When your old iPhone is available, use Apple’s Quick Start to move data to the new one. If the old phone is unavailable, restore an iCloud or computer backup during setup. Neither route guarantees that every app stays signed in or that your phone number activates automatically, so check important content, apps, and cellular service before retiring the old phone.
How do I transfer everything from my old iPhone to my new iPhone?
Start with Quick Start if the old iPhone works and is with you. You can transfer directly between the two phones or choose to download from iCloud. Direct transfer keeps both devices occupied until it finishes; an iCloud download lets you start using the new iPhone while apps and data continue downloading in the background. Apple says transfer time varies with network conditions and the amount of data, so there is no reliable fixed completion time. Apple Support’s Quick Start guide was published September 14, 2026.
Before you begin
- Have the old iPhone passcode and your Apple Account password ready.
- Connect the old iPhone to Wi-Fi and turn on Bluetooth. If practical, update both iPhones before starting; software versions can affect eligibility.
- Plug both phones into power and set aside a period when you can leave the old iPhone nearby and unavailable for use.
- If you do not have a recent backup, make one first when possible. If iCloud storage is a problem, check whether you qualify for Apple’s temporary storage option.
Use Quick Start
- Turn on the new iPhone and place it near the old iPhone, which should be unlocked.
- Follow the Quick Start prompt on the old phone. Scan the animation displayed on the new phone, then enter the old iPhone’s passcode when asked.
- Connect the new iPhone to Wi-Fi or cellular, activate cellular if prompted, and set up Face ID or Touch ID.
- Choose direct transfer to move data from the old phone, or choose the iCloud download option if you want to begin using the new iPhone while restoration continues.
- Keep both phones close together and connected to power until a direct transfer completes. For an iCloud download, leave the new phone on Wi-Fi and power so content can continue to arrive.
What to check after setup
- Open Messages, Photos, Contacts, Notes, Files, and any other important apps to confirm the content you need is present.
- Sign in to Apple Accounts used for earlier purchases if prompted. Content bought using multiple accounts may require signing in to each one.
- Open high-priority third-party apps and complete any app-specific sign-in or setup. A successful phone migration does not guarantee that every app credential or session transfers.
- Test calls, text messages, and cellular data on the new iPhone; number and eSIM activation may require a separate carrier-supported step.
- Keep the old iPhone intact until you have checked the new phone and confirmed that any needed restore has completed.
How do I transfer data to a new iPhone without my old iPhone?
If the old phone is gone but you have a backup, restore it during the new iPhone’s initial setup. Choose the backup that matches the old device by checking its date and size, then keep the new iPhone connected to Wi-Fi and power while data restores and cloud content downloads.
Restore an iCloud backup
- Begin setting up the new iPhone and connect it to Wi-Fi.
- At the transfer or restore screen, choose Restore from iCloud Backup and sign in to the Apple Account associated with the backup.
- Select the appropriate backup by date and size, then leave the phone on Wi-Fi and power as restoration proceeds.
If the new iPhone has already completed setup, Apple’s restore flow requires erasing it first. Erasing removes the new phone’s existing contents, so save anything on it that you need before proceeding. See Apple’s instructions for restoring an iPhone from a backup.
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Use Apple’s temporary iCloud storage for a new purchase
If the old iPhone cannot back up to your existing iCloud plan, Apple offers eligible customers temporary iCloud storage when preparing to transfer to a new device. On the old iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Get Started and follow the prompts. The temporary backup is available for 21 days to restore; if the new device has not arrived, Apple says you can request an additional 21 days. Do not erase the old iPhone until the backup has been restored. Details and eligibility are in Apple’s temporary iCloud storage instructions.
Can I transfer iPhone data without iCloud?
Yes. If you have a backup made on a Mac or PC, restore it to the new iPhone during setup. Use the computer and application where the backup was created: Finder on a Mac, Apple Devices on a supported Windows PC, or iTunes where applicable.
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- During the new iPhone’s setup, choose Restore from Mac or PC.
- Connect the iPhone to the computer that holds the backup and open Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes.
- Select the iPhone, choose Restore Backup, and pick the backup by date and size.
- If the backup is encrypted, enter its password when prompted.
An unencrypted computer backup does not transfer Health and Activity data from iPhone or Apple Watch. Apple says the backup must be encrypted to include those categories. If the new phone is already set up, it must be erased before restoring the computer backup, which removes its current contents. Follow Apple’s computer-backup restore instructions.
What cable do I need to transfer from an old iPhone to a new iPhone?
A cable is optional: Quick Start can transfer wirelessly. For a direct wired migration, Apple lists different cable or adapter setups depending on the connectors on both iPhones:
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Check both iPhone models and the cables you already own before buying anything; there is no single universal cable for every pairing. A wired direct transfer still requires both phones to remain occupied until it finishes. See Apple’s wired-transfer cable guidance.
Will my eSIM transfer to my new iPhone?
It may, but successful data migration does not prove that your phone number or cellular plan has moved. Apple’s eSIM Quick Transfer requires carrier support. Apple’s guide, current as of September 17, 2026, specifies that both phones must be signed in to the Apple Account, the old phone must be unlocked, the phones must be nearby with Bluetooth on, and both must run iOS 18.4 or later. When the new plan activates, the old SIM is deactivated.
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If Quick Transfer does not appear or fails, contact your carrier for its supported activation method. Depending on the carrier, that may involve carrier activation, a QR code, a carrier app, or another supported method. Check that calls, SMS, and cellular data work on the new phone before you stop using the old one. Carrier support can change; see Apple’s eSIM transfer instructions and confirm your carrier’s current process.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When Quick Start is not available
Quick Start cannot transfer from a current device when the new iPhone is enrolled in Apple School Manager or Apple Business. If the phone is managed by a school or employer, follow the organization’s administrator setup process rather than attempting a personal-device migration. Apple’s Quick Start guidance describes this restriction.
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