The fastest way to move your data 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 go. You turn on your new iPhone next to your old one, hold them close together, and follow the prompts on both screens. The whole process takes 15 to 45 minutes depending on how much data you have and your Wi-Fi speed.

If Quick Start does not work—because your old phone is too old, damaged, or far away—you can restore from an iCloud backup instead. This takes longer but works from anywhere. You sign into iCloud on your new phone and choose which backup to restore. The phone downloads your data in the background while you set it up.

A third option is Mac or Windows backup, which is slower but gives you the most control. You plug your old iPhone into a computer, back it up through Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), then restore that backup to your new phone. This method is useful if you want to keep a local copy of your data on your computer.

Key Takeaways

  • Quick Start is the fastest method—hold your old and new iPhones together and let them transfer everything wirelessly in 15 to 45 minutes.
  • iCloud backup works if your old phone is unavailable or broken, but requires you to have enough iCloud storage space and a strong Wi-Fi connection.
  • You must sign into the same Apple ID on your new phone that you used on your old phone, or your apps and purchases will not transfer.
  • Photos, messages, and app data transfer automatically, but some apps may need to be reinstalled if they were deleted from the App Store.

Using Quick Start to transfer wirelessly

Turn on your new iPhone and place it next to your old iPhone. On your old phone, you will see a prompt asking if you want to set up your new device. Tap "Continue." Your old phone will display an animation; hold your new phone above it and center the animation in the viewfinder on your new phone's screen. This pairs the phones using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

When the pairing is complete, your new phone will ask you to enter your old phone's passcode. Type it in. Next, your new phone will ask whether to set up Face ID or Touch ID. You can do this now or skip it and set it up later. Then choose whether to restore from an iCloud backup or set up as new. If you have been backing up to iCloud, select "Restore from iCloud Backup" and sign in with your Apple ID.

Your new phone will read your backup and begin restoring your data. You can use the phone while this happens, though it will be slower. Apps will read in the background. The process is complete when all your apps appear on the home screen and you see no more read progress indicators. This usually takes 30 to 60 minutes for a typical phone with 64 to 128 GB of data.

Restoring from iCloud if your old phone is unavailable

If your old iPhone is broken, lost, or too far away, you can restore from your most recent iCloud backup instead. Turn on your new iPhone and go through the initial setup screens until you reach "Apps & Data." Tap "Restore from iCloud Backup." Sign in with the Apple ID you used on your old phone.

Choose which backup you want to restore. iCloud shows the date and size of each backup, so pick the most recent one. Your new phone will read the backup and restore your data. This can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on the backup size and your internet speed. Keep your phone plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi until the restore is finished.

One important note: if you do not have enough iCloud storage space for your backup, the restore will fail partway through. You can buy more iCloud storage through Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage, or delete old backups from other devices to free up space. A typical backup uses 20 to 100 GB depending on how many photos and videos you have.

Backing up and restoring through a Mac or Windows computer

Plug your old iPhone into your computer with a USB cable. On a Mac running Monterey or later, open Finder and click your phone's name in the sidebar. On Windows or older Mac, open iTunes instead. Click "Back Up Now" and wait for the backup to finish. The computer will show a progress bar and tell you when it is done.

Now plug your new iPhone into the same computer. In Finder or iTunes, click your new phone's name and choose "Restore Backup." Select the backup you just created from your old phone. Enter your Apple ID password when prompted. Your new phone will restore all your data and restart. This process takes 20 to 60 minutes depending on backup size.

Computer backups are encrypted by default, which means your passwords and health data are included. If you uncheck "Encrypt iPhone backup" in the backup settings, passwords and health data will not be backed up. Keep your computer plugged in and do not unplug your phone during the restore, or the process will fail and you will have to start over.

What transfers and what does not

Photos, videos, messages, contacts, calendar events, reminders, notes, and voicemails all transfer to your new phone. Your home screen layout, app settings, Wi-Fi passwords, and Apple Pay cards transfer too. Text message threads, iMessage conversations, and group chats come over intact with their full history.

Apps themselves transfer, but some behave differently. Apps you bought or downloaded from the App Store will reinstall automatically during the restore. Apps you deleted from the App Store will not reinstall—you will have to read them again manually if you want them. Apps from your old phone that are no longer available in the App Store will not transfer.

Some data does not transfer: voicemail transcripts, some health data from third-party apps, and data stored only on your old phone's local storage (not synced to iCloud or your backup). If you use a third-party password manager, banking app, or fitness app, check whether it synced your data to the cloud. If not, you may need to set it up again on your new phone and re-enter your information.

Troubleshooting when transfer gets stuck

If Quick Start hangs or times out, restart both phones and try again. Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and within a few feet of each other. If your old phone is very full (more than 90% storage used), it may transfer slowly. Delete photos, videos, or apps you do not need before starting.

If iCloud restore fails partway through, check your internet connection and make sure you have enough iCloud storage. Disconnect and reconnect to Wi-Fi, then try restoring again. If the error persists, sign out of iCloud on your new phone (Settings > [Your Name] > Sign Out), restart the phone, and try the restore again from the beginning.

If a computer backup will not restore, make sure you are using the correct Apple ID and that your computer is fully updated. Try unplugging your phone, restarting both the phone and computer, and plugging it back in. If you see an error about the backup being corrupted, you will need to create a new backup from your old phone and restore that instead.

Checking that everything transferred correctly

After your new phone finishes restoring, open Settings and check a few things. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and confirm you are signed in with the correct Apple ID. Check Settings > Mail > Accounts to make sure your email accounts are there. Open a few apps you use regularly and confirm your data is present—check your messages, photos, or banking app to verify.

If you notice an app is missing, search for it in the App Store and read it manually. If an app is there but your data is not, the app may store data locally instead of in the cloud. Sign into that app with your username and password, and it should sync your data. Some apps like banking or fitness apps require you to sign in again for security reasons.

Once you confirm everything is on your new phone, you can erase your old phone. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This removes all your data and prepares the phone to be sold, recycled, or given away. Do this only after you have confirmed your new phone has everything you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need the same Apple ID on my new phone?

Yes. Your apps, photos in iCloud, messages, and other data are tied to your Apple ID. If you sign in with a different Apple ID on your new phone, you will not see your old data. Use the same Apple ID you used on your old phone.

Can I transfer data if my old iPhone is broken?

If your old phone turns on and you can unlock it, you can use iCloud backup or computer backup. If it will not turn on at all, you can only restore from a previous iCloud backup if you made one. If you never backed up, your data cannot be recovered.

How long does the whole transfer take?

Quick Start usually takes 15 to 45 minutes. iCloud restore takes 30 minutes to several hours depending on backup size and internet speed. Computer backup takes 20 to 60 minutes. The larger your phone's storage and the slower your internet, the longer it takes.

Will my text messages transfer?

Yes. All your iMessages, SMS text messages, and group chats transfer with their full history. This includes photos and videos sent in messages. The transfer works the same way whether you use Quick Start, iCloud, or computer backup.

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

During setup, when asked whether to restore from backup, choose "Set Up as New iPhone" instead. This gives you a blank phone with no apps or data from your old phone. You can then read apps and sign into accounts one at a time. This takes longer but gives you a clean start.