How to Move Everything From Your Old iPad to a New One

The fastest way: use iCloud to restore your new iPad

When you turn on a new iPad, it asks whether you want to restore from a backup. If you have an iCloud backup from your old iPad, choose that option and sign in with the same Apple ID you used on the old device. Your new iPad will read your apps, photos, documents, settings, and passwords — everything except what was stored only in local device storage that never synced to iCloud.

This method works best if your old iPad is already backed up to iCloud and you have a strong Wi-Fi connection on the new device. The restore can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have. You do not need the old iPad present during this process.

If you did not back up your old iPad before getting the new one, you can still create a backup now and use it. Open Settings on the old iPad, tap your name at the top, select iCloud, then tap iCloud Backup. Turn on iCloud Backup if it is off, then tap Back Up Now. Wait for the backup to finish — you will see a timestamp showing when it completed.

Key Takeaways

The iCloud restore method is fastest: sign in with your Apple ID on the new iPad during setup and choose to restore from your most recent backup.
If you did not back up before, you can create a backup on your old iPad now by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.
A direct connection between the two iPads using Quick Start (on newer models) copies everything in about 30 minutes without needing iCloud.
After any transfer method, check that your photos, apps, and documents arrived by opening each app and looking for your files.
Some apps store data only on the device itself and will not transfer — you may need to sign back into those apps manually on the new iPad.

Using Quick Start to transfer directly between iPads

If both iPads are nearby and your old iPad is running iOS 12.4 or later, you can use Quick Start to copy everything directly from one device to the other without uploading to iCloud first. Turn on the new iPad and hold it next to your old one. A setup screen will appear on the old iPad asking if you want to use it to set up the new device — tap Yes.

Point the old iPad's camera at the animation that appears on the new iPad's screen. The two devices will connect and begin transferring your data. You will need to enter your Apple ID password and Face ID or Touch ID from the old iPad to confirm the transfer. This process takes about 30 minutes for most people, and both devices need to stay close together and plugged in or have good battery life.

Quick Start transfers everything that iCloud backup would transfer, plus some additional settings that iCloud does not always capture. If your old iPad is too old to support Quick Start, you will need to use the iCloud method instead.

What transfers and what does not

iCloud backups and Quick Start both transfer your apps, photos, videos, documents, email accounts, contacts, calendar events, reminders, notes, Safari bookmarks, and most app data. Your home screen layout, wallpaper, and accessibility settings also transfer. Passwords stored in iCloud Keychain come across automatically when you sign in with your Apple ID.

Some things do not transfer: apps that store data only locally (not synced to iCloud) will install on the new iPad but may show empty or reset. Banking apps, some games, and a few productivity apps work this way. You will need to sign back into these apps manually and may lose any local data they held. Music and podcasts you purchased through iTunes transfer, but music you added from other sources does not.

If you had files stored only in the old iPad's local storage — not in iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or another cloud service — those files will not transfer. This is why moving files to a cloud service before you switch devices prevents losing them.

Checking that everything arrived on your new iPad

After the transfer finishes, spend 10 minutes checking that your most important data made it across. Open the Photos app and scroll through recent photos. Open a few apps you use regularly and look for your files or data. Check your email by opening Mail and looking for recent messages. Open Notes and look for your saved notes.

If you notice an app is empty or missing data, open that app on your new iPad and sign in with your account. Many apps will re-read your data once you log in. If an app is missing entirely, go to the App Store, search for it by name, and tap the cloud icon to reinstall it.

For documents stored in iCloud Drive, open the Files app and tap iCloud Drive. You should see all your folders and files there. If you stored documents in Google Drive, Dropbox, or another service, open that app and sign in — your files will appear once you authenticate.

Transferring data if your old iPad will not turn on

If your old iPad is broken or will not power on, you cannot use Quick Start or create a new backup. Your only option is to restore from a backup that already exists in iCloud. During setup on the new iPad, sign in with the same Apple ID and choose to restore from your most recent iCloud backup. This will recover everything that was backed up before the old device stopped working.

If you never backed up the old iPad to iCloud, or if the last backup is very old, you may lose recent data. This is why turning on iCloud Backup on any device you care about — and checking occasionally that backups are actually happening — prevents this situation.

What to do with your old iPad after the transfer

Before you give away, sell, or recycle your old iPad, erase it completely so your personal data does not stay on the device. Go to Settings, tap General, scroll down and tap Transfer or Reset, then tap Erase All Content and Settings. You will need to enter your Apple ID password. The device will erase and restart, showing the setup screen as if it were brand new.

If you plan to keep the old iPad for a backup device or to use on a different Wi-Fi network, you do not need to erase it. But if someone else will use it, erasing is essential — it removes your email accounts, photos, documents, and all your personal information.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my apps transfer with all their data?

Most apps transfer with their data if they sync to iCloud. Apps that store data only locally may install but appear empty — you will need to sign back in. Banking apps, some games, and a few note-taking apps work this way. Check each app after transfer to see if your data is there.

Can I transfer if I do not have Wi-Fi?

Quick Start works over a direct connection between the two iPads and does not need Wi-Fi. iCloud restore requires Wi-Fi or cellular data on the new iPad. If you have neither available, use Quick Start, or wait until you can connect to Wi-Fi before setting up the new device.

What if I forgot my Apple ID password?

You will need your Apple ID password to restore from iCloud or to use Quick Start. Go to iforgot.apple.com on a computer or another device and follow the steps to reset it. You can also go to Settings on any Apple device you own and tap Forgot Password to start the reset process.

How long does the transfer take?

Quick Start usually takes 20 to 40 minutes depending on how much data you have. iCloud restore can take 30 minutes to several hours depending on your Wi-Fi speed and the amount of data. Both methods can continue in the background after the initial setup finishes.

Will my photos transfer if they are in the Photos app?

Yes, if you have iCloud Photos turned on. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Photos on your old iPad and make sure iCloud Photos is on. Your photos will sync to iCloud and appear on the new iPad once you sign in with the same Apple ID. If iCloud Photos is off, your photos will not transfer.

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.