How to Move Your Data and Apps to a New iPhone

The fastest way to transfer everything to a new iPhone

The quickest method is Quick Start, Apple's built-in transfer tool that moves your apps, photos, messages, settings, and passwords in one process. You hold your old iPhone next to your new one, scan a code with the new phone's camera, and let the transfer run — usually taking 30 minutes to a few hours depending on how much data you have. Everything stays encrypted during the transfer, and you don't need a computer.

If Quick Start doesn't work — because your old phone is too old, broken, or lost — you can restore from an iCloud backup instead. This requires that you previously turned on iCloud backup on your old phone, which stores your data in Apple's cloud storage. During iPhone setup, you sign in with your Apple ID and choose which backup to restore.

A third option is restoring from a Mac or Windows computer backup using Finder (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows). This works if you regularly backed up your old iPhone to your computer and want to transfer that backup to your new phone.

Key Takeaways

Quick Start is the simplest method: hold your old and new iPhones together, scan a code, and let them transfer everything wirelessly.
iCloud backup works if your old phone is lost or broken, as long as you previously enabled iCloud backup in Settings.
Computer backups via Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows) restore data if you regularly backed up your old iPhone to your computer.
After any transfer method, check that your photos, messages, and apps arrived, and sign back into apps that require passwords.

Using Quick Start for a wireless transfer

Quick Start is the default method Apple recommends. Turn on your new iPhone and place it next to your old one. Your old iPhone will detect the new phone and ask if you want to set it up. Tap "Continue" on the old phone, then point the new phone's camera at the animation that appears on the old phone's screen. The new iPhone reads the code and connects to your old phone's Wi-Fi network.

Next, you'll enter your Apple ID password on the new phone. This unlocks your iCloud account so the new phone can download your backup. The transfer then begins — apps, photos, messages, contacts, calendar events, and settings all move over. Your old iPhone stays plugged in and nearby during this process. Do not unplug either phone or move them far apart until the progress bar on the new phone reaches 100 percent.

Once the transfer finishes, your new iPhone will ask you to set up Face ID or Touch ID, then you're done. Apps will continue downloading in the background for a while, and some may take a few minutes to fully open the first time.

Restoring from iCloud if your old phone is unavailable

If your old iPhone is lost, broken, or you don't have it with you, iCloud backup is your option. This only works if you previously enabled iCloud backup on that phone — you can't create a backup retroactively. During setup of your new iPhone, when you reach the "Apps & Data" screen, tap "Restore from iCloud Backup." Sign in with your Apple ID.

You'll see a list of available backups, each labeled with the device name and date. Choose the most recent one. The new iPhone will download your backup from iCloud and restore everything — this can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on your backup size and internet speed. Keep your new phone plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi during the restore.

After the restore completes, some apps may ask you to sign back in, especially banking apps, email clients, and social media. This is normal — Apple doesn't store passwords for third-party apps, only for Apple services like iCloud and Apple Music.

Restoring from a computer backup

If you regularly backed up your old iPhone to a Mac or Windows computer, you can restore that backup to your new phone. On a Mac with macOS Monterey or newer, open Finder, plug in your new iPhone, and click the device name in the sidebar. Click "Restore" and choose the backup you want. On Windows, open iTunes, plug in your new iPhone, click the device icon, and select "Restore Backup."

The computer will restore your backup to the new iPhone — this erases any existing data on the new phone and replaces it with your backup. The process takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on backup size. Keep your iPhone plugged in until it finishes and shows a success message.

Computer backups are useful if you prefer not to use iCloud, or if you have a very old backup you want to restore. However, most people find Quick Start or iCloud backup simpler because they don't require a computer.

What transfers and what doesn't

All three methods transfer the same core data: your photos and videos, messages, contacts, calendar events, reminders, notes, health data, home automation settings, and your app library. Your home screen layout, wallpaper, and accessibility settings also move over. Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain transfer automatically.

What does not transfer: text messages from before your iCloud backup was created (if using iCloud), some app data if the app developer doesn't support iCloud sync, and payment cards in Apple Wallet (you'll need to add these again for security reasons). Voicemail does not transfer — you'll need to listen to and save any important voicemails from your old phone before transferring.

Apps themselves transfer, but some may need you to sign back in. Banking apps, email apps, and social media apps almost always require you to enter your password again. This is intentional — Apple doesn't store these passwords to protect your accounts.

Troubleshooting a failed or stuck transfer

If Quick Start gets stuck, force-restart both phones by pressing and holding the power button and volume down button together until you see the power-off slider, then slide to power off. Turn both phones back on and try Quick Start again. Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and within a few feet of each other.

If iCloud backup won't restore, check that you're signed in with the correct Apple ID — the one you used on your old phone. If you don't remember your Apple ID password, visit iforgot.apple.com to reset it. Also verify that your iCloud storage has enough space; if your backup is larger than your available iCloud storage, the restore will fail. You can check your iCloud storage in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage.

If a computer backup won't restore, make sure you're using the latest version of Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows). Older versions sometimes have trouble with newer iPhones. Also try unplugging the iPhone, restarting the computer, and plugging the iPhone back in before trying again.

Checking that everything transferred correctly

After the transfer finishes, spend a few minutes checking key areas. Open the Photos app and scroll through to confirm your photos and videos are there. Open Messages and check that your recent conversations appear. Check your email by opening Mail and confirming you can see your inbox. Open a few of your most-used apps and sign in if prompted.

Check your contacts by opening the Contacts app — if you see all your contacts, the transfer worked. Look at your home screen to confirm your apps are arranged the way they were on your old phone. If anything is missing, you can manually re-download apps from the App Store using your Apple ID.

If you notice an app didn't transfer, it may have been removed from the App Store or may not be compatible with your new iPhone's iOS version. You can search for it in the App Store to see if it's still available.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data if my old iPhone won't turn on?

If your old iPhone won't power on, you cannot use Quick Start. Your only option is iCloud backup, but only if you previously enabled it on that phone. If you never turned on iCloud backup, the data on that phone cannot be recovered through normal transfer methods. Contact Apple Support to explore other options.

How long does a transfer usually take?

Quick Start typically takes 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on how much data you have and your Wi-Fi speed. iCloud backup can take longer — anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours — because it has to download your entire backup from Apple's servers. Computer backups are usually fastest, taking 15 to 45 minutes.

Do I need Wi-Fi for any of these methods?

Yes. Quick Start requires both phones to be on the same Wi-Fi network. iCloud backup requires Wi-Fi on your new iPhone to download the backup. Computer backups don't require Wi-Fi, but your new iPhone must be plugged into the computer with a USB cable.

What if I want to start fresh without transferring my old data?

During iPhone setup, when you reach the "Apps & Data" screen, tap "Don't Transfer Apps & Data" instead of choosing a transfer method. This sets up your new iPhone as blank. You can then manually download apps from the App Store and sign into your accounts one by one.

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

The methods described here only work for iPhone-to-iPhone transfers. To move data from Android to iPhone, use Apple's "Move to iOS" app, available free on Google Play. This app transfers contacts, messages, photos, and some app data, but the process is different from iPhone transfers and has more limitations.

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.