Wiki

Backups and dataPro

How to transfer data from one iPhone to another

Updated 4 min read

The Transfer page moves data from one device to another in one task: from an iPhone or iPad that is connected, or from a backup on the PC. You choose everything, which makes the target an exact copy, or only the categories the customer wants, such as photos and contacts. The page is part of Pro.

Source and target at the top, the categories below, the checks and the start button on the right.

Before you start

  • Both devices connected to the PC with a data cable, directly, unlocked and trusted. For a backup as source, only the target needs to be connected.
  • Find My off on the target. BenchDock checks this.
  • The target on the same or a newer iOS version than the source.
  • The target set up and activated.
  • Enough free space on the PC for the backups the transfer makes, and on the target for the data.

Step 1: Choose the source and the target

  1. Click Transfer in the sidebar.
  2. Under Source and target, choose Connected device or Backup on this PC as source.
  3. Choose the source device or backup, and the target device. Swap direction turns them around.

For each device you see its photo, name, iOS version and used and free space, and for the target whether Find My is on or off.

Step 2: Choose what to transfer

  • Chosen data: tick the categories: photos and videos, contacts, messages, notes, calendar, call history, voicemail, Safari, apps and app data, settings and other data. The quick choices Photos only, Photos and contacts and All personal data tick them for you. Each category shows how many items the source has.
  • Everything (exact copy): the target becomes a copy of the source. Everything on the target is replaced.

Each chosen category replaces the same category on the target; the data is not merged. When the target already has data, keep Back up the target first on: BenchDock then makes a safety backup of the target before it changes anything. That backup stays under Backup & restore.

Step 3: Check

BenchDock checks both devices and shows the result under Checks. Blockers stop the transfer until they are solved:

BlockerWhat to do
Find My is on on the targetTurn it off on the target under Settings → (name) → Find My, then check again.
The target has an older iOSUpdate the target to the iOS version of the source or later.
The target is not activatedFinish the setup of the target first.
Backup is incompleteMake a new backup of the source.
Encrypted backups: everything onlyThe source uses encrypted backups. Choose Everything, or turn off backup encryption first.
Not enough space on this PC or on the targetFree up space, or choose another backup folder in Settings.

What happens lists what the transfer will do, for example that apps download again from the App Store, that photos stored only in iCloud come back after signing in to iCloud Photos, or that passwords, Health and Wi-Fi only move with an encrypted backup.

Step 4: Start

  1. If the source uses encrypted backups, enter its backup password.
  2. Type the last four characters of the target's ID to confirm which phone is the target.
  3. Click Transfer everything, or Transfer … categories.

The transfer runs as one task with these phases: a safety backup of the target (if chosen), a backup of the source, selecting the chosen data, restoring onto the target, the target restarting, and checking the result. Keep both devices connected and unlocked until it is finished. A phone may ask for its passcode to allow a backup; the page tells you when.

After the transfer

  • Unlock the target and let the apps finish. Apps download again from the App Store, which needs Wi-Fi and the Apple Account.
  • BenchDock counts the photos and videos on the target and compares them with what was transferred.
  • Verify with a backup makes a backup of the target and compares its photos and contacts with the source.
  • Data that is only in iCloud returns when the owner signs in with the same Apple Account.

Questions

Is WhatsApp transferred?

WhatsApp data is part of Apps and app data, and of Everything. The app itself downloads again from the App Store on the target.

Can I restore a backup to a new phone?

Yes. Choose Backup on this PC as source, or click Restore next to a backup on the Backup & restore page.

What if the transfer stops halfway?

The target may be left in an incomplete state. Read the message and the log of the task, solve the cause and start the transfer again. With Back up the target first on, the safety backup of the target is under Backup & restore.