How to Restore Backup to New iPhone from iCloud/iTunes

This guide will show you how to restore backup to new iPhone from iCloud, iTunes and Mac, including the method to restore backup to new iPhone after setup.

By @Lena Last Updated September 5, 2024

Case: want to restore backup to new iPhone

Nowadays, it is very easy to transfer data to new iPhone. During the setup process, you can rely on QuickStart to transfer everything wirelessly. In addition, you can choose to restore backup to new iPhone from iCloud or iTunes. Which one you choose depends on your situation.

For most people, QuickStart may be the first choice when it comes to data transfer, but it may not be the choice for you. Perhaps the old phone is no longer at hand when the new iPhone arrives. In this case, restoring from a backup is a better way. You can backup your old iPhone in advance and restore the backup to new iPhone at any time. After all, backups are always stored in iCloud or on your computer unless you delete them manually.

Here in this guide, I’ll show you how to restore backup to new iPhone from iCloud, iTunes and Mac. If you want to selectively transfer backup to new iPhone after setup or want to restore backup to new iPhone with a different Apple ID, please refer to the last part to get the solution.

If you meet any problem during the restoration, you can go to this How to Fix New iPhone Cannot Restore Backup During Setup guide to get some solutions.

How to restore backup to new iPhone from iCloud

If you don't have a computer, then you might choose to backup iPhone to iCloud. In this way, you can directly restore backup to new iPhone. In general, each iCloud user only has 5GB of free storage space, but starting with iOS 15, things have changed.

Apple offers free temporary iCloud storage to help users backup your their devices. If you haven’t backed up your iPhone, you can go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone and click Get Started to backup your iPhone.

However, please note that this backup will not be saved permanently on iCloud. You will have 42 days to restore that backup. In addition, it will disappear forever after 7 days of restoration.

If the backup is ready, you can follow the steps below to restore iCloud backup to new iPhone.

You can only restore iCloud backup to new iPhone during the setup process. If you have already set up your iPhone, you can go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Tap Erase All Content and Settings to erase your iPhone and restart the setup process.
  • On the Apps & Data screen, choose Restore from iCloud backup.
  • Enter your Apple ID and passcode to verify your account.
  • Choose the backup you want to restore.
  • When asked, sign in with your account to restore your purchases and apps.
  • Stay connected to Wi-Fi and wait for the process to be completed > After that, finish the setup and enjoy your new iPhone.

★Tips:
The restoration may take 1-2 hours to restore iCloud backup to new iPhone, depending on the backup file size and Wi-Fi speed. The fewer files that need to be restored and the faster the W-Fi speed, then the shorter the time it will take.
After the setup, it will continue to restore apps, photos, music, etc. in the background. You can stay on Wi-Fi to let the process go faster.

How to restore backup to new iPhone from iTunes

It’s always a good choice to backup iPhone with iTunes. The backup and restore will not be affected by the network. In addition, your computer has enough space to keep all your backups. Like iCloud, iTunes will also backup all content and settings on your iPhone.

However, iTunes is a clunky app. To make sure you can restore iTunes backup to new iPhone smoothly, you should update iTunes to the latest version. In iTunes, click Help > select Check for Updates to make it. Or you may need to go to Microsoft Store to get the latest version.

Let’s see how to transfer backup to new iPhone from iTunes.

  • Set up your new iPhone until you access the Apps & Data screen.
  • Choose Restore from Mac or PC.
  • Connect your iPhone to computer via USB cable.
  • On the Welcome to Your New iPhone screen, choose Restore from this backup > Select the right backup and click Continue.

  • If the backup is encrypted, enter the password.
  • Keep iPhone connected to computer until the process is done.

How to restore backup to new iPhone from Mac

If you have updated your Mac to macOS Catalina or later, then you can use Finder to backup your iPhone. The steps to restore backup to new iPhone from Finder are similar to using iTunes. Just follow the steps below.

  • Turn on your new iPhone and follow the prompts to set it.
  • On the Apps & Data screen, choose Restore from Mac or PC.
  • Plug in your iPhone and launch Finder.
  • After Finder detects your device, choose Restore from this backup.

  • Select the backup you want to restore > Click Continue.
  • Enter the passcode when asked and wait for the restore to finish.

Bonus: How to transfer data to new iPhone after setup

If you have already set up your iPhone, then you may want to know how to transfer backup to new iPhone after setup. Well, the truth is that Apple only allows you to restore iCloud/iTunes backup during the setup process. That’s to say, if you want to set up new iPhone from backup, you have no choice but to reset the device.

Does that mean you cannot restore backup to new iPhone after setup? The answer is No! It’s possible to restore backup to new iPhone without resetting. You can rely on third-party backup software like FooTool to help you backup and restore data to new iPhone.

AOMEI FoneBackup is one professional iPhone data management tool for Windows computer. Here are the things you can do with this tool.

? Preview and select the files you want to backup and restore. ? Backup iPhone data to computer, USB flash drive, external hard drive. ? Easily restore the backup to your new iPhone using a different Apple ID. ? Select the files you want to restore without having to restore the entire backup every time. ? Do not have to reset iPhone before the restore and it will not erase any existing data on the device.

AOMEI FoneBackup supports all iPhone models from iPhone 4 to the latest iPhone 14. You can click the download button to get AOMEI FoneBackup and follow the steps below to transfer data to new iPhone after setup.

Download Freeware Win 11/10/8.1/8/7
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Backup iPhone to computer

  • Open AOMEI FoneBackup > Connect your iPhone to computer > Enter passcode on your iPhone and tap Trust.
  • Choose Phone Backup from the left pane > Go to Selective Backup and click Get Started.

  • Click the icon to select the files you want to backup > Click OK to continue.

  • Select a path to save your backup > Finally, click Start Backup.

Restore backup to new iPhone

  • Plug in your new iPhone to computer and launch AOMEI FoneBackup.
  • Choose Backup History > Click the Restore icon.

  • Choose the files you want to restore to iPhone > Click Start Restore to transfer backup to new iPhone.

? AOMEI FoneBackup also supports data transfer between iPhone and computer. If you want to view iPhone files on computer, you can choose Phone Transfer and go to iPhone to PC to transfer music, photos, videos or contacts to computer. These files can also be transferred to your new iPhone.

? If you want to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone wirelessly, you can go to App Store to get AOMEI FoneBackup for iOS. The transfer does not require the use of Wi-Fi and does not consume cellular data. You can transfer photos, songs, videos, files in Files app, etc.

Final words

That’s all about how to restore backup to new iPhone. You can easily restore iCloud or iTunes backup during the setup process. If you want to transfer backup to new iPhone after setup, then you can use AOMEI FoneBackup, which can help you selectively restore backup without resetting iPhone.