How to Transfer Everything to a New iPhone

The new iPhone is out of the box, sitting next to the old one, and the setup screen wants to know how to continue. The common assumption is that signing in to the Apple Account brings everything across on its own. The sign-in restores the account; the apps, photos, messages, and settings arrive only through a transfer or a backup restore, which is what Quick Start sets up.

Back up the old iPhone before you start

Open Settings, your name, iCloud, iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. A current backup is the safety net if the transfer stalls. If the backup fails for lack of storage, Apple grants free temporary iCloud storage for a move to a new device: on the old phone, open Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone and tap Get Started.

Start Quick Start with both phones together

Turn on the new iPhone and leave it on the Hello screen. Unlock the old iPhone, turn Bluetooth on, and hold the two phones close. A card appears on the old phone offering to set up the new one with your Apple Account. Tap Continue, then hold the old phone's camera over the animated pattern on the new screen until pairing finishes, and enter the old passcode on the new phone when asked.

Choose how the data moves

Quick Start offers Transfer Directly from iPhone or a restore From iCloud Backup. A direct transfer sends everything phone to phone, which is the most complete option; plug both phones in, leave them alone, and expect an hour or more on a full device. Restoring from iCloud releases the old phone sooner but pulls everything down over Wi-Fi.

Move the eSIM and sign back in

When setup offers to transfer the cellular plan, accept it and follow the carrier prompts. Once the home screen appears, apps redownload in the background over Wi-Fi, so leave the phone charging. Banking apps, authenticator apps, and anything using a hardware-bound key need a fresh sign-in and, for authenticators, a separate export or re-enrollment.

Keep the old phone until everything is verified. Check photos, message history, two-factor codes, and any app you depend on before erasing or trading it in.

Unpair an Apple Watch last. Set up the new iPhone first, then unpair the watch from the old phone and pair it with the new one, which keeps the watch backup intact.