The fastest way to transfer everything is to use iCloud or a Mac or PC

You have three practical routes to move photos, contacts, messages, apps, and settings from your old iPhone to a new one. The fastest and simplest is iCloud, which backs up and restores your entire phone wirelessly — you just sign in with your Apple ID on the new phone and let it run. If you have a Mac or PC, you can also plug both phones into the same computer and use Finder (on Mac) or iTunes (on Windows) to transfer a full backup. The third option is Quick Start, which lets you hold the new phone next to the old one and transfer data directly between them over a local connection.

Which method you choose depends on what you have available and how much data you're moving. iCloud works anywhere you have Wi-Fi and doesn't require a computer, but it's slower if you have a lot of photos or videos. A computer backup is faster for large amounts of data and gives you a copy saved on your computer as well. Quick Start is the most hands-on but works well for smaller transfers or when you want to set up the new phone right away.

Key Takeaways

  • iCloud is the easiest method if you have Wi-Fi — sign in on the new phone and let it restore automatically, with no computer needed.
  • A Mac or PC backup using Finder or iTunes is faster for large amounts of data and creates a copy on your computer at the same time.
  • Quick Start transfers data directly between phones held close together and is useful when you want to set up the new phone immediately.
  • All three methods transfer photos, videos, contacts, messages, app data, and settings — but purchased apps must be re-downloaded from the App Store.
  • Make sure your old phone is fully charged and stays connected to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth during the transfer, or the process will pause.

Using iCloud to restore your entire phone

iCloud is the method most people use because it requires no computer and works from anywhere with Wi-Fi. Before you start, make sure your old iPhone has backed up to iCloud recently — go to Settings, tap your name at the top, then iCloud, then Photos, and confirm that iCloud Photos is turned on. If you use iCloud+, your backup will include everything; if you use the free tier, you get 5 GB of backup space, which may not be enough if you have many photos or videos.

When your new iPhone powers on, you'll see the Quick Start screen. Sign in with the same Apple ID you used on the old phone. When asked whether to restore from iCloud, choose that option and sign in again. The phone will download your backup over Wi-Fi — this can take anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours depending on how much data you have and how fast your connection is. Keep the phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi until the restore finishes. You'll see a progress bar, and the phone may restart a few times during the process.

After the restore completes, your photos, contacts, messages, calendar events, notes, reminders, and app data will all be on the new phone. Apps themselves must be re-downloaded from the App Store, but they'll appear in your library automatically and you can download them all at once by going to Settings, then App Store, and turning on "Automatic Downloads" for apps.

Transferring via a Mac or PC for faster backup

If you have a Mac running Monterey or newer, or a Windows PC with iTunes installed, you can create a full backup on your computer and restore it to the new phone. This method is faster than iCloud for large amounts of data and gives you a backup file saved on your computer. Plug your old iPhone into the computer with a USB cable. On a Mac, open Finder and click the phone in the sidebar; on Windows, open iTunes and click the phone icon at the top left.

Click "Back Up Now" (or "Back Up" on Windows). The computer will create an encrypted backup that includes everything on the phone — photos, videos, messages, app data, and settings. This usually takes 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much data you have. When it finishes, unplug the old phone and plug in the new one. On the new phone, go through the initial setup screens until you see "Apps & Data." Choose "Restore from Mac" (or "Restore from PC" on Windows), then select the backup you just created. The phone will restore everything from that backup.

One advantage of this method is that you now have a backup file on your computer as well as on the new phone. If something goes wrong later, you can restore from that file. The downside is that you need a computer and a USB cable, and the process is less convenient if you're away from home.

Quick Start for direct phone-to-phone transfer

Quick Start is the method to use if you want to transfer data directly from your old phone to the new one without a computer or waiting for an iCloud backup. Power on the new iPhone and hold it close to the old one — within a few inches. The old phone will recognize the new one and ask whether you want to set it up. Tap "Continue" and hold the new phone's camera over the animation that appears on the old phone's screen. This pairs the two phones together.

