How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

There are many reasons why you want to transfer everything from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud. Some of these reasons include the following:

  • You are not a fan of the iCloud sync/backup feature.
  • Your iPhone's screen no longer works, and you never turned on iCloud, but now you buy a new iPhone and want to transfer your data from the old iPhone to the new one. 
  • You have limited iCloud storage, and it's already full, and now you want to transfer everything from the old iPhone to the new one.
  • There are some problems with your iCloud. For example, your iCloud photos not syncing. 

If you've encountered or are experiencing one of these situations mentioned above, here are some plausible solutions to transfer data from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud.

Method 1. How to Transfer Everything from iPhone to iPhone Without iCloud

Applies To: Photos, videos, contacts, audio files (music, ringtones, voice memos, audiobooks), books...

As long as your iOS devices are running iOS 8 or later, you can use the iOS data transfer tool - EaseUS MobiMover to transfer the supported files from one iPhone to another without iCloud or iTunes. With this software, you can transfer multiple or all files to your new device without syncing. Apart from that, this tool can also help you do things like:

  • Manage iOS data as you want.
  • Transfer contacts, messages, videos, music, and more data from one iPhone to another.
  • Transfer all your iPhone or specific data from your iPhone or iPad to your computer.
  • Transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to iPhone.
  • Back up all or specific iOS data to your computer without hassle.
  • Batch convert HEIC pictures to JPG.

If you want to own these functions, don't hesitate to download this powerful tool on your computer to have a try. 

Step 1. Connect both of the iPhones to the computer and launch EaseUS MobiMover. Then click "Phone to Phone", check the transfer direction, and click "Next" to continue.

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

Step 2. Select one category or multiple categories that you want to copy, and click "Transfer".

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

Step 3. Wait for the tool to transfer selected files from one iPhone to another. When the process finishes, go to the corresponding apps to check the newly added files. 

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

With EaseUS MobiMover, you can also enrich the content of your iOS device by importing files from the computer (Mac or PC) to the iOS device or downloading YouTube videos to your iPhone.

Method 2. How to Transfer Data from iPhone to iPhone Without iCloud

Applies To: All of your iPhone data

Quick Start can transfer your data from one iPhone to another without using iCloud. If both the source and the destination iPhone use iOS 12.4 or later versions, QuickStart will allow you to transfer your data using the iPhone Migration option.

Now, put both devices together, switch Bluetooth on your old iPhone, and then follow these steps to wirelessly set up your new iPhone and transfer all data to your new device.

Step 1. Switch on Bluetooth on your previous iPhone and turn on your new iPhone.

Step 2. Place the new iPhone near your old iPhone, and then you will see the Quick Start screen pop up on your source iPhone, showing the option of using your Apple ID to set up your new iPhone.

Step 3. Make sure that's the Apple ID you want to use, and click "Continue."

Step 4. Afterward, you can see an animation on the new iPhone. Hold the old iPhone over the new one, and center the animation in the viewfinder; then, you can see a message saying, "Finish on New iPhone".

Step 5. Enter the passcode of the previous iPhone on the new iPhone.

Step 6. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up FaceID or Touch ID on the new device.

Step 7. Now click "Transfer from iPhone" to start transferring all data from one iPhone to another.

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

Method 3. Transfer Everything from iPhone to iPhone with iTunes Backup

Applies To: Almost all data and settings

An iTunes backup includes almost all the data and setting on the iOS device. But there are some exclusions, including content from iTunes and App Stores, content synced from iTunes, data already stored in iCloud, and more. (You can check the details from Apple here.)

Using iTunes backup is quite similar to using iCloud backup: To transfer data from iPhone to iPhone with iTunes, you need to back up the old device first, and then restore the new phone data from the iTunes backup while setting up the new device. Download and install the latest version of iTunes on your computer. Then follow to transfer data to your new iPhone/iPad via iTunes:

Step 1. Connect your previous device to the computer using a USB.

Step 2. In iTunes, click the "Device" button and "Summary." 

Step 3. Click "Back Up Now" to start backing up your old iPhone.

Step 4. Turn on your new device and follow the setup steps until you see the Apps & Data screen.

Step 5. Choose "Restore from Mac or PC" and connect your new iPhone to the computer you used to back up your old iPhone. 

Step 6. Click the "Device" tab in iTunes and select "Restore Backup."

