Use your old phone’s camera to scan the blue animation on the new screen, enter your old passcode on the new iPhone 18, and select Transfer from iPhone to move all your data directly between the devices safely. Read this blog for more ways to transfer data.
iPhone 18 is the latest move from Apple. While its specs are yet to be reviewed, everyone is wondering whether the data transfer process remains the same, as historically, not all data moves on their own. This means you may easily lose precious app data and saved files, if you do not ensure a seamless transition from the old iPhone to the new iPhone 18.
“The most common mistake I see iPhone users make is treating data transfer as a simple, one-click process. With the advanced architecture of the iPhone 18 and modern iOS syncing, you have to know exactly what is moving and how.
If you notice data is suddenly missing from both your new phone and your old phone, don’t panic, your files likely aren’t deleted. What usually happens is an iCloud syncing conflict, making data temporarily invisible on both screens. If not, you can recover those files with a tool.
Before you press ‘Transfer,’ ensure both the devices are fully charged, your old device has completed a manual iCloud backup, and your login credentials are verified.” – Rohit Arora, Research & Development Head, Stellar Data Recovery
Before moving on to ways to transfer iPhone data to a new phone, we have prepared a checklist you should follow to avoid data loss.
iPhone 18 Pre-Transfer Checklist
Run through this list before you touch the setup screen. Skipping even one of these can stall a transfer midway.
- Update your old iPhone to the latest iOS version under Settings, General, Software Update.
- Connect to a strong, stable Wi-Fi.
- Charge both phones past 50 percent, or better yet, keep them plugged in during the whole process.
- Check your iCloud storage if you plan to back up or restore through iCloud. Free accounts get 5GB, which fills up fast.
- Write down or save your passwords for anything that will not transfer automatically, including the banking or work apps.
- Unpair your Apple Watch from the old iPhone, so it can re-pair cleanly with the new one.
- Make sure your old iPhone has not already been erased.
Ways to Transfer Data to Your New iPhone 18
Below are the various methods to transfer data to your new iPhone 18.
- Quick Start Transfer for a New iPhone Device
This is Apple’s wireless method and the one most people reach for first. It works well for smaller amounts of data and does not need a computer.
- Turn on your new iPhone and place it near your old, unlocked iPhone.
- A Quick Start screen appears on the old iPhone, asking if you want to set up the new one using your Apple ID.
- Tap Continue, then hold the new iPhone over the animation shown on the old one to scan it.
- Enter your old iPhone’s passcode when it is requested on the new device.
- Set up Face ID, then choose to transfer from iCloud Backup or transfer directly from your old iPhone.
- Keep both devices near each other and on Wi-Fi until the progress bar reaches 100 percent.
- Wired Transfer (USB-C) for iPhone 18
If you have a large photo library or thousands of songs, a cable is usually faster and far more reliable than relying on Wi-Fi the whole time.
- During setup, choose Transfer Directly from iPhone instead of the wireless option.
- Connect your old and new iPhone using a USB-C to Lightning or USB-C to USB-C cable, depending on your old model.
- Confirm the prompt on both screens to allow the connection.
- Choose what to bring over. You can usually transfer everything or select specific categories.
- Let the transfer run until it finishes. A wired connection is far less likely to drop midway than Wi-Fi.
What Transfers Automatically vs. What You Need to Transfer Manually to an iPhone 18?
Most of your data moves over automatically with just a tap of a button. However, a handful of things need a small manual step, and knowing which one needs manual intervention saves time and hassle later.
| Data Type | Transfers Automatically? | What To Check |
| Photos, videos, contacts, calendar | Yes | Confirm the photo count matches once everything settles |
| Apps and app data (most apps) | Mostly | A few apps ask you to sign in again on first launch |
| Messages and iMessage history | Yes | Give it time. iMessage can take a while to fully sync |
| WhatsApp and other third-party chat apps | No, usually | Use that app’s own backup and restore feature |
| Two-factor and passkey secrets | Sometimes | Some authenticator apps need a manual re-link |
| Health app data | Yes, if using Quick Start or encrypted backup | Won’t transfer from an unencrypted computer backup |
Post-Transfer – What to Look For?
It is best to spend some time confirming everything actually made it over before you wipe off the old phone.
- Open Photos and compare the total item count against your old iPhone. Set up Face ID or Touch ID again, since this never carries over for security reasons.
- Re-enable two-factor authentication or re-link any authenticator apps that did not transfer automatically.
- Re-pair your Apple Watch, AirPods, and CarPlay from the new iPhone.
- Open Messages and confirm iMessage and FaceTime are active on the new number and Apple ID.
- Test your eSIM or physical SIM by making a call or sending a text.
How to Troubleshoot iPhone if the Transfer gets Stuck, Failed, or remains Incomplete?
A frozen progress bar, a storage error mid-transfer, or a folder of photos that simply never showed up are all more common than Apple lets on, especially with big libraries.
First, keep both phones on the same Wi-Fi network and close to each other, restart both devices, and make sure neither one goes to sleep during the process. If the transfer keeps failing, try not moving everything at once. For instance, restore your backup first, then handle photos separately through iCloud Photos.
If you’ve tried the basic fixes more than once and some data still hasn’t shown up, that’s usually a sign it needs to be recovered directly from wherever it’s actually stored, be it your old iPhone’s storage or a backup file that didn’t restore cleanly. This is exactly where a dedicated recovery tool like Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone comes in. It can scan your old iPhone or an iTunes/iCloud backup directly and pull out exactly what’s missing, without making you redo the entire transfer.
If you already deleted data from your old iPhone before double-checking, do not panic. You can easily recover deleted iPhone data without a backup with the help of Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone. Be it restoring missing iPhone contacts or iPhone messages, the tool has got your back for such situations.
How to Erase Your iPhone before Giving it Away?
Once you safely transfer everything on your new iPhone, if you are planning to trade-in, resale, or hand down your old iPhone to a family member, you need to prepare the same.
- Sign out of iCloud under Settings, your name, then Sign Out, near the bottom of the page.
- Deregister iMessage under Settings, Messages, so texts do not get split between two devices later.
- Unpair any remaining accessories, including Apple Watch, if you have not already.
- Go to Settings, General, Transfer, or Reset iPhone, then Erase All Content and Settings.
A standard erase is enough for most people, but if the phone is heading to a stranger, you should trust a tool built specifically to overwrite and wipe clean your iPhone’s storage, such as Stellar Eraser for iPhone.
It adds a layer of additional security if you are doubtful that a factory reset on iPhone can leave traces of data or files.
Does the iPhone 18 (Pro, Pro Max, or Fold) Change Anything for Transfer?
No, the transfer process described above is identical whether you are moving to a Pro, a Pro Max, or Apple’s first foldable iPhone. What changes between models is hardware, not software, and Quick Start, wired transfer, and iCloud restore all work the same way regardless of which one is in your hands.
A quick word on timing, since Apple is doing something different this year. The Pro, Pro Max, and foldable model are expected in September 2026, while the standard iPhone 18 and 18e are rumored to follow in spring 2027. Exact specs for chips, cameras, and pricing are still unconfirmed as of this writing, so treat any numbers you see elsewhere as a rumor until Apple actually announces them. The transfer process itself will not be affected either way.
End Notes
Most iPhone transfers go smoothly, and running through the checklist above is usually all it takes. But if something does go sideways, whether that is a failed restore, a folder of missing photos, or mistakenly deleted a folder, don’t panic because Stellar Data Recovery for iPhone is built for exactly that kind of moment.
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