Bought a new iPhone? This way you transfer all data securely

Have you bought a new iPhone 12, iPhone 12 Pro, or another iPhone? Then of course you want to keep all your files and contacts from your old device. In this tip you can read everything about how an iPhone transfer works.

That is how it works

Before going through the steps below, it is important to know which smartphone you used for your new iPhone. There are quite a few differences between switching from Android to iPhone and from an iPhone to a new iPhone.

If you are going to transfer your data from an old iPhone to a new one, Apple has made this easy. There are three different ways to do this, which are more convenient or more awkward depending on your situation. We start with the technique that works the easiest: wirelessly from iPhone to iPhone.

1. Transfer your iPhone data wirelessly

The fastest and easiest way is to do a direct data transfer between the two iPhones. This is also very useful if your iCloud is too full to hold a backup, as you don’t need to make such a backup first. A requirement is that both iPhones run on iOS 12.4 or higher.

This method works much the same as transferring with iCloud. Turn on your new iPhone and hold it near your old iPhone with iOS 12.4 or later until a ‘Get Started’ window appears.

1. Tap ‘Continue’ when the screen appears;
2. An animation of a blue circle will appear on your new iPhone;
3. Scan this animation with your old iPhone by holding it over it and pointing the camera at it;
4. Enter the passcode and configure Touch ID or Face ID;
5. Choose the option ‘Transfer from iPhone’;
6. Wait for the transfer of your data to complete.

The transfer may take several minutes, depending on how much data is to be transferred. An estimated time is already shown in advance with the option. While your data is being transferred from the old to the new iPhone, both devices are temporarily unusable.

2. Transfer your iPhone with iCloud

If you do have enough space in your iCloud account, you can also transfer your iPhone to a newer device by means of a backup. To do this, you need to back up your old iPhone to iCloud first. This works as follows:

1. Open the Settings app on your old iPhone;
2. Tap the name of your Apple ID;
3. Scroll down and choose your old iPhone from the list;
4. Tap on ‘iCloud Backup’;
5. Set the switch behind ‘iCloud backup’ to green.

Install the iCloud backup

After the backup is complete, you can turn on the new iPhone. If they both run on iOS 12 or higher, you can easily set them up. All you need to do is turn on your new iPhone and place it near your old iPhone with iOS 11 or later. This will bring up a window.

1. Tap ‘Continue’ when the screen appears;
2. An animation of a blue circle will appear on your new iPhone;
3. Scan this animation with your old iPhone by holding it over it and pointing the camera at it;
4. Enter the passcode and configure Touch ID or Face ID;
5. Choose ‘Download from iCloud’;
6. Wait for the transfer of your data to complete.

No iPhone nearby? No problem

If you don’t have an old iPhone nearby, you can also use iCloud to transfer data in another way. Once you’ve made the copy, boot up the new iPhone and go through the installation process.

Connect to the Wi-Fi network when prompted. In the ‘Apps & Data’ window, choose ‘Restore iCloud Backup’ and follow the onscreen steps to manually complete the process.

3. Transfer your iPhone via Finder or iTunes

If you have a Mac or Windows PC, the transfer works slightly differently. From macOS Catalina, iTunes has disappeared and you use Finder to manage and transfer your iPhone. Do you have a Mac (Book) with an older version of macOS, or do you use a Windows PC? Then you can still use iTunes to transfer your iPhone.

All you need is a charging cable, the old and new iPhone and possibly the most recent version of iTunes. Then you go through the following steps:

Via Finder

If you use a Mac (Book) with macOS Catalina, all options are in Finder. To make a backup, connect your iPhone, open Finder and select your iPhone under ‘Locations’. Go to the ‘General’ tab and choose ‘Back up now’. Note: Make sure you then click on ‘Encrypt backups, so that all your data is saved and you don’t miss any important data on your new iPhone.

Via iTunes

1. Connect your old iPhone to your Mac or PC;
2. Open iTunes and select the iPhone by clicking the icon;
3. In the ‘Overview’ tab, click on ‘Encrypt iPhone backup’, this will also keep your HomeKit and health data;
4. Click on ‘Backup’ and wait for this to be successful. This can take a few minutes;
5. Then check via ‘Preferences> Devices’ whether the backup has been saved correctly.

Set up your new iPhone

All your data from your old iPhone is now neatly packed on your Mac or PC. Now grab your new iPhone, insert your SIM card and switch on the device so that the text ‘Hello’ appears on your screen. Follow the steps on the screen until you can choose Restore iTunes Backup. Then follow the steps below.

1. Connect your new iPhone to the Mac or PC where the backup is stored;
2. Open iTunes and select the new iPhone;
3. Choose ‘Restore backup’ and choose the correct backup copy;
4. Enter the password if you want to transfer an encrypted copy;
5. Wait for all data to be transferred.

After going through the steps above, you can turn on and turn on the iPhone. Then follow the steps on the screen to complete the installation. Make sure you are connected to a WiFi network afterwards and keep your charger nearby. Installing all your apps and iCloud files can take quite some time.

Read more practical tips for beginners

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