How to transfer my contacts from one iphone to another

With iCloud, you can have your contacts in your pocket and on your desktop. When you add or update a contact, iCloud makes the change everywhere.

Table of Contents Show

Set up iCloud Contacts
On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch
On your Mac
On iCloud.com or iCloud for Windows
Add Contacts from third-party accounts
Use the Finder or iTunes to sync Contacts
If you have trouble setting up iCloud Contacts
How to Transfer Contacts From iPhone to iPhone
Copy contacts from your old phone
What to Know
How to Transfer Contacts From iPhone to iPhone With iCloud
How to Transfer iPhone Contacts by Restoring an iCloud Backup
How to Transfer iPhone Contacts Using iTunes
How to Transfer iPhone Contacts Using Web-Based Tools
How to Transfer iPhone Contacts Using Third-Party Software
Why You Can't Transfer iPhone Contacts Using a SIM Card
How do I transfer contacts from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud?
How can I copy all my contacts from iPhone?

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Set up iCloud Contacts

When you turn on iCloud Contacts, all of the information* stored on separate devices uploads to iCloud. If you turn off iCloud Contacts, your information won't automatically move from iCloud back to your device.

On your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch

Go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
Turn on Contacts.
When you're asked if you want to Merge or Cancel, tap Merge.

All of the information stored in Contacts uploads to iCloud.

On your Mac

From the menu bar at the top of your computer screen, choose Apple menu  > System Preferences, then click Apple ID. If you’re using macOS Mojave or earlier, you don’t need to click Apple ID.
Click iCloud.
Select Contacts.

All of the information* stored in Contacts uploads to iCloud.

* If you have contacts information stored On My Mac, that information will not automatically sync. In Contacts, drag a contact from On My Mac to All iCloud, or export your contacts as Vcards, then manually sync with the Finder.

On iCloud.com or iCloud for Windows

After you turn on iCloud Contacts on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, your contacts upload to iCloud. You can find and edit your contacts on iCloud.com or in iCloud for Windows. Any changes that you make automatically update on your other devices.

If you turn off iCloud Contacts on your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or Mac, your contacts won't delete from iCloud, they won't update automatically, and any changes you make won't update across your other devices.

Add Contacts from third-party accounts

Use the Finder or iTunes to sync Contacts

If you don’t want to manage your contacts with iCloud, or if you want to do a one-time sync, sync your Contacts manually with the Finder or iTunes.

When you sync with the Finder or iTunes, your information stores locally on your devices. There can be differences in information if you update one of your devices in between syncs. For example, if you delete contacts from your computer after syncing with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, the next time you sync with your computer, those contacts will delete from your iOS or iPadOS device, too.

If you have trouble setting up iCloud Contacts

Update your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to the latest version of iOS and iPadOS, and your Mac to the latest version of macOS.
Make sure that you’re signed in to iCloud with the same Apple ID on all of your devices.
Set up iCloud on all of your devices. If you have a PC, download iCloud for Windows.
Make sure that you're connected to Wi-Fi or have an active Internet or cellular connection.
Learn what to do if you see duplicate contacts after setting up iCloud Contacts.
Get help if your iCloud Contacts won't sync.

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Published Date: October 04, 2022

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How to Transfer Contacts From iPhone to iPhone

Copy contacts from your old phone

Updated on March 11, 2022

What to Know

iCloud: On both phones, go to Settings > [Your name] > iCloud. Slide Contacts to On position. If opted, merge contacts to avoid losing any.
Backup: On old phone, turn on iCloud Backup. Choose Back Up Now. On new phone, go to Apps & Data > Restore from iCloud Backup.
iTunes: Connect old phone to computer/iTunes. Go to Backups > This Computer > Back Up Now. On new phone, choose Restore Backup.

In this guide, we detail five ways to transfer contacts between iPhones: via iCloud, an iCloud backup, iTunes, web-based tools, and third-party software. Instructions in this article apply to iPhones with iOS 9 and up.

How to Transfer Contacts From iPhone to iPhone With iCloud

The easiest methods to transfer contacts use features that come with the iPhone, such as iCloud. Since iCloud can keep data synchronized across all your devices, using it to sync contacts from iPhone to iPhone makes it an easy choice.

