7 Fixes to iPhone 15/16 Quick Start Not Working

When you get a new iPhone, you must want to transfer data from old iPhone to new iPhone. Quick Start, released by Apple, enables you to set up a new iPhone automatically using information from your current iPhone as long as both of your iPhones are using iOS 12.4 or later.

However, things do not always work well as we expected. When you’re setting up a new iPhone, you may find Quick Start not working on your iPhone.

Do you encounter one of the following scenarios that iPhone Quick Start not working:
• Quick Start not popping up or showing up on either iPhone
• Quick Start not detecting old iPhone
• Quick Start is stuck and cannot finish the transfer process ...

Don't worry, this post will explain why this issue occurs and help you fix it with 7 methods, together with Quick Start alternatives to help you out of Apple Quick Start not working on iPhone.

Part 1. Why is iPhone 16/15 Quick Start not working?

Quick Start does not perform properly, it can be related to the following reasons:

• The distance between two iPhones is long: Quick Start requires Bluetooth and Wi-Fi to make a connection between the current and the new iPhone. The distance between the two devices is long, so it can't be successful in data transfer.
• Either of the iPhones are out of charge: To ensure a successful data transfer, both iPhones need to have enough power to complete the operation.
• iOS version is not compatible: Your iPhone must be running with iOS 11 or later to use Quick Start. If the iOS version is too old, This feature won't show on your iPhone.
• Bluetooth or WiFi is not enabled: You will need to turn on the Bluetooth and WiFi to use Quick Start.
• A bug or error: Sometimes, there is a bug in the program, resulting in it not performing on your iPhone. Usually, it will be fixed on the next iOS version as soon as they find it.

Next, we will give you some solutions below, you can try these solutions to fix the problem. In addition, you can skip to Part 3 to use an alternative way to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone more easily.

Part 2. 5 Solutions to Fix Quick Start not Working on iPhone 16/15

There are four solutions available for you when you find Quick Start is not functioning properly. You can look through them one by one to see if any of the four solutions will work for you. They are all quite simple to follow.

You need to do some preparations before trying these solutions.
⁕A short range between two iPhones. Sometimes the process will be stuck due to a long distance between two iPhones.
⁕Both iPhones are on charge. The iPhone-to-iPhone transfer takes some time. If you migrate data wirelessly, you’d better keep both iPhones connected to power to ensure a stable power supply.

Solution 1. Check the software version of both iPhone

As we mentioned above, Quick Start only works when both of your iPhones are using iOS 12.4 or later. Hence, the first thing you need to check is whether your iPhone is on iOS 12.4 or later. On your iPhones, head to Settings > General > Software Update to check. If there is the latest version released, you can also update the latest version of iOS to have a try.

Solution 2. Make sure Bluetooth Wi-Fi is enabled on both iPhone

Besides the limitation of iOS, enabled Bluetooth and Wi-FI are also a necessity. If they are off, Quick Start doesn't detect the old iPhone or the Quick Start just doesn't appear.

You can swipe down to Control Center. And check if Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled. If they are turned on, you can also turn them off and on to refresh the connection.

Solution 3. Restart your iPhones

If you have enabled Bluetooth on two iPhones but Quick Start still doesn’t work, you can try to restart both iPhones. Your iPhone may get stuck for unknown reasons, and simple restarting can fix some of them. All you need to do is hold the side button and volume buttons for a moment and drag the slider on the screen.

Solution 4. Make sure you are using Quick Start correctly

Here we provide you with the detailed steps of transferring data from iPhone to iPhone via Quick Start, you can check the steps when you encount Quick Start not working" problem on iPhone 15/14/13/12/11.

Now, place your two iPhones close to each other and turn on the Bluetooth of your old iPhone.

#To enable Quick Start#
Step 1. On the source iPhone, Tap Continue when you are asked if you want to set up your new iPhone with the Apple ID.

Step 2. Scan the swirling blue pattern on the target iPhone using the camera of your old iPhone > Enter the passcode on the new iPhone if asked.

#Transfer data wirelessly#
Step 1. Make sure the two iPhones are on the same Wi-Fi network.

Step 2. Select Transfer from iPhone > Agree to the terms and conditions > Tap Continue.

