If you are trying to set up your new iPhone using the Quick Start setup option and it is not working, there are a few things you can do to fix the issue.
1. Make Sure the Software Is iOS 11 or Later
You need to check the version of iOS that your iPhone is currently running. Versions lower than iOS 11 will not be able to use Quick Start. To check if your iPhone is using iOS 11 or later you will have to go into your phone’s settings. Follow these instructions to make sure that you are running a compatible version of iOS.
- First, go to your iPhone’s home screen.
- Once on the home screen, open up your “Settings” app.
- In “Settings”, scroll down to “General” and open it.
- At the top of the “General” page you will see “About”, click on it to open.
In the “About” section, you will be able to see what version of iOS your iPhone is running. Make sure that at minimum you are at least on iOS 11. If your iPhone is set to “Automatic Updates” then most likely you will have the most current version of iOS so you should be alright. You will also have to do this to your new iPhone as well to make sure that both of your phones are running on the same software. You cannot transfer the data of an iPhone with a higher iOS version to an iPhone with a lower iOS version.
2. Update iPhone Software
If your one iPhone is running on a later iOS version then you will need to update it to match the most current version that is on the iPhone that you will be transferring from. It is important to make sure that both phones are running on the latest version of iOS that is available. Updating your iPhone is very similar to the steps above used to check your iOS version, with just one different step.
- Go to your iPhone’s home screen.
- Find and open the “Settings” app.
- In “Settings” select the “General” tab.
- Now below the “About” tab, you will see an option for “Software Update”. Click on it.
- Now download and install the most current version of iOS to match your other iPhone.
How to get back to the Quick Start interface
After you’ve updated to the most current software you will have to reset your iPhone back to factory settings to be able to use the Quick Start setup. These are the steps to return to the Quick Start interface.
- Go to your Iphone’s home screen once again.
- Find and open the “Settings” app.
- Select the “General” option.
- Scroll down to the “Transfer or Reset iPhone” option at the bottom and click it.
A new page will open up with an option that says “Prepare for New iPhone”, click the “Get Started” button and just follow the instructions. Your iPhone will be reset to factory settings so that you can get back into the Quick Start interface and use it.
3. iPhone Quick Start Still Not Working?
If you’ve done all this and the Quick Start setup is still not working, there are a couple more things you might need to check. There is a list below with a few settings that need to be applied to both phones for the Quick Start setup to function. Make sure that all the items on the list are checked.
- Make sure that Bluetooth is enabled on each iPhone.
- Keep both devices close to each other, literally side by side.
- Connect each iPhone to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Transfer your SIM card to your new iPhone.
- Put both phones to charge and make sure they stay connected to power at all times during setup.
If after checking to make sure that you have followed all these steps you are still not getting the Quick Start interface to show up, then you may need to use a different method to transfer over your data from your old iPhone without using the Quick Start feature. Luckily, there is still another way you can set up your new iPhone which is using a backup from your old iPhone. This method is fairly simple.
4. Set Up New iPhone from a Backup
If nothing has worked and you are still unable to use the Quick Start setup then you can still set up your new iPhone using a Backup from your old one. Make sure to Backup your old iPhone before you begin the setup on your new one. To back up your iPhone now follow these steps.
- Open up your “Settings” app.
- Click on your name.
- Click on “iCloud”.
- Click on “iCloud Backup”.
- Select “Back Up Now”.
You can also use iTunes to back up your old iPhone. You just need to connect your old iPhone to your computer and open iTunes. Once it is detected by iTunes, click the phone icon. Then click Back Up Now and wait for the process to finish.
Once you’ve backed up your iPhone you will be able to use that backup to set up your new iPhone. There are two ways that you can do that. You can also use iCloud or you can use iTunes, either way is fairly simple.
Backup from iCloud
- Turn on your new iPhone and follow the on-screen instructions from the “Hello” page until you reach the “Apps & Data” page.
- Select “Restore from iCloud Backup”.
- Sign into iCloud using your Apple ID email and password.
- Choose your most recent backup file.
- When prompted, sign in to your Apple ID again to restore all your apps and purchases.
Make sure you stay connected to Wi-Fi at all times during the download of your Backup. Once the installation is complete, you can continue setting up your new iPhone.
Backup from iTunes
- Turn on your new iPhone and follow the on-screen instructions from the “Hello” page until you reach the “Apps & Data” page.
- On the “Apps & Data” page, select “Restore from Mac or PC”.
- Connect your new iPhone to the computer you’re using.
- Open iTunes and select your device.
- Select “Restore Backup”.
- Choose the most recent backup file and wait for the download to complete then finish the setup on your new iPhone.
After you’re done setting up your new iPhone, you should keep it connected to power and Wi-Fi. This will let your new iPhone automatically download the contents from your iCloud like your pictures, music, and apps. Once all your content from iCloud has been restored, you may still need to do a few more things. For example, you may need to add your cards to Apple Pay or pair your Bluetooth devices like your Airpods or Apple Watch. Hope you can enjoy your new iPhone now!
5. Don’t Want to Restore iTunes or iCloud Backup?
Some iPhone users may not want to transfer data from the old iPhone to the new iPhone by restoring from iTunes or iCloud backup. The reason may be that they do not want the new backup to overwrite the old backup, the free space on iCloud is not enough, the space on the computer is insufficient, it is too time-consuming, and other reasons. So is there any other way?
The answer is, YES. Here we introduce a multifunctional software iMobie AnyTrans, which is a popular tool used for transferring data. One of its features, Phone Switcher, can transfer data from one iPhone to another directly. In addition, another feature Social Messages Manager supports the transfer of third-party applications, such as WhatsApp, Line, Viber, etc. All in all, this is a very flexible and powerful transfer tool.
