Quick Hook
Switching iPhones doesn’t have to be a pain — you can move everything in a few different ways depending on how much control you want. I’ll walk you through device-to-device transfer, iCloud, and computer backups, plus the cleanup steps so you’re not stuck later.
Method 1 — Quick Start (device-to-device, fastest)
- Turn on your new iPhone and place it near your old one. Make sure Bluetooth is on and both are unlocked.
- On the old iPhone you’ll see the Quick Start screen — tap Continue.
- An animation appears on the new iPhone. Use the old iPhone’s camera to scan it, or follow the on-screen prompts to authenticate.
- Enter your old iPhone passcode on the new device when asked, then set up Face ID/Touch ID if prompted.
- Choose Transfer from iPhone when given the option (or use Download from iCloud if you prefer a cloud restore).
- Keep both phones next to each other and plugged into power. The transfer time depends on how much data you have.
- When it finishes, your new iPhone will continue downloading apps and media in the background — give it time and stay on Wi‑Fi for the big downloads.
Method 2 — iCloud backup and restore
- On the old iPhone: go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. Wait for the backup to finish (check time stamp).
- Turn on your new iPhone. During setup choose Restore from iCloud Backup, sign in with your Apple ID, and pick the latest backup.
- Let the restore run. Apps and media will re-download — large libraries take time, so keep the phone on Wi‑Fi and plugged in.
- If you don’t have enough iCloud storage, you’ll get an error. Free 5GB often isn’t enough for full device backups.
Method 3 — Computer backup (Finder on macOS Catalina and later, iTunes on Windows/macOS Mojave)
- Connect your old iPhone to your Mac or PC. Open Finder (or iTunes) and select your device.
- Choose Back Up Now. If you want saved passwords, Health data, and HomeKit data, check Encrypt local backup and set a backup password — write that password down.
- When the backup finishes, connect the new iPhone and choose Restore Backup. Select the backup you just made and enter the backup password if it was encrypted.
- Wait for the restore to complete and then let the new phone finish downloading apps via Wi‑Fi.
SIM, eSIM and carrier stuff
- If you have a physical SIM, power both devices off and move the SIM to the new iPhone (or follow carrier steps if you need a new size).
- Many newer iPhones support eSIM transfer during Quick Start — follow the prompts or contact your carrier if the number doesn’t move automatically.
- Confirm cellular service on the new phone before erasing the old one.
What won’t transfer automatically (and how to handle it)
- Apple Pay cards usually need to be re‑added for security — open Wallet and follow prompts.
- Some apps require you to sign in again (banking, secure apps). Keep your passwords handy or use a password manager.
- WhatsApp requires an iCloud backup restore for chat history: open WhatsApp on the new phone and follow the restore prompt after verifying your number.
- Health data and saved Wi‑Fi passwords require an encrypted backup (computer) or iCloud Backup with the same Apple ID.
After transfer — clean up the old iPhone
- Confirm everything you want is on the new phone: photos, messages, apps, and accounts.
- Sign out of iCloud on the old phone (Settings > [your name] > Sign Out), then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings to wipe it.
- If you forget to sign out, Activation Lock can prevent the new owner from using the old device.
Common mistake people make
- The most common slip-up is erasing the old iPhone before confirming a complete backup or transfer. Double‑check your photos, messages, and app data on the new device before you wipe the old one.
Pro Tip
- Make an encrypted computer backup before anything else. It saves passwords, Health data, and Wi‑Fi logins so your new iPhone feels exactly like the old one. Also, keep both phones plugged in during Quick Start — the transfer is faster and more reliable that way.
Warning
- Don’t erase the old phone until you’re certain the transfer succeeded. Also, if you skip encrypted backups, you’ll lose Health data and saved passwords — and recovering that is a huge pain.