Setting up a brand new phone used to mean retyping passwords, re-downloading every app, and slowly rebuilding years of settings from memory. Both iPhone and Android now handle most of that automatically: Quick Start on iPhone, and Copy apps & data on Android, move over apps, photos, Wi-Fi passwords, and most settings in the background while you watch. This guide walks through moving everything to a new phone on both platforms, plus what to expect along the way. The whole process usually takes somewhere between fifteen minutes and an hour, depending mostly on how many apps and photos the old phone is carrying and whether the transfer happens over a cable or Wi-Fi. None of it requires special tools or a trip to a store; both methods are built right into the setup screen that appears the first time a new phone powers on.
How to move everything to a new phone, step by step
!Got a new phone?
You don’t have to start from zero. Moving almost everything takes minutes.
iPhone: Quick Start
- Place the new iPhone near the old one — Quick Start starts automatically
- Follow the prompts on both screens — Matching the animation confirms it’s really your device
- Keep both phones charging and nearby — Until the transfer finishes completely
Android: Copy apps & data
- Choose Copy apps & data during setup — When prompted on the new phone
- Connect with a cable for the best transfer — The most complete copy of apps, photos, and settings
- No cable? Use Wi-Fi instead — Just confirm the matching code on both screens
A few things to know
- Some apps ask you to sign in again — That’s normal for banking and authenticator apps, done on purpose
- Keep the old phone for a few days — Until everything’s confirmed working on the new one
- No old phone? Restore from the cloud — iCloud or Google Backup covers most of it instead
Recap: move everything to a new phone
- iPhone: Quick Start, place the phones near each other, follow the prompts
- Android: Copy apps & data, using a cable or Wi-Fi during setup
- No old phone? Restore from iCloud or Google Backup instead
- Some apps still need a fresh sign-in, and that’s normal
Printable quick guide
Frequently asked questions
How do I transfer everything to a new iPhone?
Place the new iPhone near your current one and Quick Start starts automatically; follow the prompts on both screens, including a matching animation step, and keep both devices near each other and connected to power until the transfer finishes. The existing iPhone should be updated to a reasonably current version of iOS first, since an older operating system can keep Quick Start from recognizing the new device.
How do I transfer everything to a new Android phone?
During setup, choose to copy apps and data. Connecting the two phones with a cable gives the most complete transfer; without a cable, a Wi-Fi option is available instead, confirmed by matching codes on both screens. A cable transfer is worth the extra minute to find one, since it generally moves over more app data and media than the wireless option can.
What if I don’t have my old phone anymore?
Restore from a cloud backup instead: an iCloud backup on iPhone, or a Google Account backup on Android, covers most of what a direct phone-to-phone transfer would. Photos, contacts, and most app data come back this way, though a few apps may still need to be reinstalled and signed into by hand.
Why do some apps still ask me to sign in again?
That’s normal, especially for banking apps and authenticator apps; they’re designed to require a fresh sign-in on a new device on purpose, as a security measure. It confirms that whoever is holding the new phone is actually authorized to access that account, rather than just inheriting an old session automatically.
Related guides
- Back Up Your iPhone or Android
- How to Update an iPhone or Android Phone
- Free Up Storage Space (Phone and Computer)
Source: Use Quick Start to transfer data to a new iPhone or iPad (Apple Support)