How to Transfer Everything from iPhone to iPhone

Content created on iPhone are living records of our lives, no wonder iPhone users want to make sure important data get transferred when switching to another iPhone. In order to transfer everything from one iPhone to another, there are two solutions for different scenarios:

1. The target iPhone is new with zero content, or you don't mind overwrite existing data on a used iPhone. In such a case, you can perform a full backup of the source iPhone, and restore target iPhone with the backup file. Check out the step by step tutorial in part 1.

2. The target iPhone has been used for some time and have content on it. Thus, you normally won't want a restore from a backup file, as it will remove existing data on the target iPhone. Then you can refer to part 2 for a flexible transfer without erasing.

Part 1: How to Transfer Everything from iPhone to iPhone and Other Platforms

After free downloading and installing DearMob iPhone Manager on your PC or Mac, connect your old iPhone with the computer and make sure to unlock iPhone screen for successful connection. Tap to trust this computer when you are prompted on iPhone.

Step 1: Go to Backup section in DearMob iPhone Manager.

Step 2: Click Backup Now.

You can also tick Encrypt your backup before your hit that blue backup button. To do so, you will be required to enter password when restore an encrypted backup file.

Step 3: Restore backup file to new iPhone.

Insert SIM card into New iPhone. When you see a backup completed message, plug in your new iOS device to the computer, and click the tab Restore backup files on the top. Choose the backup file created in step 2, and click Restore Now.

After the restoring, you will see the greeting screen. Just go ahead and finish the set up process as you normal do with a brand new iPhone. On the home screen, if you see Apps with cloud icon, hit it to download Apps from Appstore. That's all the steps you need to transfer everything from old iPhone to new iPhone.

Why do I need DearMob iPhone Manager other than iTunes or Finder on macOS Catalina?

It's true that iTunes and Finder in macOS Catalina also have the iPhone backup and restore utility, but the tricky part is, iTunes backup doesn't back up everything according to Apple Support.

Here is a list of things iTunes doesn't back up.

• Content synced via iTunes or Finder, such as books, photos, imported music (your own music collections, from CDs for example).
• Downloaded files, such as PDFs from Safari downloads and opened up in Apple books.
• Data already uploaded to iCloud, such as photos, photo streams, SMS etc.
• Some preferences or settings such as Face ID or Apple Pay settings.

That brings us to part 2, where you can manually check and make sure to transfer data from old iPhone to new iPhone, or from iPhone to Mac or Windows PC with the help of the powerful iOS data management tool. Selective transfer is also possible.

Part 2: Selectively Transfer Everything You Want from One iPhone to Another

In this workflow, you are given with option to transfer desired content to transfer from one iPhone (source) to another iPhone (target), without erasing existing data on the target iPhone.

Step 1: Transfer data from old iPhone to computer.

Browse content on your iPhone via DearMob iPhone Manager by clicking into each icon. Take photo transfer as an example. Go to Photos > Select all or some of the photos you want > Export.

Step 2: Import iOS content from computer to target iOS device.

Click the + icon to create an album, hit Add Photo to import old iPhone and iPad photos from step 1. You can create multiple albums to better organize photo to be added to the target iPhone.

Step 3: When all the things you want are listed in the interface, hit Sync to confirm transfer content to new iPhone.

In a similar workflow, you can transfer videos, music, contacts, podcasts, books, voice memos, custom ringtones, calendar events and safari bookmarks from iPhone to iPhone.

Part 3: How to Transfer Data from Old iPhone to New iPhone with iCloud

For a computer-less iPhone data syncing solution, iCloud could be a good choice if your total data size is less than 5GB, otherwise, you will have to upgrade your iCloud storage plan or resort to the wired solution in part 1 and part 2 without data size limits.

Case #1 Set up iPhone with iCloud backup to import data and system settings

Step 1: Back up the source iPhone.

On your old iPhone, go to Settings > Tap at [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Back Up Now

Note: In iOS 10.2 or earlier versions, iCloud is listed right under settings.

Step 2: Check backup files.

On your new iPhone, go to Settings > Tap at [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups, to make sure the backup file has already been uploaded to the cloud.

Step 3: Erase iPhone to prepare for iCloud restore.

Then back to Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings > Erase Now > Enter password, the phone will start to reboot.

Step 4: Restore iPhone from iCloud backup.

When you see the greeting screen, go through the process until you see the prompt of App & Data, tap Restore from iCloud Backup. Sign in iCloud and choose the right backup file to restore.

Case #2 Syncing partial iPhone content with iCloud, no data erasing

Step 1: On your old iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud, toggle on content types you prefer to sync.

Step 2: On your new iPhone, repeat step 1, and wait for the selected content to be pushed here.

iCloud syncing works fine with small but indispensable data such as iPhone contacts. For large data like photos, emails or books, you might want to wait for the contented to be pushed over from the cloud for a while, with a good Wi-Fi connection of course. Still, errors such as iCloud photos could not be turn on may crop up sometimes. If you want to transfer iOS data without iCloud, jump back to part 1 and part 2 for an error-free method.

Part 4: Transfer Data to New iPhone via iPhone Migration on iOS 12.4 or Higher

If you have already tried the Quick Start utility from iOS 11, you will find yourself go through a similar process, with one exception where you opt to Transfer from iPhone instead of tapping Download from iCloud.

Preparations:

• Make sure your source iPhone and destination iPhone are running iOS 12.4 or higher.

• Keep both devices close to each other throughout the entire process (or use an USB3 Camera Adapter and a Lightning cable to connect two iPhones).

• Stay connected to power in case your iPhone turned off accidentally if you have large size data to move over.

• Make sure the old iPhone is signed in with the Apple ID that you want to use on the new iPhone.

Step 1: Initiate Quick Start

Turn on your new iPhone, you will see the greeting screen with different languages. On your old iPhone, the quick start screen pops out, tap continue.

Note: If you don't see that screen on old iPhone, try turning on Bluetooth.

Step 2: Scan to set up

Use your old iPhone to scan the animation on new iPhone, or tap at Authenticate Manually in case of camera malfunction

On your destination iPhone, enter passcode of old iPhone. Then you will go through the process to set up touch ID or face ID.

Step 3: iPhone Migration option

On the screen of Transfer Your Data, tap at Transfer from iPhone (that's the new iPhone migration utility implemented in iOS 12.4).

Note: If you tap at Download from iCloud instead, you data will be pulled from iCloud backup should you created one in the past on the source iPhone, i.e., the old way to transfer data to new iPhone by restoring from iCloud backup.

Step 4: Start iPhone data migration

Follow the instructions to set up and the transferring process will begin. You will see estimated remaining time on both screens, which means the data migration process will occupy both of your devices