- Sign in with the same Apple Account on both iPhones and turn on Contacts in iCloud.
- When setting up a new iPhone, Quick Start transfers your data, including contacts, from the old phone.
- Restoring from an iCloud backup also brings contacts but requires resetting the new phone.
- You can send a single contact as a card by AirDrop or message.
- To recover contacts from an iPhone with a broken screen, first check whether iCloud sync was on.
01Method 1: iCloud Contacts sync
This is the easiest and most lasting method; contacts stay up to date on both phones.
- Turn on Contacts on the old iPhone. In Settings › [your name] › iCloud, make sure Contacts is on.
- Wait for the sync. Keep the phone on Wi-Fi; contacts are uploaded to iCloud.
- Sign in on the new iPhone with the same account. Sign in with the same Apple Account in Settings.
- Turn on Contacts. In iCloud, turn on Contacts; if asked, choose “Merge”.
Menu names may differ slightly between iOS versions.
02Method 2: Moving all data with Quick Start
If you are setting up the new iPhone for the first time, place the two phones side by side and follow the “Set up new iPhone” prompt on the old one. Contacts, photos, apps and settings are transferred together. Keep both phones charging and close during the transfer.
03Method 3: Restoring from an iCloud backup
If the old iPhone has an iCloud backup, choose “Restore from iCloud Backup” while setting up the new phone. If the new phone is already set up, it must be reset first, so method 1 is usually more practical.
| Method | What moves | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| iCloud Contacts | Contacts only | Any time, ongoing sync |
| Quick Start | All data | While setting up a new iPhone |
| iCloud backup | All data | During setup, if a backup exists |
04If the old iPhone’s screen is broken
If iCloud Contacts was already on, your contacts are already in iCloud; just sign in with the same account on the new phone. If not, and the screen does not work, the screen may need repairing first; data is usually preserved during the repair, but back up your data first. Choose your model on our iPhone models page, or see how to copy contacts to a SIM card.
Brand › Model › Repair listChoose your model, ask about the faultiPhone models
iPhone
iPad
MacBook
iMac and Mac
Apple Watch
Samsung
Xiaomi
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