Transferring data from one iPhone to another can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little preparation and the right tools, you can easily migrate your contacts, photos, videos, music, apps, messages, and more to your new iPhone.
Requirements for Transferring Data from iPhone to iPhone
Before you begin transferring data, make sure you meet the following requirements:
- Both iPhones must be running iOS 12.4 or later
- Both iPhones must have Bluetooth and WiFi enabled
- Your new iPhone must be set up and activated
- Your new iPhone cannot contain any data you wish to keep
- Your Apple ID must be signed in on both devices
- Both devices must have at least 50% battery charge
- You’ll need access to a WiFi network for large transfers
As long as you meet these requirements, you should be able to successfully transfer data between iPhones.
Preparing to Transfer iPhone Data
Before beginning the transfer process, it’s important to prepare both devices:
- Back up your old iPhone to iCloud or iTunes. This provides a safety net in case anything goes wrong.
- Sign out of iMessage on your old iPhone. This ensures your conversations sync properly to your new device.
- Update both iPhones to the latest version of iOS for maximum compatibility.
- Delete apps, photos, videos, and music you don’t need from your old iPhone to reduce transfer time.
- Charge both devices to at least 50% battery life.
- Connect both devices to a WiFi network for large transfers.
Taking the time to prepare will make the entire process quicker and smoother.
Transferring Data from iPhone to iPhone with iCloud
The easiest way to transfer data between iPhones is using iCloud. As long as both devices are connected to the internet, you can securely migrate your data wirelessly.
To use iCloud to transfer data:
- Make sure iCloud backup is enabled on your old iPhone by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup.
- Connect your new iPhone to WiFi.
- When setting up your new phone, choose “Restore from iCloud backup” during the data migration screen.
- Sign in with your Apple ID and select the most recent backup from your old iPhone.
- Your new iPhone will download and restore data from iCloud. The process can take awhile for large backups.
- Your new iPhone will now have your old iPhone’s settings and data.
The benefit of using iCloud is convenience – the entire process is wireless. However, iCloud does not transfer absolutely everything to your new iPhone.
Transferring All Content from iPhone to iPhone
To do a complete end-to-end transfer of all your iPhone data, you’ll need to use the wired method. This physically connects your iPhones to transfer the entire contents from your old phone to your new one.
Here’s how to transfer all data from an old iPhone to a new iPhone using a wired connection:
- Connect your new iPhone to your computer using the included USB to Lightning cable. Do not set up the new iPhone.
- Launch iTunes on your computer.
- Unlock your old iPhone and connect it to your computer using its USB to Lightning cable.
- Select your new iPhone in iTunes. It will be labeled “iPhone” with a username that includes Setup.
- Click Restore Backup and select your old iPhone’s backup from the list.
- iTunes will transfer the contents of your old iPhone backup to your new iPhone.
- Allow the transfer process to complete fully without disconnecting either device.
- When finished, your new iPhone will be an exact copy of your old iPhone.
Using a wired connection and iTunes ensures that absolutely everything gets transferred successfully to your new iPhone, including all settings, photos, videos, music, documents, messages, and more. Just make sure you have enough time set aside – transferring the entire backup can take a couple hours.
Transferring Data from iPhone to iPhone Wirelessly
If you don’t have access to a computer, you can still wirelessly migrate your data directly between iPhones. You won’t be able to transfer absolutely everything, but you can move your most important data.
Here are the steps to wirelessly transfer data between iPhones:
- Connect both iPhones to the same WiFi network.
- On your new iPhone, open the Move to iOS app (automatically installed if you updated iOS).
- On your old iPhone, go to Settings > General > Reset and tap “Prepare for new iPhone.”
- Follow the prompts on both devices to connect them and start the transfer.
- On your new iPhone, choose the data like contacts, calendars, and photos you want to migrate.
- Tap “Continue” and wait for the data transfer to complete.
- Once finished, your new iPhone will have the selected data from the old iPhone.
Using the Move to iOS app allows you to wirelessly transfer contacts, calendars, photos, videos, email accounts, and more. However, you can’t move everything this way since there are file size limits.
Transferring Files from iPhone to iPhone with AirDrop
For quick wireless transfer of individual files like photos, videos, and documents, you can use AirDrop.
Follow these steps:
- Enable WiFi and Bluetooth on both devices.
- Open Control Center on your new iPhone and tap AirDrop.
- Choose “Everyone” to make your device discoverable.
- On your old iPhone, open the photo, video, or file you want to transfer.
- Tap the Share button and select AirDrop.
- Select your new iPhone from the list of devices.
- Accept the AirDrop transfer request on your new iPhone.
- The file will transfer over WiFi directly to your new iPhone.
AirDrop is a fast and easy way to wirelessly transfer media and documents. However, it only allows you to migrate one file at a time.
Supported and Unsupported Content Types for iPhone to iPhone Transfers
Certain types of content can be fully transferred from an old iPhone to a new iPhone, while other data has restrictions or cannot be migrated at all.
| Content Type | iCloud Transfer | Wired iTunes Transfer | Wireless Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calendars | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Photos | Yes* | Yes | Yes* |
| Videos | No | Yes | Yes* |
| Music | No | Yes | No |
| Apps | No | Yes | No |
| Messages | No | Yes | No |
| Call History | No | Yes | No |
| Health Data | No | Yes | No |
| Keychain Passwords | No | No | No |
* Limited to recent data up to 3GB
As you can see, the wired iTunes transfer method supports migrating the most content. iCloud and wireless transfers have limitations, especially for large amounts of data like music, videos, and photos.
Troubleshooting iPhone to iPhone Transfer Problems
Despite the best preparation, you may encounter issues when transferring data between iPhones. Here are some potential problems and troubleshooting tips:
iPhone Won’t Show Up in iTunes
- Try a different USB cable – the one you’re using could be damaged.
- Reboot both devices and retry the connection.
- Update iTunes to the latest version.
- On Windows, check that you have the most current drivers.
Transfer Taking Longer Than Expected
- Make sure both devices are connected to a high-speed WiFi network.
- Toggle Airplane mode on and off to refresh the WiFi connection.
- Pause and resume the transfer to refresh connectivity.
- Bring devices closer together if transferring wirelessly.
Error Occurred During Transfer
- Check cable connections and retry transfer.
- Reset both devices and reconnect.
- Ensure sufficient storage space on new iPhone.
- Toggle Airplane mode on and off on both devices.
- Contact Apple support for further troubleshooting.
Some Data Didn’t Transfer
- You can only transfer data categories supported by the transfer method.
- Make sure you selected all content types before starting transfer.
- Verify the backup from your old iPhone contains the missing data.
- Try using a wired transfer which migrates more data.
With some patience and testing, you should be able to resolve most transfer issues. Make use of Apple’s support resources if you continue having problems.
Conclusion
Migrating your data from an old iPhone to a new iPhone is straightforward when you choose the right transfer method. For most situations, using iCloud backup or a wired iTunes transfer will successfully move your content.
The key things to ensure a smooth iPhone data migration are:
- Fully backing up your old iPhone before beginning.
- Picking a transfer method that moves all your needed data.
- Having enough time set aside for transfers.
- Troubleshooting with patience if any issues occur.
By understanding the capabilities and limitations of each transfer technique, you can keep all your iPhone content and seamlessly move to a new device.