how to

Transfer Everything to a New iPhone Directly

· 3 min read iphonequick-startmigrationsetup

Quick Start copies your entire old iPhone straight onto the new one over a local connection, no cable or backup restore required. Apps re-download from the App Store in the background while your data, settings, and even wallpaper carry over. Budget an hour of hands-off time for the transfer plus more for app re-downloads.

What you need

  • Old iPhone on iOS 16 or later, new iPhone out of the box
  • Both phones plugged into power
  • Bluetooth and Wi-Fi enabled on both devices
  • Your old phone's passcode and Apple Account password

Step by step

  1. Charge both phones above 50 percent and place the new iPhone next to the old one. Power on the new iPhone; a Quick Start prompt appears on the old screen.
  2. Tap Continue on the old iPhone, then scan the animated pattern shown on the new phone using the old camera. Wait for "Finish on New iPhone".
  3. Enter the old phone's passcode on the new device, then sign in with your Apple Account password and approve any two-factor prompts.
  4. On the Transfer Your Data screen choose "Transfer from iPhone" rather than downloading from iCloud; it is faster and does not depend on your iCloud plan size.
  5. Keep both phones plugged in side by side and connected to the same Wi-Fi network. A direct device-to-device transfer typically runs 20 minutes to an hour depending on storage use.
  6. When setup completes, leave the old iPhone powered on nearby for at least another hour. Some data, like Apple Watch pairings and Health history, syncs after initial setup.
  7. Re-authenticate apps that require fresh logins: banking apps, WhatsApp (use its built-in Chat Transfer), authenticator apps, and anything with its own security layer.
  8. Before wiping the old iPhone, spot-check photos, messages, contacts, and Wallet cards on the new one. Only then go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings on the old device.

Common mistakes

  • Erasing or resetting the old phone immediately when something looks missing; most stragglers arrive within hours.
  • Choosing "Download from iCloud" by habit when you have a huge photo library but a small iCloud plan.
  • Forgetting that two-factor codes now arrive on the NEW phone while you are still mid-transfer on the old one.

Related guides

Take a belt-and-braces computer backup first per [[back-up-iphone-before-ios-upgrade]]. After migrating, check battery condition on the new phone with [[iphone-battery-health-habits]].

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