Quick Start will help you transfer all data from old iPhone to new iPhone, and apps will be downloaded later.

Solution 5. Try a wired way when using Quick Start

A wireless process can be influenced by many aspects. Quick Start provides you both wireless and wired methods to migrate data. If Quick Start doesn’t show up on iPhone during the wireless data transfer process, get a Lightning to USB 3 Camera Adaptor and a Lightning to USB cable to make it in a wired way.

Part 3.  Try Quick Start Alternatives to Transfer Data to New iPhone Easily

On the one hand, Quick Start is convenient when you intend to switch data to new iPhone. On the other hand, its sophisticated steps keep some people away from it. If Apple Quick Start still not working, you can try the alternatives below to migrate data to new iPhone.

Transfer from iPhone to iPhone Directly via AOMEI FoneBackup (One-Click Transfer)

Luckily, AOMEI FoneBackup, a professional backup and transfer tool for iPhone users, offers you an easy way to make it possible to transfer data between iPhone to iPhone directly. With its clear interface, you can freely transfer data without any bother from an unstable Wi-Fi condition.

And it supports transferring data from one Apple ID to another. If you want to use a new Apple account on your new device, AOMEI FoneBackup is the best choice.

• What AOMEI FoneBackup will transfer. It will fully transfer your iPhone data, including photos, contacts, call history, text messages, memos, calendars, Safari (history, bookmarks), applications (data files, preference), and system settings.

• What AOMEI FoneBackup can be compatible with. It supports most iPhone models from iPhone 4 to the latest iPhone 16. It is also perfectly compatible with different versions of iPad and iPod.

• What you need to prepare and check.
#1 All original data in the new iPhone will be overwritten. If your target iPhone isn’t brand new, you’d better make a backup to avoid any data loss.
#2 Two Apple Lightning USB cables are needed to perform iPhone to iPhone Transfer. If you have got only one, you can full backup old iPhone and restore it to new iPhone using AOMEI FoneBackup.

Download AOMEI FoneBackup to your computer, and follow the steps below to transfer everything from old iPhone to new iPhone with one-click.

Step 1. Launch in AOMEI FoneBackup > Connect your two iPhones with a computer > Tap Trust This Computer on both iPhones.

Step 2. Click Phone Transfer on the left pane. Move the mouse to iPhone to iPhone. Click Start Transfer.

Step 3. If necessary, enable Backup encryption to protect your privacy. The password is required when accessing the data in the future.

Step 4. Click Start Transfer to begin the transfer > Wait for the transfer to finish, and the target iPhone will be restarted automatically.

When it is over, you can check whether you have everything you want on your new iPhone. Wait for the new iPhone to restart, and you can enjoy your new iPhone with no data loss.

Other Functions of AOMEI FoneBackup
• Selective Backup: FoneBackup offers you Selective Backup function to selectively backup iPhone, iPad, and iPod individually, which can meet your daily backup needs to the greatest extend.
• Selective Transfer Among iOS and PC: If there is not so much data you need on your old iPhone, you can only transfer data you want to set up new iPhone from old iPhone with AOMEI FoneBackup using its transfer functions iPhone to PC and PC to iPhone.

Backup and Restore iPhone Data with iTunes

To avoid Quick Start not working, you can also try another official tool - iTunes to transfer data to your new iPhone by restoring iTunes backup. Follow the steps to backup your old iPhone and restore backup to your new iPhone.

Backup your old iPhone via iTunes
Step 1. Download and install the latest version of iTunes on your computer > Connect your old iPhone with computer with a USB cable.
Step 2. Click the Device tab > Select This Computer > Click Back Up Now to start.

Unplug the old iPhone and plug in your new iPhone when it is over.

Restore iTunes backup to new iPhone
Step 1. Launch in iTunes > Select your iPhone > Select Restore Backup.
Step 2. Pick the latest version of backup > Enter the passcode if asked > Click Restore and wait for the restore to complete.

Part 5. Conclusion

Expectedly, your problem Quick Start not working on iPhone 12/13/14/15 can be solved with one of the solutions. If not, the alternatives shown in Part 2 can also be a good choice for you. After transferring data to the new iPhone, you can also erase your old iPhone with AOMEI FoneBackup. For any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact us.