Ensure that both iPhones are signed in with the same Apple ID and are connected to Wi-Fi.
On both phones, open Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud.
Move the Contacts slider to on/green.
This step will upload your contacts to iCloud if they're not already there. If lots of contacts need to be backed up, it might take a while to finish.
If a message appears about merging the contacts, choose that option so that none of the contacts are deleted.
Because data from both phones first uploads to iCloud and then syncs to both phones, you have to sync all of your contacts to both devices.

Alex Dos Diaz / Lifewire

How to Transfer iPhone Contacts by Restoring an iCloud Backup

Beyond the contact syncing process from the last section, iCloud can also make a backup of the data on your iPhone and then restore that backup onto a different iPhone. Here's how:

Connect the iPhone to Wi-Fi.
Backing up to iCloud requires lots of data. Use Wi-Fi instead of the cellular data included with your phone plan.
On the iPhone with the contacts on it, tap Settings > [your name]. If prompted, log in with your Apple ID.

Older devices may not display your name on this screen.
Tap iCloud > iCloud Backup.
Move the iCloud Backup slider to on/green, then select Back Up Now.
If you see a message about your iPhone no longer backing up to your computer automatically when you sync with iTunes, tap OK.
The iPhone uploads your contacts and other data to iCloud. This backs up the entire iPhone, so it will take a while.
On the new phone you want to have the iCloud backup added to, follow the standard new iPhone setup procedure. On the Apps & Data screen, choose Restore from iCloud Backup and follow the prompts to finish restoring the iPhone backup and copy your old contacts to the new phone.

If your new iPhone has already been set up, restore the backup data onto it by erasing the content and settings and choosing to restore from an iCloud backup when prompted.

How to Transfer iPhone Contacts Using iTunes

If you prefer to back up your iPhone to a computer, use iTunes instead of iCloud. Here's what to do:

Connect the old iPhone to the computer you normally sync it with.
Open iTunes and access the screen that shows your iPhone. If it doesn't open automatically, click the Phone icon.
In the Backups section, click This Computer, then click Back Up Now.
If you're asked about encrypting the backup to make your iPhone more secure, either do so with the Encrypt Backups button. You can decline by selecting Don't Encrypt. You can change this setting later.
Wait while the iPhone backs up to the computer. To monitor the progress, watch the blue progress bar at the top of iTunes.
When the backup is complete, eject the old iPhone and plug in the new one.
To restore the new iPhone from the backup, select Restore Backup and follow the prompts.

If iTunes explains that you have to first disable Find My iPhone in order to restore the backup, do so through the iCloud > Find My iPhone option in the Settings app.

How to Transfer iPhone Contacts Using Web-Based Tools

iCloud isn't the only cloud-based service that stores and syncs contacts. Google and Yahoo are two other examples.

How to Sync iPhone With Yahoo and Google Contacts

How to Transfer iPhone Contacts Using Third-Party Software

There's a robust world of third-party software that transfer contacts, usually rather quickly since they don't deal with iTunes or iCloud. My Contacts Backups is one example of a contact list backup app that works by having you email the contact list to yourself so that you can copy the contacts to your new iPhone. Just open your mail on the new phone, select the attachment, and import the list.

Why You Can't Transfer iPhone Contacts Using a SIM Card

If you've used other phones that can transfer contacts from the SIM card, you might be wondering if you can do the same on your iPhone. This method backs up contacts to the SIM card and then you move the old SIM to the new phone to use the backup.

It's not so simple for the iPhone because the feature isn't supported with the iPhone SIM card. Learn more in How to Back Up Contacts to iPhone SIM.

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How do I transfer contacts from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud?

All you need to do is connect your iPhone to the system, launch iTunes, and go to its “Info” tab. From here, you can choose to sync your contacts from your iPhone to your iTunes. Choose to sync all contacts and click on the “Sync” button to make them available on iTunes.

How can I copy all my contacts from iPhone?

Choose Contacts. On the Contacts screen, in the lower-left corner, select the Settings icon (gear) > Select All. To choose specific contacts to export, press Shift or Ctrl to select contacts one by one. After the contacts are selected, tap Settings again and choose Export vCard.