How to Fix Transferring Data to New iPhone Taking Too Long

“My God, I am transferring my 15 Pro Max to my new 16 Pro Max and it’s unbelievable how slow it’s going. It’s never taken this long before.” – From an iPhone user on Reddit

Author Avatar Joy Taylor Last Updated: Jun. 19, 2025

AnyTrans – Transfer Data to iPhone in Seconds

Free download AnyTrans to transfer all data from iPhone/Android/Computer to your iPhone in just seconds, including contacts, messages, pictures, etc.

When changing a new iPhone, the most important thing is to transfer data from the old to the new one. Generally, you use the Quick Start feature to set up your new iPhone, during which the data can be transferred from the old device. What makes users upset is that iPhone transfer taking so long that they can even wait for hours. Why is that and how to speed up iPhone transfer? This article will answer these questions and help you save a lot of time in transferring data from iPhone to iPhone.

How Long Does It Take to Transfer Data from an iPhone to Another?

The time for transferring data from iPhone to another takes a few minutes to hours, according to how much data you have in total, how you transfer the data, and how your network connection is. Using Quick Start can take 10 minutes to half an hour if you don’t have too much data. Restoring from an iTunes or iCloud backup will take longer. Transferring with some third-party tools can be faster than the Quick Start way.

Why Does Transferring Data to New iPhone Take So Long?

Your iPhone transfer taking so long can be caused by several reasons, including the networking connection status, the total data volume, the transferring method, and more. You can check some common factors in the following:

  • The large volume of data: If there are a lot of large files (videos, high-resolution images…) on your old phone, the transfer might take longer than expected.
  • Transferring method: Generally, a wired connection for iPhone data transfer is faster than wireless. And it’s better to use the original USB cable when transferring.
  • Software incompatibility: If the old phone doesn’t have all the necessary updates, the automatic transfer might now work properly.
  • Unstable network: A poor internet connection or loss of connectivity could cause a delay.
  • Physical distance: If you are using a method that requires physical proximity of the devices, having one phone too far from the other could potentially interrupt the transfer.

Once you learn why transferring data to new iPhone takes so long in your case, you will be able to resolve the holdup and start using your brand-new device with full access to historical data.

How to Fix Transfer Data to New iPhone Taking So Long

No need to call customer service if your data transfer to new iPhone is not going as expected! There are a few possible solutions that you can try without anyone’s assistance, and one of them might turn out to be right for you. Here are five proven ways to fix data transfer issues between two iPhones that are suitable for all users, regardless of their technical knowledge and phone model they have:

1. Transfer Data from iPhone to iPhone in Seconds – AnyTrans

Having a broad-spectrum data management app on your iPhone can be a lifesaver quite often, particularly while you are switching to a newer smartphone. AnyTrans is one of the most reliable apps of this type. It has a feature that allows you to quickly transfer large amounts of data from iPhone to iPhone, as well as from Android to iPhone. With the incredibly practical and user-friendly Phone Switcher tool, sending all of your photos, text documents, songs, phone numbers, and even custom ringtones to a new iPhone won’t be a problem at all.

  • Transfer the whole data – With AnyTrans, you can transfer contacts, photos, messages, videos, music, ringtones, and other iPhone data from your old iPhone to your new iPhone 16 even after setup.
  • Transfer Apps to new iPhone in 1-click – AnyTrans moves apps from the old iPhone directly to the new iPhone seamlessly, so you don’t need to download apps one by one from the App Store.
  • No data erase on your iPhone  Unlike restoring from iTunes or iCloud backup, the transfer will not overwrite any existing data on your iPhone.
  • Move data from Android to iPhone easily – Also, if you are an Android user, AnyTrans is able to switch from Android to the new iPhone.
  • Good adaptability – It works perfectly on any iPhone with iOS 5 or higher. Even the latest iOS 16. Work well with Mac and Windows computers.

Free Download

Free Download

* 100% Clean & Safe

Free Download * 100% Clean & Safe

Here is how you can do it:

Step 1. Download AnyTrans to your computer and run it > Choose the Phone Switcher tab from the home screen > Select the iPhone to iPhone option from the menu, and click Migrate now.

Choose Phone to iPhone to Migrate

Choose Phone to iPhone to Migrate

Step 2. Connect both iPhones to the computer using USB cables. Select the source device and target device > Click the “Next” button to continue.

Confirm New iPhone as the Target Device

Confirm New iPhone as the Target Device

Step 3. Select the categories of content (i.e. photos, contacts, etc.) and click Next.

Check Contacts Box to Transfer

Check Contacts Box to Transfer

Since both phones are connected to a computer with USB cables, strength of the Wi-Fi signal plays no role in this method. When you are using AnyTrans to import data, no fear existing data on the target phone might be wiped or overwritten, so this method is suitable for adding content to an iPhone that’s already been set up and used for a while. Additionally, AnyTrans can help you back up your data, retrieve your social media messages, and complete many other tasks that will improve the functionality of your iPhone and allow you to be more effective when completing various actions.

2. Check for Software Updates

Sometimes you can significantly increase the speed of the data transfer if you update your old iPhone with the latest version of iOS, such as iOS 16. This action could remove software incompatibilities that were standing in the way of efficient transmission, and restart the transfer at normal speed.

If there are updates available at the App Store, make sure you install them and restart the device before trying to move data from that phone again.

iOS Stuck on Update Requested

Check for iOS Software Update

3. Check your Network Connection

Loss of connectivity during the data transfer will halt the process and result in a delay that could last a long time. Users sometimes don’t pay attention to the status of the network connection and consequently conclude there might be a more serious technical problem.

Try to remember to cast a glance on your router or to check the notification bar on your iPhone and ascertain whether the internet connection is active or not. Even if there is some signal, low bandwidth could cause the data transferring to slow down to a crawling pace. This is one of the easiest problems to fix, and you can continue moving data after you ensured a stable and fast connection for the duration of the transfer.

How to Reset Network Settings

How to Reset Network Settings

4. Keep the 2 Devices Close to Each Other

Physical proximity between your two iPhones is another factor you should keep in mind. This is especially important when you are moving data with the Quick Start app, which requires the devices to stay near each other while the connection between them is being established. Another important thing is to keep both phones charged so that one of them doesn’t lose power at a key moment.

Keep the two Devices Close

Keep the two Devices Close

5. Enable the Airplane Mode

If Airplane Mode is active on your new iPhone, it might not be possible to copy data to it. This is another thing that’s really easy to check as the status of the device is clearly indicated by an icon in the notification tray. After changing the status of the Airplane mode, you should be able to immediately start transferring even if you haven’t restarted the device and iOS.

Turn on Airplane Mode

Turn on Airplane Mode

6. Free Up iPhone Storage

If your target iPhone has limited storage space, the data trasfer will take a long time. In this case, you should check both iPhones and clear some unnecessary data before transferring, especially for the target iPhone. It’s essential to confirm that it has enough space to receive all the data.

The Bottom Line

There are quite a few things that can go wrong with the default data-transferring process between two iPhones. Such issues can typically be resolved without professional guidance, and users are usually able to keep all their personal data, including multimedia files and contacts. It’s even more convenient to use AnyTrans software for this purpose, as it is generally faster than the native tools and capable of transferring literally anything you had on your old iPhone. This app can solve numerous technical issues and is a good utility that protects the functionality of your new smartphone.

Author Avatar
Joy Taylor Twitter Share Facebook Share

Senior writer of the iMobie team as well as an Apple fan, love to help more users solve various types of iOS & Android-related issues.

Back to Top Icon