When prompted, enter your Apple ID password on the new phone. Then choose whether to transfer data from iCloud or directly from the old phone. If you choose direct transfer, the phones will exchange data over a local Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connection — this is faster than iCloud but only works if both phones are close together. The old phone will show a progress bar, and you should keep both phones plugged in and close together until the transfer finishes, which usually takes 30 minutes to an hour depending on how much data you have.

Quick Start is useful when you're setting up a new phone right away and want to get everything moved over quickly. It's less useful if you want to keep the old phone running in the meantime, because the transfer process ties up both phones for the duration.

What gets transferred and what doesn't

All three methods transfer the same types of data: photos and videos in your camera roll, contacts, text messages and iMessage conversations, email accounts and settings, calendar events, notes, reminders, health data, home automation settings, and the data stored by individual apps (like saved games or login information). Your home screen layout, wallpaper, and accessibility settings also transfer.

Apps themselves do not transfer — instead, they appear in your App Store library and you can download them again. If you had paid apps, you won't be charged again because the App Store recognizes your purchase history. Purchased music, movies, and books also don't transfer to the new phone, but you can re-download them from the iTunes Store or Apple Books using the same Apple ID.

Some things that don't transfer include text messages from before your last backup (if using iCloud), voicemails (which are stored on your carrier's servers), and any data from apps that don't use iCloud sync. If an app stores its data only on the phone itself and not in iCloud, you'll lose that data when you switch phones — this is rare but happens with some older or less common apps.

Troubleshooting when a transfer stalls or fails

The most common reason a transfer stops is that one of the phones lost its Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection, or the battery ran out. If this happens, plug both phones in to charge, make sure they're both on the same Wi-Fi network, and start the transfer again. iCloud and computer backups will resume where they left off; Quick Start will need to start over.

If the new phone gets stuck on a progress screen and won't move forward, try unplugging both phones, waiting 30 seconds, and plugging them back in. If you're using iCloud and the transfer is taking much longer than expected, check your Wi-Fi speed — a slow connection can make the process take several hours. You can also try moving closer to your router or restarting the Wi-Fi on both phones.

If you see an error message about iCloud or backup, make sure you're signed in with the correct Apple ID on both phones. If you're restoring from a computer backup and it fails, try unplugging the phone, restarting the computer, and plugging the phone back in. If the problem persists, you can start over with a fresh setup and manually add your most important data — contacts and photos can be re-synced from iCloud even if the full restore fails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I transfer data if my old iPhone is broken or won't turn on?

If your old phone won't turn on, you can only restore from an iCloud backup or a computer backup you made before it broke. If you never backed up, you may not be able to recover all your data. If the phone turns on but has a cracked screen or other damage, you can still use any of the three methods — iCloud and computer backups don't require the phone to be fully functional, and Quick Start will work as long as the camera and screen respond to touch.

Do I need to erase my old iPhone before transferring to the new one?

No, you don't need to erase the old phone before transferring. You can keep it running and use it alongside the new phone. However, if you plan to sell or give away the old phone, you should erase it after confirming the transfer worked — go to Settings, tap General, then Transfer or Reset, and choose "Erase All Content and Settings."

What if I don't have Wi-Fi available during the transfer?

iCloud backups require Wi-Fi and won't work without it. Quick Start can use Bluetooth if Wi-Fi isn't available, but it's slower. A computer backup doesn't require Wi-Fi at all — you just plug both phones into the computer with USB cables. If you're in a location without Wi-Fi and don't have a computer, you'll need to wait until you can access Wi-Fi to use iCloud.

Will my text messages transfer if I switch from iPhone to Android?

No, these methods only work between iPhones. If you're switching to Android, you'll need to use a different method — Google has a "Switch to Android" app that can transfer some data, but text messages and iMessage conversations won't move over. You can export your photos and contacts manually, but messages are difficult to transfer between platforms.

Can I transfer data to an iPhone I already set up?

Yes, but it's more complicated. If you've already gone through the setup process on the new phone, you can still restore from an iCloud backup or computer backup — go to Settings, tap General, then Transfer or Reset, and choose "Erase All Content and Settings." This will erase the phone and let you restore from your backup. Quick Start only works during the initial setup, so you can't use that method on a phone that's already been set up.