The fastest way to transfer your data

The quickest method is Quick Start, Apple's built-in transfer tool that moves your entire setup — apps, photos, messages, settings, passwords — in one go. You need both phones, your Apple ID password, and a Wi-Fi connection. The process takes 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have, but you do almost nothing after the initial setup.

Turn on your new iPhone and hold it next to your old one. Your old phone will show a setup screen; tap it to start. Scan the animation on the new phone's screen with your old phone's camera. Enter your Apple ID password when prompted, then choose whether to restore from your old phone directly or from an iCloud backup. The phones will sync while connected to Wi-Fi — keep them close and plugged in until the transfer finishes.

If you cannot use Quick Start because your old phone is broken or you do not have it with you, restore from an iCloud backup instead. This requires that you backed up your old phone to iCloud before it stopped working. During new iPhone setup, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" and sign in with your Apple ID, then select the backup you want to restore.

Key Takeaways

  • Quick Start transfers everything wirelessly between phones in one process and is the fastest method if you have both devices.
  • If your old phone is unavailable or broken, you can restore from an iCloud backup as long as you backed up before the problem occurred.
  • A Mac or Windows computer can also restore your data if you have a local backup file, though this is slower than wireless methods.
  • Some data like health records and home automation settings may require additional steps after the main transfer completes.

Transferring from iCloud backup

An iCloud backup contains almost everything: your photos, messages, app data, home screen layout, and settings. During setup on your new phone, you will see the option "Restore from iCloud Backup." Tap it, sign in with your Apple ID, choose which backup to restore (usually the most recent one), and let the phone download and install everything.

The restore happens in the background while you use your phone, though it runs faster if you leave the phone plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi. Apps download from the App Store automatically, so you do not need to reinstall them manually. Text messages, photos, and email accounts all restore without extra steps.

One limitation: iCloud backup does not include data stored only on your old phone that was never synced to iCloud. This is rare for most people, but if you have photos or videos saved locally that were never uploaded, or notes in an app that does not sync to iCloud, those will not transfer. Check your old phone before erasing it to make sure nothing important was left behind.

Using a computer to restore from a backup

If you have a backup file on a Mac or Windows computer, you can restore from it instead of iCloud. Connect your new iPhone to the computer with a USB cable, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), and select your phone. Click "Restore" and choose the backup file you want to use.

This method is useful if your iCloud storage is full or if you want to restore from a very old backup that is no longer stored in iCloud. The transfer is usually slower than Quick Start or iCloud restore because it depends on your USB connection speed, but it works reliably for moving large amounts of data.

Make sure your backup file is actually on your computer before you start. On a Mac, backups are stored in ~/Library/Mobile Device/Backup/. On Windows, they are in Users/[your username]/AppData/Roaming/Apple Computer/MobileSync/Backup/. If you cannot find your backup, you may need to create a new one from your old phone first.

What transfers and what does not

Most of your data transfers automatically: photos and videos in your library, messages and email, contacts, calendar events, reminders, notes, and app data. Your home screen layout, wallpaper, and accessibility settings also move over. Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain transfer as well, so you do not need to re-enter them.

Some things do not transfer and require manual setup. Health data and activity rings may need to be re-synced from your Apple Watch if you wear one. Home app settings and automations sometimes need to be reconfigured because they are tied to your home hub. Payment methods in Apple Pay transfer, but you may need to verify them with your bank. Cellular plans do not transfer — you will need to contact your carrier to activate your new phone on their network.

Apps themselves transfer, but if an app requires a login, you will need to sign in again on your new phone. Some apps store data on their own servers rather than in iCloud, so check your most-used apps after the transfer to make sure your data is there. Banking apps, social media, and email are usually fine, but games and specialized apps sometimes need manual setup.

Preparing your old phone before transfer

Before you start the transfer, make sure your old phone has a recent backup. Open Settings, tap your name at the top, then iCloud, then "iCloud Backup." Tap "Back Up Now" and wait for the backup to finish — this can take several minutes depending on how much data you have. Do not unplug or turn off your phone during the backup.

Check that you know your Apple ID password. You will need it during setup on the new phone, and if you do not remember it, you can reset it on Apple's website before you start. Make sure your old phone is plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi before you begin the transfer, especially if you are using Quick Start.

If you plan to erase your old phone after the transfer, wait until you have confirmed everything arrived on the new phone. Spend a day or two checking that your photos are there, your messages are intact, and your most-used apps work correctly. Only then should you erase the old phone by going to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset, and choosing "Erase All Content and Settings."

Troubleshooting common transfer problems

If Quick Start fails or times out, restart both phones and try again. Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and that the network is stable — a weak or intermittent connection will cause the transfer to stall. If it keeps failing, try the iCloud backup method instead, which is more forgiving of network interruptions.

If some apps or data are missing after the transfer, check the App Store to see if the apps are still installing in the background. Some large apps take hours to download. If an app is missing entirely, search for it in the App Store and install it manually — your data for that app should restore once you sign in.

If you see a message that your iCloud backup is too large to restore, your new phone's storage may be full. Delete some photos or videos from the new phone to make room, then try the restore again. Alternatively, you can restore only certain types of data by using a computer backup instead of iCloud.

Moving data without erasing your old phone

You do not have to erase your old phone after the transfer. Many people keep their old phone as a backup or use it for a specific purpose. The transfer process does not remove anything from your old phone — it only copies data to the new one.

If you keep both phones active on the same Apple ID, be aware that some data will sync between them. Messages, photos, and notes will appear on both phones if they are stored in iCloud. This can be useful for backup, but it also means changes on one phone show up on the other. If you want to keep the phones separate, sign out of iCloud on your old phone after the transfer is complete.

If you plan to sell or give away your old phone, erase it completely by going to Settings, General, Transfer or Reset, and choosing "Erase All Content and Settings." This removes everything and resets the phone to factory condition. Make sure you have a backup and that the transfer to your new phone is complete before you do this.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data if my old iPhone is broken?

Yes, if you have an iCloud backup. During setup on your new phone, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup," sign in with your Apple ID, and select the backup from your old phone. This works even if the old phone no longer turns on, as long as you backed up before it broke.

How long does the transfer take?

Quick Start usually takes 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on how much data you have. Restoring from iCloud backup can take longer — several hours for phones with hundreds of gigabytes of photos and videos — but happens in the background while you use your phone. Computer-based restores are typically slower.

Will my text messages transfer?

Yes, if they are stored in iCloud. Go to Settings, [your name], iCloud on your old phone and make sure "Messages" is turned on. Then use Quick Start or iCloud backup to transfer. Messages stored only locally on your old phone will not transfer if iCloud Messages was never enabled.

Do I need to re-enter my passwords?

Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain transfer automatically, so you should not need to re-enter them. However, some apps require you to sign in again for security reasons, even if the password transferred. Banking and payment apps often fall into this category.

What if I want to keep my old phone and not erase it?

You can leave your old phone as-is after the transfer. Nothing is removed from it during the process. If you keep both phones signed into the same Apple ID, some data like photos and messages will sync between them. To keep them separate, sign out of iCloud on your old phone after the transfer finishes.