Step 7. Choose the correct backup and wait for the process to finish. (If you have encrypted the backup, you will need to enter the password before the restoring process.)

Step 8. Finish the rest of the setup steps.

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

Method 4. Transfer Data to New iPhone via Finder

Applies To: All data and settings

As we all know, iTunes is dead and Apple has replaced it with Finder on macOS Catalina computers. If you're a Mac user, using Finder is a nice option. The steps are similar to using iTunes, which are detailed below.

Step 1. Plug your old iPhone into your Mac running macOS Catalina and launch Finder. 

Step 2. Under the Locations section, click on your iPhone icon.

Step 3. Click "Trust" if you're asked to trust this computer.

Step 4. Click on "Back Up Now."

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

Step 5. Unplug your old iPhone and plug your new iPhone into the computer.

Step 6. Set up your new iPhone until you reach the "App & Data" page.

Step 7. From this page, select "Restore from Mac or PC."

Step 8. Then, follow the on-screen instructions to finish the rest of the setup steps.

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

Method 5. Transfer Data from iPhone to Another via AirDrop

Applies To: Photos, Videos, Websites, Locations, and More

AirDrop is another convenient option that allows you to share files between two AirDrop-supported iOS devices. If you want to transfer some photos, contacts, or other files from one iOS device to another, using AirDrop is a good choice.

Step 1. Make sure the two iPhones are within the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi range.

Step 2. Enable both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi and make sure Personal Hotspot is off on the iPhones. Afterward, turn on AirDrop. (Set to transfer files to "Contacts Only" or "Everyone" accordingly.)

Step 3. Select the files you want to send, for example, photos, and click the "Share" button.

Step 4. Click "AirDrop" and select the target device.

Step 5. On the target iPhone, click "Accept" to receive the items.

How to transfer data to new iphone without quick start

It happens that AirDrop is not working on an iPhone/iPad. If you encounter this issue, learn how to fix it first or try other workable ways.

The two methods above are more suitable for users who want to copy data to a used iPhone. If you are going to transfer data from an old iPhone to a brand new iPhone that hasn't been set up yet, using QuickStart or iTunes/Finder is advisable. 

The Bottom Line

As long as you want to transfer everything from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud, you can follow this guide to get things done. After commanding the methods here, you will know how to do it whenever you need to transfer photos, videos, contacts, and other file types. 

I hope this guide can help you as I expect. Don't forget to give EaseUS MobiMover a try!

FAQs About Data Transfer Between Two iPhones

You may have known how to transfer data from one iPhone to another through our guide. While knowing that information is not enough for some people who want to dig deeper into this topic. If you're one of these groups, the following FAQs about data transfer between two iPhones can give you more information. 

1. How do you transfer things from your iPhone to iCloud?

iCloud is very convenient for people to back up important iPhone data. You can use it to back up your whole device to iCloud or back up specific iPhone data to iCloud. 

To back up the whole device to iCloud, you'll need to keep your device connected to your WiFi network, and then go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, then tap Back Up Now.

To back up specific data to iCloud, you can connect your iPhone to the WiFi, open the Settings app > [your name] > iCloud, then tap the switch(es) to enable backups for specific apps. 

2. What's the best way to transfer pictures on an iPhone to your computer without using iTunes?

The best (also the quickest) way to transfer pictures from an iPhone to your computer is to connect your iPhone to your computer via a USB cable and then open the phone drive or whatever shows up after connecting your device from "My Computer/Computer" and transfer all pictures to your computer.  

3. What is the easiest way to transfer a photo from an iPhone to an iPad without iTunes?

The easiest way is undoubtedly using AirDrop. With AirDrop, you can transfer original pictures or live photos from your iPhone to your iPad. All you need is to follow the steps introduced in the above guide. If you don't like AirDrop, you can also consider emailing it to yourself. 

Can you transfer data to new iPhone after setup?

The only means of transferring data from an old iPhone to a new iPhone is by restoring from iCloud backup, restoring from backup on a computer, or via Quick Start, and all these can only come in handy during iPhone setup. To transfer data between iPhones after set up, you need the help of advanced data transfer tool.

Can I transfer data to new iPhone before activating?

You cannot transfer data from the old iPhone if your new iPhone is not activated. Best you make a local backup of your old iPhone using computer iTunes then restore the backup with your new iPhone.