Make the transition to a new iPhone as smooth and fast as possible
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If you are moving from an old iPhone to a new iPhone 15, you need to take some steps to ensure that all your data stays with you. Here's how to do it.
You can set up a new iPhone just like this, a brand new iPhone without any previous data like documents or settings like email accounts. This is what you need to do if this is your first smartphone, and there are reasons why you might want to do it anyway.
Previously you had to do this when switching from an Android phone, but this is no longer the case. Since 2018, Apple has been offering you its Android app Move to iOS.
But in most cases, when you upgrade to a new iPhone, you want all your data, all your stuff, and everything that was on your old one. Since it ranges from photos to credit cards to Wallet, as well as hundreds of options like focus modes and ringtones, you need help.
In general, you need to prepare your old phone — by backing up the data on it, for example — then during setup of the next one you transfer that data.
First thing to do
If you have an Apple Watch connected to your old iPhone, disconnect it now. Trust us, you might get confused if you haven't disabled it before, say, by giving away your old iPhone.
Plus, you want your watch to work with your new iPhone, which means all the watch data will also be preserved during the transfer. And the only way to back up your Apple Watch data is to disconnect it from your iPhone.
Disconnect the Apple Watch from the old iPhone
Anyway, the Apple Watch backs up periodically, but when you disconnect it, you force a backup to that moment. Depending on whether you have music and podcasts on your watch, this may take a few minutes, but it's important.
If you have an old iPhone, update it now
If you're upgrading from last year's iPhone to this one, you're fine. It might be a good idea to make sure your old phone has the latest version of iOS, but it's not necessary.
However, this is important if you have a much older phone. If you're upgrading from, say, an iPhone 6S to an iPhone 15 Pro Max, be sure to update your old phone to the latest version of iOS it can use.
Back up your old iPhone
Follow AppleInsider's backup guide your old iPhone. iPhone to get all the details, and especially how you choose to back up to your Mac or iCloud.
In short, they are both so similar that you will hardly notice the difference. But the even shorter version is that you should back up both.
The best way to upgrade to a new iPhone
The best way is the one that Apple will offer you – a method called “Quick Start”.
Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to the old one. In the same way that an iPhone recognizes AirPods, for example, two phones recognize each other.
Your old iPhone will ask if you want to use your current Apple ID to set up your new iPhone. This.
Or, if that's not the case, if for some reason you want to start using a different Apple ID on your new iPhone, be absolutely sure that this is what you need. You won't be able to merge your Apple ID later.
Next, you will be asked to confirm that this is the new iPhone you want to transfer, and this is done very similarly to the Apple Watch. Just like with the watch, you need to hold the new iPhone so that its camera can see the animation on the display of the old one.
When this is done, a Finish on new iPhone message will appear on your old phone.
The fastest of quick starts
Next you' you will be prompted to click Transfer data from iPhone. Apple expects this to be exactly what you want, and it may be, but since you recently made a backup, you have other options.
Actually click on the words Other options. When you do this, you'll be given the choice of transferring your data via a recent iCloud backup or from a backup on your Mac.
If you backed up to your Mac, connect your new iPhone to it and choose a transfer method. This will be the fastest way, although you may only notice this if you have a lot of data to transfer.
Or you can choose to transfer from iCloud backup. In this case, you will be shown a list of several recent backups, and naturally you should select the most recent one.
Device to device transfer
Alternatively, you can simply click on this Transfer data from iPhone. In this case, the new iPhone will copy the data directly from the old one via your Wi-Fi network.
You may need to transfer a lot of data, and if so, don't expect it to be fast. For example, if you're upgrading from a 1TB iPhone 14 Pro Max to a 1TB iPhone 15 Pro and you've filled up that storage, do it overnight.
Only the end result is important
Whatever data transfer method you choose, as a result, your new iPhone will have everything the same as your old one. It may have taken a while to transfer all the data, but now you can use your new iPhone just like your old one.
You just need to pair your Apple Watch with it.
