Reed College
Reed College

Help Desk

Information Technology

iOS Device Migration

It is possible to transfer data from an old iOS device to a new one, using either iTunes or iCloud. If you have iOS 12.4 or later, there is also an iPhone migration option that transfers data directly from your old iPhone to your new one, either over Wi-Fi or a direct cable connection.

If the new iOS device has already been set up, and you still wish to migrate, you will have to first reset your new iOS device to factory defaults. Keep in mind that you will lose any data on the device when you wipe it. To restore defaults, tap "Settings" > "General" > "Reset" > "Erase All Content and Settings".

Transferring Data from Old to New iOS Device with iCloud

This tutorial assumes that iCloud has been set up on both iOS devices.

The time it takes the transfer to complete depends on both the amount of data being transferred and the speed of the internet connection being used. Check that you have a fast Wi-fi connection available to allow the transfer to finish uninterrupted.

From the Old Device

  1. In ''Settings'', tap on ''iCloud'', then tap on ''Storage & Backup".
  2. Tap on "Back Up Now" to start the backup.
  3. Once the backup has completed, the old device is no longer needed.

From the New Device

  1. Navigate to the "Set Up Device" screen. Tap "Restore from iCloud Backup", and then tap "Next".
  2. Login to your iCloud account, and choose the most recent backup.
  3. Finally, tap on "Restore" to transfer the backup from iCloud to the new iOS device.

 

Transferring Data using Quick Start and the iPhone migration tool

 This method will likely take longer than using iCloud, but will be more thorough.

From the Old Device

  1. In ''Settings'', tap on ''iCloud'', then tap on ''Storage & Backup".
  2. Tap on "Back Up Now" to start the backup.
  3. Once the backup has completed, the old device is no longer needed.

From the New Device

  1. Turn on your new iPhone and place it near your current iPhone that's using iOS 12.4 or later. The Quick Start screen should appear on your current iPhone and offer the option of using your Apple ID to set up your new iPhone. Make sure that it's the Apple ID that you want to use, then tap Continue.
  2. Wait for an animation to appear on your new phone. Hold your current phone over the new phone, then center the animation in the viewfinder. Wait for a message that says Finish on New iPhone. If you can't use your current phone camera, tap Authenticate Manually, then follow the steps that appear. 
  3. When asked, enter your passcode.
  4. Tap Transfer from iPhone to begin transferring your data from your previous phone to your new phone.

Transferring Data from Old to New iOS Device using iTunes

Migration via iTunes tends to be faster than migration via iCloud, since the former method does not require an internet connection. Rather, a computer with iTunes installed is used to transfer data between iOS devices.

With the Old iOS Device

  1. Launch iTunes, and connect the old device to the computer.
  2. Right-click the iOS device in the iTunes sidebar and choose "Back Up".
  3. Wait for the backup to finish. Keep iTunes open, but disconnect the old device from the computer.

With the New iOS Device

  1. Navigate to the "Set Up Device" screen, and choose "Restore from iTunes Backup". Then tap "Next".
  2. Connect the new iOS device to the computer. Right-click the device in the iTunes sidebar and select "Restore from Backup". Choose the most recent backup from the menu that appears.
  3. Click "Continue", and wait for the restore to finish. Do not disconnect the iOS device until the transfer is completed and it has rebooted.