees that every app credential, carrier plan, or cloud-only item will be ready immediately, so check important data and cellular service before retiring the old phone.
How do I transfer everything from my old iPhone to my new iPhone?
Start with Quick Start if the old iPhone works and is with you. It guides you through pairing the phones and choosing how to move data. You will need the old iPhone’s passcode and your Apple Account password. Connect the old phone to Wi-Fi, turn on Bluetooth, and keep both iPhones near power while the transfer runs. Apple recommends updating the devices first when practical; eligibility can depend on software.
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Prepare before you begin
- Make sure you can unlock the old iPhone and sign in to the Apple Account used on it.
- Connect the old iPhone to Wi-Fi and enable Bluetooth.
- Plug in both phones and set aside time when you can leave the old phone available. Transfer time depends on the network and the amount of data; Apple does not give one guaranteed duration.
- If you do not have a current backup, make one first if possible. If there is not enough iCloud storage, eligible customers setting up a new iPhone may be able to use Apple’s temporary storage option.
Run Quick Start
- Turn on the new iPhone and place it near the unlocked old iPhone.
- Follow the Quick Start prompt on the old phone. Scan the animation shown on the new phone, then enter the old iPhone’s passcode when asked.
- Connect the new iPhone to Wi-Fi or cellular, activate cellular if prompted, and set up Face ID or Touch ID.
- Choose a transfer method. Select a direct transfer to move data from phone to phone, or choose Download from iCloud if you want to start using the new iPhone while apps and data continue downloading.
- Keep the phones near each other and plugged in until the on-screen process completes. A direct transfer keeps both devices occupied; an iCloud download can continue in the background after setup.
Apple documents migration of data and purchased content, but that does not make the new iPhone a guaranteed identical clone. Some items continue downloading, purchases may require sign-in, and third-party apps can require their own setup. Apple’s Quick Start instructions are in Use Quick Start to transfer data to a new iPhone or iPad.
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What should I check after the transfer?
Leave the new iPhone connected to Wi-Fi and power so cloud-stored photos, music, apps, and other content can finish downloading. If prompted, sign in to the Apple Accounts used for purchases; content bought through more than one account may require each sign-in.
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- Open Messages, Photos, Contacts, Notes, and Files and check that the items you rely on are present.
- Open high-priority third-party apps and complete any sign-in or setup they request. Migration does not guarantee every app’s session remains active.
- Make a test call and check SMS and cellular data on the new phone.
- Keep the old iPhone intact until you have checked the new one and any needed backup has restored.
How do I transfer data to a new iPhone without my old iPhone?
If you have an iCloud backup, restore it while setting up the new phone. Connect the new iPhone to Wi-Fi, choose Restore from iCloud Backup, sign in to the Apple Account, and select the backup that matches the right date and size. Keep the phone on Wi-Fi and power while data restores and content downloads.
If the new iPhone has already completed setup, Apple’s backup-restore flow requires erasing it first. Erasing removes the new phone’s current contents, so save anything on it that you need before proceeding. Follow Apple’s instructions to restore an iPhone from an iCloud backup.
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Using Apple’s temporary iCloud storage
If you are moving to a new iPhone and your existing iCloud plan cannot hold a backup, eligible users may be offered temporary iCloud storage. On the old phone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Get Started and follow the prompts. The temporary backup is available for 21 days to restore; if the new device has not arrived, Apple says you can request an additional 21 days. Do not erase the old iPhone until the temporary backup has been restored. See Apple’s temporary iCloud storage instructions.
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Can I transfer iPhone data without iCloud?
Yes. Restore a computer backup made from the old iPhone. Use the computer and application where that backup was created: Finder on a Mac, Apple Devices on a Windows PC, or iTunes where applicable. During new-iPhone setup, choose Restore from Mac or PC, connect the phone to the computer, select it in the relevant app, and choose Restore Backup. Pick the backup by date and size; enter its password if it is encrypted. Apple’s computer-backup restore guide covers the process.
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There is an important difference between encrypted and unencrypted computer backups: Apple says Health and Activity data from iPhone or Apple Watch will not transfer from an unencrypted backup. If you need those categories, the computer backup must be encrypted. As with an iCloud restore, an iPhone that has already completed setup must be erased before you can restore a backup to it; erasing removes its current contents.
What cable do I need to transfer from an old iPhone to a new iPhone?
A wired transfer is optional. The cable or adapter depends on the connectors on both iPhones, so there is no single universal cable. Apple documents these pairings:
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| Phone pairing | Apple-documented cable or adapter |
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| iPhone 15 or later to iPhone 15 or later | USB-C Charge Cable |
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| iPhone 14 or earlier to iPhone 14 or earlier | Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, powered by an adapter rated 12W or higher, plus a Lightning to USB Cable |
Check both iPhone models and the cables you already own before buying anything. A wired direct transfer still requires you to wait until migration completes. Apple lists the supported combinations in its wired transfer guidance.
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Do not assume that moving your data also moves your phone number or cellular plan. eSIM Quick Transfer depends on carrier support. Apple’s current instructions specify that both phones must be signed in to the same Apple Account, the old iPhone must be unlocked, the phones must be nearby with Bluetooth on, and both must run iOS 18.4 or later. When a new plan activates, the old SIM is deactivated.
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If the setup flow does not offer eSIM transfer, or it fails, contact your carrier for its activation process. Depending on the carrier, that may involve carrier activation, a QR code, a carrier app, or another supported method. After activation, test calls, SMS, and cellular data before you stop using the old phone. Carrier support can change; Apple’s eSIM transfer and setup instructions were updated September 17, 2026.
When Quick Start is not available
Quick Start cannot transfer data from a current device when the new iPhone is enrolled in Apple School Manager or Apple Business. If the new phone is organization-managed, follow your administrator’s setup process rather than trying to bypass its enrollment. See Apple’s Quick Start requirements.
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