The fastest way to move everything is to use iCloud or your old iPhone directly

When you set up a new iPhone, Apple gives you two main paths: restore from an iCloud backup you made on your old phone, or transfer directly from the old phone to the new one while they sit next to each other. The direct transfer is usually faster and more reliable if your old iPhone still works. If it does not, iCloud is your backup plan — as long as you made a backup before the old phone stopped working.

Both methods move your apps, photos, messages, contacts, passwords, and settings. Neither one is difficult, but they take time — anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and how fast your internet is. Plan to have both phones plugged in and near a WiFi router.

Key Takeaways

  • Direct transfer from old iPhone to new iPhone is fastest if your old phone still turns on and connects to WiFi.
  • iCloud backup works if your old phone is broken, but only if you made a backup before it stopped working.
  • Both methods require your Apple ID password and take longer the more photos and apps you have.
  • You can move data selectively — photos only, or messages only — if you do not want everything transferred.
  • After transfer finishes, check that your photos, messages, and important apps are actually there before you erase the old phone.

Direct transfer from your old iPhone while both phones are on

This is the method Apple recommends because it is the most complete. Turn on your new iPhone and hold it next to your old one. Your old iPhone will show a prompt asking if you want to transfer to the new device. Tap "Continue" on the old phone, then hold the new phone's camera over the animation on the old phone's screen until it says "Finish on New iPhone." Do not move the phones apart during this step.

When the animation finishes, your new iPhone will ask for your Apple ID password. Type it in. Then choose whether to use the same settings as your old phone or set them up fresh. If you choose to use the same settings, your WiFi passwords, Face ID or Touch ID, and notification preferences will copy over. If you set them fresh, you will enter these details manually.

Next, your new iPhone will ask which data to restore. You can choose "Restore from [Old iPhone Name]" to get everything, or you can pick and choose — photos only, messages only, apps only, and so on. If you are short on storage space on the new phone, you might skip large photo libraries or old apps you no longer use. After you make your choices, the transfer begins. Leave both phones plugged in and on WiFi until it finishes. This usually takes 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Restoring from an iCloud backup if your old phone is not available

If your old iPhone is broken, lost, or you no longer have it, you can restore from a backup you made to iCloud before the phone stopped working. Turn on your new iPhone and go through the setup screens until you reach "Apps & Data." Tap "Restore from iCloud Backup." Sign in with your Apple ID and password.

Your new iPhone will show a list of backups stored in your iCloud account, with the date each one was made. Choose the most recent backup — this is usually the one from the day before your old phone stopped working. The restore will begin. Your new iPhone will read your apps, photos, messages, contacts, and settings from iCloud. This can take 1 to 4 hours depending on how much data you have and how fast your internet is.

One important catch: iCloud backups only include data that iCloud actually backs up. Text messages, photos in your camera roll, and most app data are included. But some apps store data only on the phone itself and do not back up to iCloud — you will lose that data. After the restore finishes, open your most important apps to check that your data is there.

What happens to data stored only on your old phone

Not everything on your iPhone backs up automatically. Messages in some third-party messaging apps (like WhatsApp or Telegram) may not transfer unless you backed them up separately within that app. Banking apps, cryptocurrency wallets, and some games store data only on the device and do not sync to iCloud. If you use any of these apps, check their settings before you transfer — many have their own backup or export feature.

Photos and videos in your camera roll back up to iCloud if you have iCloud Photos turned on. But if you turned off iCloud Photos to save space, your photos stayed only on your old phone. Check your old phone's settings under Photos to see whether iCloud Photos is on. If it is off and you want to keep those photos, turn it on now and wait for the upload to finish before you transfer to the new phone.

Transferring only specific types of data

You do not have to move everything. During setup on your new iPhone, when you reach the "Apps & Data" screen, you can choose "Restore from [Old iPhone]" or "Restore from iCloud Backup," then select which categories to restore. You might restore photos and messages but skip apps if you want to read fresh versions. You might restore contacts and calendars but skip photos if you are short on storage.

If you have already finished setting up your new iPhone and want to move data now, you can do it later through Settings. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset, then choose "Migrate Data." This will let you transfer from your old iPhone again, or you can go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and turn on specific categories like Photos, Mail, or Contacts to sync them going forward.

Checking that your data actually transferred

Before you erase your old iPhone, spend 10 minutes checking that the important stuff is on the new phone. Open Photos and scroll through a few albums. Open Messages and find a conversation you know well — check that the messages are there. Open your email app and make sure your inbox loaded. Check that your banking app, work apps, or any other critical apps are installed and that you can log in.

If something is missing, do not erase the old phone yet. Go back to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset on the new phone and try transferring that category again. If the transfer is stuck or keeps failing, restart both phones and try once more. If it still does not work, contact Apple Support — they can help you figure out whether the data is actually missing or just not showing up yet.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data if my old iPhone is completely dead?

No, not through direct transfer. You will need to restore from an iCloud backup instead. This only works if you made a backup before the phone died. If you never set up iCloud backups, the data on that phone cannot be recovered through the normal transfer process.

How much internet speed do I need for the transfer?

Any WiFi connection works, but faster is better. On a typical home WiFi network, transfers usually take 30 minutes to 2 hours. On slower networks or networks with interference, it can take longer. Plug both phones in and keep them close to your router during the transfer.

Will my passwords transfer to the new iPhone?

Yes. Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain transfer automatically during setup. This includes WiFi passwords, website passwords, and credit card information. You will need to enter your Apple ID password manually during setup, but other passwords should be there when you open apps and websites.

What if I want to start fresh and not transfer anything?

During setup, when you reach "Apps & Data," choose "Don't Transfer Apps & Data" instead of restoring from a backup. You will set up your new iPhone from scratch, and you can read apps individually from the App Store. Your Apple ID and iCloud account will still be set up, so you can add your email and turn on iCloud services later if you want.

Can I transfer data to an iPhone if I forgot my Apple ID password?

No. You will need your Apple ID password to complete the transfer, whether you are doing direct transfer or restoring from iCloud. If you forgot it, go to iforgot.apple.com on a computer or another device and reset it before you start the transfer process.