How to Transfer Data From iPhone to iPhone

To transfer everything from your old iPhone to a new one, turn on the new iPhone and place it next to the old one. When the Quick Start prompt appears on the old iPhone, tap Continue, hold the old iPhone over the animation on the new one, and follow the steps. You can then transfer directly from the old iPhone or download from iCloud. You can also connect the two iPhones with a cable, or restore a backup from iCloud or a computer. Moving to a new iPad instead? See how to transfer data to a new iPad.

Before You Start

• Update the old iPhone to the latest iOS in Settings > General > Software Update.
• Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on the old iPhone.
• Know your old iPhone’s passcode and your Apple Account password.
• Plug both iPhones into power. Quick Start ties up both phones until it finishes, so pick a time when you won’t need your old iPhone.

Transfer Wirelessly With Quick Start

1. Unlock your old iPhone and go to the Home Screen.
2. Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to your old iPhone. If it is still in the box, see how to turn on an iPhone 17 and set it up.
3. On the old iPhone, tap Continue on the Quick Start screen that appears. If the prompt disappears, restart both iPhones and try again.
4. Hold the old iPhone over the animation on the new iPhone so the camera can see it, then enter your old iPhone’s passcode on the new iPhone.
5. Connect the new iPhone to Wi-Fi or your cellular network. You might be asked to activate your cellular service.
6. Set up Face ID or Touch ID when asked.
7. Choose how to transfer: directly from your old iPhone, or download from iCloud.
8. Keep both iPhones close together and plugged in until the transfer finishes.

These steps follow Apple’s Quick Start guide.

Transfer With a Cable

A wired connection is a good choice if you have a lot of photos and videos or slow Wi-Fi. Which cable you need depends on the ports on your iPhones:

• iPhone 15 or later to iPhone 15 or later: a USB-C charge cable.
• iPhone 14 or earlier to iPhone 15 or later: a USB-C to Lightning cable.
• iPhone 14 or earlier to iPhone 14 or earlier: a Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter, powered by a 12W or higher adapter, plus a Lightning to USB cable.

1. Connect the cable to the charging ports of both iPhones.
2. Turn on both iPhones and follow the onscreen instructions.
3. Connect the new iPhone to Wi-Fi or cellular, and activate cellular service if asked.
4. Set up Face ID or Touch ID.
5. Wait for the transfer to finish on both iPhones before using either one.

Apple lists the cable for each combination in its wired transfer guide.

Restore From an iCloud Backup

Use this if your old iPhone is lost, broken, or already traded in, as long as you have a recent iCloud backup.

1. Turn on the new iPhone and follow the setup steps until you reach Transfer Your Apps & Data.
2. Tap From iCloud Backup and sign in with your Apple Account.
3. Pick the backup with the most recent date. The transfer starts right away.
4. Sign in to your Apple Account again when asked, so your apps and purchases restore.
5. Stay on Wi-Fi until the progress bar finishes, then finish setup. Photos, apps, and other content keep downloading in the background.

Restore From a Mac or PC Backup

1. Open Finder on a Mac, or the Apple Devices app on Windows. Older computers use iTunes.
2. Connect the new iPhone to the computer with a USB cable, and tap Trust This Computer if asked.
3. Select your iPhone in Finder or the Apple Devices sidebar.
4. Select Restore Backup, pick the most recent backup, and click Restore. Enter the backup password if it’s encrypted.
5. Keep the iPhone connected after it restarts until it finishes syncing.

Both backup methods come from Apple’s restore from backup guide.

Direct Transfer vs. iCloud

• Direct transfer copies data from the old iPhone. You can’t use either phone until it finishes.
• iCloud restores from your last backup. You can start using the new iPhone sooner while apps and data download in the background.

Already Set Up Your New iPhone?

Quick Start and backup restores only run during setup. To use them on an iPhone you already set up, you have to erase it first. Anything you added to the new iPhone since setup will be removed, so save it first. To compare erasing with the other options, see what the iPhone reset options do.

1. On the new iPhone, open Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone.
2. Tap Erase All Content and Settings and confirm.
3. When the iPhone restarts at the Hello screen, follow the Quick Start, cable, or backup steps above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn’t the Quick Start screen appear?

Make sure Bluetooth is on and the old iPhone is unlocked, on the Home Screen, and updated. If the prompt still doesn’t show, restart both iPhones. New iPhones enrolled in Apple School Manager or Apple Business can’t use Quick Start.

Will my texts and photos transfer?

Yes. Quick Start moves your data and settings, including messages and photos, if they’re on the old iPhone or in your iCloud backup.

How long does an iPhone-to-iPhone transfer take?

It depends on how much data you have and your connection. A small transfer can take minutes, while a large photo library can take an hour or more. With iCloud, content keeps downloading in the background for hours or even days.

Can I transfer without iCloud?

Yes. Choose to transfer directly from your old iPhone during Quick Start, use a cable, or restore from a backup on your computer.

How do I move photos to a PC instead?

See how to transfer iPhone photos to a PC or how to transfer files from an iPhone to a PC.