In the early days, it was troublesome to transfer your data from the old iPhone to New iPhone. And to a certain extent, fear of data loss was also involved. But with the newer iOSes, the process becomes hassle-free.
With every iOS update, Apple Makes significant improvements that make iPhone data migration a cakewalk. It also ensures that all your contacts, settings, messages, photos, apps, etc. are seamlessly carried over to your new device safely. There are three ways to move your data from an old iPhone to the new one. Let’s take a look at each of them;
- How to Use Quick Start to Transfer Data to New iPhone
- How to Transfer Your Data to New iPhone using iCloud
- How to Use iTunes or Finder to Transfer your Data to New iPhone
Before You Begin
- Understand the Process: The first two methods explained here involves the direct transfer of data from old to new iPhone. And the other two methods, you have to take a backup of the current device and then restore it on the new one.
- If you have an Apple Watch: Make sure you unpair it from the old iPhone. Unpairing will automatically back up your watch. This makes it easy to restore after you pair it with the new iPhone.
How to Use Quick Start to Transfer Data to New iPhone
This method occupies both iPhones for several minutes. So make use of this process at a time when you will not need to use the devices.
Step #1. Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on your old iPhone that is running iOS 11 or above.
Step #2. Power on your new iPhone and keep it near the old iPhone.
Step #3. You will see a card on the old iPhone that will say, Set Up New iPhone. Tap Continue.
Step #4. You will see a moving animation on the new iPhone. Now, use the old iPhone and bring the animation inside the circle. It will start connecting.
Step #5. Next, when asked, enter the passcode of your old iPhone on the new iPhone. It will be the passcode for this new iPhone too.
Step #6. Now, follow the easy on-screen instructions to set up Face ID or Touch ID.
Step #7. If/when asked, enter your Apple ID password on the new iPhone. If you have multiple devices, you may be asked to enter their passcodes also. Follow the on-screen instructions.
Step #8. Now, your new device will offer you the choice of restoring apps, settings, data from your most recent iCloud backup. Or, update your current device’s backup (ensure the old device is connected to Wi-Fi for this) and then restore. Select a backup and then choose to transfer settings related to location, privacy, Siri, and Apple Pay.
Transfer your Data Directly to New iPhone wirelessly or using a cable
This is just another alteration of the above method. If your current iPhone and new iPhone are both using iOS 12.4 or later (which in most cases will be), then you can use iPhone migration.
It lets you transfer directly from old iPhone to new one wirelessly or with connecting both devices together with cables and adapters. You can not use either iPhone until the process completes.
Things Needed For Wired Transfer:
Initial Steps for Wired Transfer:
- Connect the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter through its Lightning port to the 12W or higher power adapter.
- Next, connect the Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adapter to your old iPhone.
- Finally, plug the Lightning cable to your new iPhone and its USB port to the Camera Adapter.
Steps for iPhone data Migration (Both Wireless and Wired Transfer)
Step #1. For Wireless transfer, keep both devices very near. For wired transfer, connect both devices using the steps above.
Step #2. Now follow the Quick Start process above from step #3.
How to Transfer Your Data to New iPhone using iCloud
This involves two separate processes – First is to back up your old iPhone to iCloud and second is to Restore this iCloud backup to your new iPhone while setting up.
Let us first back up the old device:
Step #1. Open the Settings app on your old iPhone.
Step #2. Tap your Apple ID banner from top → Tap iCloud → Tap iCloud Backup. Enable it if not already.
Step #3. Tap Back Up Now and wait for the process to finish.
Step #4. Turn off this old iPhone when the backup is complete.
Now, let us set up the new iPhone and restore from iCloud backup:
Step #5. Turn on your new iPhone and swipe up or press the Home button. Choose the language, region, tap Set up Manually, and then connect to Wi-Fi.
Step #6. Tap Continue, set up Face ID, or Touch ID.
Step #7. After these basic setups, you will see a screen that says Apps & Data. Tap Restore from iCloud Backup.
Step #8. Sign in with the same Apple ID that is on your old iPhone.
Step #9. Agree to a few basic instructions and finally choose the backup you recently made.
How to Use iTunes or Finder to Transfer your Data to New iPhone
In my opinion, this is the best, fastest, and most reliable method to move data from old iPhone to new iPhone. Similar to the iCloud transfer method, this too has two process – First is to backup your old iPhone to a computer. The second is to restore the backup to the new iPhone.
Backup old iPhone to computer:
Step #1. Connect your old iPhone to Mac or PC via a USB cable.
Step #2. Open Finder on Mac running macOS Catalina and click on your iPhone from the left sidebar. Open iTunes on macOS Mojave or earlier or Windows PC and click on the iPhone logo.
Step #3. Click Trust and then enter the password on your old iPhone if asked.
Step #4. Check the box for Encrypt Local Backup. Create a passcode if asked.
Step #5. Click Back Up Now. Wait for the process to finish. Disconnect the old iPhone from the computer when done.
Now, let us restore back up to the new iPhone:
Step #6. Power on your new iPhone and connect it to the same computer.
Step #7. Swipe up or press the Home button and follow the instructions.
Step #8. When you are on the screen that says Apps & Data, tap Restore from Mac or PC.
Step #9. Now, from Finder or iTunes, select your new iPhone. Choose Restore from this backup, and select the most recent backup (one that you just made) from the drop-down list.
Step #10. Click Continue and enter the backup password that you had created if asked. Finally, click Restore.
Keep the device connected to the computer until the restore process completes.
Next, your iPhone will download all apps, music, etc. over Wi-Fi. It will take time, depending on your internet speed and size of your library.
That’s all, mate!
Signing off…
This is how you can transfer data from old iPhone to new iPhone. You can also use these methods to set up your existing iPhone after a full restore. I hope this guide was helpful. If you have further questions, feel free to ask in the comments section below.
