The fastest way: use iCloud or your computer to transfer everything at once

When you turn on a new iPhone for the first time, Apple walks you through a setup screen that asks if you want to restore from a backup. If you have an iCloud backup from your old phone, you can say yes and the new phone will read your apps, photos, messages, contacts, and settings all at once. This takes 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and your internet speed, but you do almost nothing — the phones handle it themselves.

If you do not have an iCloud backup yet, you can create one before you switch phones. Open Settings on your old iPhone, tap your name at the top, then tap iCloud, then tap iCloud Backup, then tap Back Up Now. Wait for it to finish (you will see a progress bar). Then when you set up the new phone, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" and sign in with the same Apple ID.

The second-fastest option is to use a Mac or Windows computer. Plug your old iPhone into the computer, open Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows), and click Back Up Now. Then plug in the new iPhone and click Restore from Backup. This method works even if your iCloud storage is full, because the backup lives on your computer instead.

Key Takeaways

  • iCloud backup during setup is the easiest method — turn on the new phone, choose "Restore from iCloud Backup," and wait for everything to read.
  • If you do not have an iCloud backup, create one on your old phone before you switch by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.
  • A computer backup using Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows) works if your iCloud storage is full or if you prefer to keep the backup file on your own device.
  • Manual transfer of individual apps and data takes much longer but works if your backup is corrupted or if you want to start fresh on the new phone.

What gets copied and what does not

A full backup copies almost everything: your apps, app data, photos, videos, messages, contacts, calendar events, notes, reminders, health data, home automation settings, and your home screen layout. Your passwords and payment methods are encrypted and included. Your email accounts, Wi-Fi passwords, and two-factor authentication settings transfer over.

A few things do not copy: your phone's set up lock (the security feature tied to your Apple ID) resets automatically on the new phone, which is intentional. Downloaded podcasts and audiobooks do not always transfer because of licensing restrictions — you can re-read them from the Podcasts or Books app. Some banking apps and apps that use biometric login (fingerprint or face recognition) may ask you to log in again for security reasons.

iCloud backup does not copy everything that is stored only on your phone's local storage. If you have photos that are not synced to iCloud Photos, or notes that are not in iCloud, they will not transfer. Before you back up, check Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud to see which apps are turned on for iCloud sync.

How to check if your backup is complete before you switch phones

On your old iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. You will see the date and time of your last backup. If it says "Back Up Now" instead of a timestamp, no backup exists yet — tap it and wait for it to finish. The backup size appears below the date; if it is much smaller than your phone's total storage, some data may not be included.

Check that iCloud has enough free space. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage. Your backup size is listed at the top. If you have less free space than your backup size, the backup will fail or be incomplete. You can delete old backups of other devices, buy more iCloud storage (50 GB for $0.99 per month is the smallest paid tier), or use a computer backup instead.

If you are using a computer backup, plug in your old iPhone, open Finder or iTunes, and look at the backup size shown in the summary. Make sure your computer has at least twice that much free disk space, because the backup file needs room to be created and then copied to the new phone.

Step-by-step: restore from iCloud during setup

Turn on your new iPhone. You will see "Hello" on the screen. Follow the prompts to choose your language and region. When you reach the "Quick Start" screen, you can either scan a code with your old phone or tap "Set Up Manually" — either way works, but scanning is faster.

When asked "Set Up iPhone," choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" instead of "Set Up as New iPhone." Sign in with your Apple ID (the same one you used on your old phone). Choose which backup you want to restore — if you have multiple devices, they will all be listed with their names and dates. Tap the backup from your old iPhone.

The new phone will read your backup over Wi-Fi. Do not unplug it, do not turn it off, and do not move out of range of your Wi-Fi network. Depending on your backup size and internet speed, this can take 30 minutes to several hours. You will see a progress bar. When it finishes, your new phone will restart and you will be ready to use it.

Step-by-step: restore from a computer backup

Plug your old iPhone into your Mac or Windows computer using the USB cable. On a Mac, open Finder and click your phone's name in the sidebar. On Windows, open iTunes. Click the device icon (usually at the top left). You will see a summary page with a "Back Up Now" button. Click it and wait for the backup to finish — you will see a progress bar.

Unplug your old phone. Plug in your new iPhone. On Mac, Finder will show it in the sidebar. On Windows, iTunes will recognize it. Click the device icon. You will see a summary page with options to set up the phone. Choose "Restore Backup" and select the backup you just created from the dropdown menu. Click Restore.

Your computer will copy the backup file to the new phone. This takes 15 minutes to an hour depending on backup size. Do not unplug the phone during this process. When it finishes, the new phone will restart. You may be asked to enter your Apple ID password and any app-specific passwords — this is normal and expected.

If your backup is corrupted or you want to start fresh

If you restore from a backup and something does not work — an app crashes repeatedly, your photos do not load, or your messages are missing — you can erase the new phone and try again. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This removes everything and takes you back to the setup screen. Then restore from your backup again, or try a different backup if you have one.

If you want to start completely fresh on the new phone without any data from your old one, choose "Set Up as New iPhone" during the initial setup instead of restoring from a backup. You can still transfer specific things later — for example, you can sign into your email accounts, re-read your apps from the App Store, and restore photos from iCloud Photos. This takes longer but gives you a clean start.

If you suspect your backup itself is corrupted, create a new backup before you erase the phone. Plug your old iPhone into your computer, open Finder or iTunes, and click Back Up Now. Then use that fresh backup to restore the new phone. Corrupted backups are rare, but if the problem persists, contact Apple Support with your phone's serial number (Settings > General > About > Serial Number).

Transferring data without a backup: manual options

If you do not have a backup and cannot create one, you can transfer some data manually. Photos and videos can be moved through iCloud Photos — turn it on in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos on both phones, and they will sync. Messages can be transferred through iCloud if you turn on iCloud Messages in Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Messages. Contacts and calendars sync through iCloud as well.

Apps must be re-downloaded from the App Store on the new phone. Your app data (saved games, settings, login information) will not transfer unless that app uses iCloud sync. You can check which apps sync to iCloud by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and scrolling through the list. Apps that are toggled on will restore their data when you sign in on the new phone.

This method is slow and incomplete — you will lose some data and have to reconfigure many apps. It is only worth doing if your old phone is broken and you have no backup, or if you genuinely want to start over. In almost every other situation, a full backup is faster and more reliable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data between an iPhone and an Android phone?

No, not through a standard backup. Apple and Google do not share backup formats. You can move some data manually — photos through Google Photos, contacts through Gmail, messages through email — but it is slow and incomplete. If you are switching to Android, plan to spend an hour or two re-downloading apps and reconfiguring settings.

What if I do not have my old iPhone anymore?

If you have an iCloud backup, you can restore it to the new phone without the old one. Just sign in during setup and choose "Restore from iCloud Backup." If you do not have a backup, you will have to set up the new phone from scratch and manually re-read your apps and data.

Do I need to keep my old iPhone after I transfer everything?

Not for the transfer itself — once the new phone is set up, your old phone is no longer needed. But before you sell it or recycle it, erase it completely by going to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. This removes your personal data and prepares it for a new owner.

Will my passwords transfer to the new phone?

Yes, if you use iCloud Keychain (Apple's password manager). Your saved passwords, credit card information, and Wi-Fi passwords all transfer in the backup. Some apps that store passwords locally may ask you to log in again for security reasons, but your main passwords will be there.

How long should I keep my old iPhone before I get rid of it?

Wait at least a week after setting up the new phone to make sure everything transferred correctly. Check that your photos, messages, and important apps are all there. Once you confirm everything works, you can safely erase and recycle your old phone.