The fastest way to move everything to a new iPhone

The quickest method is Quick Start, Apple's built-in tool that transfers your apps, photos, settings, and passwords in one process. Turn on your new iPhone, hold it next to your old one, and follow the on-screen prompts. The transfer happens over a secure connection and usually takes 30 minutes to a few hours depending on how much data you have.

If Quick Start doesn't work — because your old phone is broken, too old, or far away — you can restore from an iCloud backup instead. This takes longer but works from anywhere. You'll need your Apple ID password and enough iCloud storage space for your backup.

A third option is restoring from a Mac or Windows computer using a USB cable and iTunes or Finder. This is slower than Quick Start but gives you the most control over what transfers and works even if iCloud is full.

Key Takeaways

  • Quick Start is the fastest method if both phones work and are in the same room — it transfers everything wirelessly in 30 minutes to a few hours.
  • iCloud backup works from anywhere but requires your Apple ID password and enough storage space for your entire backup.
  • Restoring from a computer via USB cable is the slowest option but works when iCloud is full or your old phone is broken.
  • Your new iPhone must be running the same iOS version or newer than your old phone for any transfer method to work.
  • Two-factor authentication on your Apple ID will slow down the process because you'll need to verify your identity on the new phone.

Using Quick Start for a wireless transfer

Quick Start is the method Apple designed for this exact task. Power on your new iPhone and place it next to your old one. Your old phone will detect the new one and show a setup screen. Tap "Continue" and hold your old phone above the new one so the camera can scan a pattern that appears on the new screen.

Next, you'll enter your Apple ID password on the new phone. If your old phone has Face ID or Touch ID, you can use that to verify instead of typing the password. Then choose whether to set up Face ID or Touch ID on the new phone, and decide if you want to restore your old phone's settings (wallpaper, accessibility options, keyboard settings, and so on).

The actual data transfer happens over Wi-Fi. Both phones need to be on the same network. The process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours depending on how many apps and photos you have. Keep both phones plugged in and don't use them during the transfer. You'll see a progress bar on the new phone.

Restoring from an iCloud backup when Quick Start isn't possible

If your old iPhone is broken, lost, or too far away, iCloud backup is your next option. Your old phone must have backed up to iCloud at some point — check by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup on any working Apple device you own, or by signing into iCloud.com in a web browser.

On your new iPhone, go through the initial setup screens until you reach "Apps & Data." Choose "Restore from iCloud Backup," then sign in with your Apple ID. Select the backup you want to restore — usually the most recent one with today's date. The phone will download your apps, photos, messages, and settings from iCloud.

This process is slower than Quick Start because everything comes down from Apple's servers rather than directly from your old phone. It can take several hours for a large backup. Your new phone needs a strong Wi-Fi connection and should stay plugged in. You won't be able to use the phone until the restore finishes.

One limitation: iCloud backups only include data that Apple stores in iCloud. Some apps store their data only on your phone, not in the cloud, so you may need to sign back into those apps and download your data manually after the restore completes.

Transferring via a computer with a USB cable

If iCloud is full or you don't have an iCloud account, you can restore from a computer. On a Mac with macOS Monterey or newer, plug your new iPhone into the Mac with a USB cable and open Finder. On a Windows PC, download iTunes from the Microsoft Store or Apple's website, then plug in the phone and open iTunes.

In Finder or iTunes, select your new iPhone from the sidebar. Click "Restore Backup" and choose the backup file you want to restore. You'll need to enter your Apple ID password. The computer will copy your apps, photos, messages, and settings to the new phone.

This method is the slowest because data transfers over USB, which is slower than Wi-Fi. It also requires a computer, a USB cable, and enough free space on the computer to hold your backup file temporarily. The main advantage is that it works even if iCloud is full or you don't have enough iCloud storage.

What transfers and what doesn't

All three methods transfer your apps, photos, messages, contacts, calendar events, notes, reminders, health data, and home automation settings. Your wallpaper, keyboard dictionary, accessibility settings, and notification preferences also transfer. Passwords stored in Keychain move over too, though you may need to re-enter them for some apps.

What doesn't transfer: text messages and iMessage conversations from before your backup was created, because they're not included in backups. Voicemails don't transfer either. Some apps — particularly banking apps and apps with strict security rules — may require you to sign back in and re-authenticate. Downloaded podcasts and audiobooks may not transfer if they're stored locally on your phone rather than in iCloud.

If you have a lot of apps, the new phone will start downloading them immediately after the transfer finishes, but this happens in the background. You can use the phone while apps are still downloading.

Troubleshooting when transfer gets stuck

If Quick Start stalls, force-quit the setup process on both phones by holding the power button and swiping to power off. Turn both phones back on and try again. Make sure both are on the same Wi-Fi network and that Wi-Fi is working — try opening a web browser on each phone to confirm.

If an iCloud restore hangs, check your internet connection. If it's slow, the restore may time out. Plug into Wi-Fi instead of cellular if you're on cellular data. If the restore fails partway through, you can start over — just go back to "Apps & Data" and choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" again. iCloud will resume from where it left off.

If a computer restore fails, make sure your USB cable is working by trying a different cable if you have one. Restart both the computer and the phone, then try again. If the backup file is corrupted, you'll see an error message — in that case, try restoring from iCloud instead.

Preparing your old iPhone after the transfer

Once the transfer finishes and you've confirmed everything is on the new phone, you can erase your old iPhone. Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. You'll need to enter your Apple ID password. This removes all your personal data and prepares the phone for sale, recycling, or storage.

If you're selling the phone, make sure Find My iPhone is turned off before erasing — go to Settings > [Your Name] > Find My > Find My iPhone and toggle it off. After erasing, the phone will be ready for the next owner to set up.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

If the phone won't power on at all, you can't use Quick Start or restore from the phone itself. Your only option is iCloud backup — as long as your old phone backed up to iCloud before it broke. Sign into iCloud.com on a computer to check if a recent backup exists, then restore it on your new phone.

How much iCloud storage do I need for a backup?

It depends on how much data you have. Check by going to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage on your old phone — it shows your backup size. Apple gives you 5 GB free. If your backup is larger, you'll need to buy more storage (50 GB, 200 GB, or 2 TB monthly plans) or delete old backups to make room.

Will my text messages transfer?

Yes, but only messages from after your last backup. Text messages and iMessage conversations are included in backups, so they'll move to your new phone. Older messages that were deleted before the backup was created won't transfer.

Do I need to be connected to Wi-Fi the whole time?

For Quick Start, yes — both phones need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. For iCloud restore, you need Wi-Fi for the download, but the phone can switch to cellular once the restore starts. For computer restore, you don't need Wi-Fi at all, just the USB cable.

What if I have two-factor authentication turned on?

Two-factor authentication will make the transfer slower because you'll need to verify your identity on your new phone. You'll receive a code on a trusted device (like a Mac or iPad) and need to enter it on the new iPhone. Have another Apple device nearby to receive the verification code.