How to Switch to a New iPhone Without Losing Your Data

Move your data before you set up the new phone

The fastest way to switch iPhones is to restore from a backup on your old phone, which copies your apps, photos, messages, and settings to the new device. Apple gives you two backup routes: iCloud (wireless, requires an Apple ID and internet) or a computer with iTunes or Finder (faster for large backups, requires a cable and a Mac or Windows PC).

Start the backup on your old iPhone while it is still working and fully charged. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then tap Back Up Now. If you use a computer instead, connect your old iPhone with a USB cable, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), select your phone, and click Back Up Now. Either way, do not unplug or interrupt the backup — it can take 15 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have.

Check that the backup finished before you move to the new phone. On iCloud, you will see the date and time of the last backup in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. On a computer, Finder or iTunes will show "Latest Backup" with a timestamp. If the timestamp is recent, you are ready to proceed.

Key Takeaways

Back up your old iPhone using iCloud or a computer before you touch the new one, and verify the backup finished by checking the timestamp.
During setup on the new iPhone, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" or "Restore from Mac/PC" and sign in with the same Apple ID you used on the old phone.
Your apps, photos, messages, and settings will restore automatically, but large downloads can take several hours — keep the phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi.
After restore finishes, check that your most-used apps work and your photos appear before you stop using the old phone.
You can trade in or erase your old iPhone once the new one is fully set up and you have confirmed nothing important was left behind.

Set up the new iPhone and restore from backup

Turn on the new iPhone and follow the on-screen prompts until you reach the "Apps & Data" screen. This is where you choose to restore from a backup. Select "Restore from iCloud Backup" if you backed up to iCloud, or "Restore from Mac or PC" if you used a computer. Sign in with the same Apple ID you used on the old phone — this is the account that holds your backup.

If you are restoring from iCloud, the phone will read your backup over Wi-Fi. If you are restoring from a computer, keep the phone connected with the USB cable and let Finder or iTunes handle the transfer. The restore process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and how fast your internet is. Keep the phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi the entire time — do not unplug it or turn it off.

While the restore is running, your old iPhone can stay in your pocket. You do not need to do anything with it until the new phone is completely finished. Once the new iPhone finishes restoring and you see the home screen, your apps, photos, messages, contacts, and calendar events should all be there.

Verify your data transferred correctly

Before you put away your old iPhone, spend a few minutes checking that the most important things made it to the new phone. Open your most-used apps — Mail, Messages, Photos, Banking apps — and confirm they work and show your data. Check that your photos appear in the Photos app by opening it and scrolling through recent images. Look at your contacts by opening the Contacts app and searching for someone you know.

If an app does not appear on the home screen but you had it on the old phone, it may still be downloading in the background. Go to the App Store, tap your profile picture in the top right, and look for "Purchased" — you can reinstall any missing apps from there. Some apps, especially older ones, may not restore automatically and will need to be downloaded again.

If you notice something is missing — a photo, a message thread, a contact — do not erase the old iPhone yet. The data is still there, and you may be able to recover it. Check your old phone to confirm the data exists, then contact Apple Support or the app maker to understand why it did not transfer.

Handle your old iPhone

Once you have confirmed everything important is on the new phone, you can erase the old one. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. The phone will ask for your Apple ID password — this prevents someone else from using it without your permission. After you enter the password, the phone will erase completely and restart to the setup screen.

After erasing, you have three options: trade it in through Apple or your carrier for credit toward the new phone, sell it privately, or recycle it. If you trade it in, the retailer will test it and give you a quote. If you sell it, make sure it is completely erased and signed out of your Apple ID before you hand it over. If you recycle it, take it to an Apple Store, a carrier store, or an electronics recycler that handles phones responsibly.

Troubleshoot if the restore fails

If the restore stops partway through or shows an error, the most common fix is to try again. Disconnect the phone from the computer or Wi-Fi, turn it off completely, turn it back on, and start the restore process again from the "Apps & Data" screen. If you were using a computer, try a different USB cable or a different port on the computer.

If the error persists, try restoring from the other backup method. If you backed up to iCloud, try restoring from a computer instead, or vice versa. This often works when one method has a temporary connection problem. If neither method works, you can set up the new iPhone as a new device without a backup, then manually read your apps from the App Store and sign into each one with your account credentials. This takes longer but gets you a working phone while you figure out what went wrong with the backup.

Understand what does and does not transfer

A backup restores most of your personal data: photos, videos, messages, contacts, calendar events, notes, reminders, and settings like your home screen layout and notification preferences. Your apps reinstall automatically if they are still available in the App Store. Your passwords and payment methods stored in iCloud Keychain transfer as well.

Some things do not transfer: text messages and iMessages sent before you set up iCloud Keychain on the old phone, voicemails (these stay on your carrier's server), and apps that have been removed from the App Store. If you use a third-party password manager like 1Password or Bitwarden, you will need to sign into it separately on the new phone — the backup does not include those. Health and fitness data from the Health app transfers if you backed up to iCloud, but some third-party fitness apps may need you to sign in again.

Keep both phones working during the switch

Your phone number and carrier service transfer to the new iPhone automatically when you turn it on — you do not need to call your carrier or do anything special. However, if you have two-factor authentication set up on accounts like Gmail, Apple, or your bank, those accounts may send verification codes to your old phone for a few hours after the switch. Keep the old phone powered on and in range of Wi-Fi or cell service for at least a few hours so you can receive those codes if you need to sign into something.

If you use iMessage, the system may take a few hours to recognize that your phone number now belongs to the new iPhone. During that time, some iMessages from friends might go to the old phone instead of the new one. Once iMessage updates, all future messages go to the new phone. If you are concerned about missing messages, you can turn off iMessage on the old phone manually: go to Settings > Messages > iMessage and toggle it off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I restore from a backup if I do not have my old iPhone anymore?

Yes. If your backup is in iCloud, you can restore it to the new iPhone using just your Apple ID and password. If your backup is on a computer, you will need access to that same computer. If you have neither the old phone nor the backup, you can set up the new iPhone as a new device and sign into your apps individually, but you will lose photos and messages that were not backed up elsewhere.

What if I want to keep some apps off the new phone?

After the restore finishes, you can delete any apps you do not want. Go to the home screen, press and hold the app icon, and tap Remove App. You can also choose not to restore certain apps during setup by unchecking them in the "Apps & Data" screen before the restore begins, though this option is only available if you are restoring from a computer.

How long does the whole process take?

Backing up the old phone takes 15 minutes to an hour. Restoring to the new phone takes 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and your internet speed. Plan for at least two to three hours total if you have a lot of photos and apps. Large backups can take longer, especially on slower Wi-Fi.

Do I need to erase my old iPhone right away?

No. You can wait a few days or weeks to make sure everything on the new phone is working correctly. However, do not give the old phone to someone else or sell it until you have erased it completely, or they will have access to your photos, messages, and accounts.

What if my Apple ID password is forgotten?

You will not be able to restore from a backup or erase the old iPhone without it. Go to iforgot.apple.com on a computer or another device, enter your Apple ID email, and follow the steps to reset your password. You can also go to Settings > [Your Name] > Password & Security on any Apple device you still have access to and reset it there.

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.