If it’s taking a while to transfer data to a new iPhone, it is often because of a weak internet connection, large amounts of data being transferred, or having insufficient space on a device. Thankfully, there are things you can try in order to speed up the process.
I have been an iPhone owner for well over a decade, and have had to transfer data multiple different times to new models when I get them. While it generally goes quickly and without issue, there are certainly some times when it takes longer than it should.
This can be very annoying, and lead to concerns that something could be wrong. In this guide, I’m going to go over a few common reasons why transferring data to a new iPhone may be taking a while and a few things you can try in order to speed it up.
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Key Takeaways
- Your iPhone transfer might be slow because the internet in your home is weak or compromised, the data transfer is larger than normal, or the device receiving the new data doesn’t have enough storage space.
- When your data transfer to a new iPhone is going slowly, consider resetting your internet, making sure both devices are connected to the same network, and restarting both devices if need be.
- If nothing seems to work and the data transfer still goes incredibly slow, there could be an internal issue with one or both of the devices, and you should consider having a professional check them out.
Weak Internet Connection
The first potential reason why your data transfer is going slowly is because of a weak internet connection. If your internet is poor, it won’t be able to transfer data as fast, and will thus take longer.
For example, someone with a 50 Mbps internet connection will be able to transfer data much quicker than someone with a 10 Mbps connection.
In addition to the strength of your internet and how fast it is, the stability of the connection is also important. Unstable internet can have a lot of interruptions and blips, which could lead to the transfer being stopped and started multiple times, thus making it take much longer.
Also, how many people using your internet at a given time can also come into play. If you have 3 other family members browsing the internet, watching videos, or downloading games, it has the potential to dramatically slow down your data transfer.
Large Amounts of Data Being Transferred
Another thing that will influence how long a transfer takes is the amount of data that is being transferred. If you are only moving a few files and pieces of data, the process should be finished quickly.
On the other hand, if you are moving dozens and dozens of GBs worth of data like high-resolution photos, videos, or large files, then the transfer will generally take longer.
Even high-end machines with a lot of power will still take some time to transfer multiple GB of data, so if you are moving a lot, you may just need to be patient and wait it out.
Insufficient Space on Device
Of course, another problem you could run into is the receiving device not having enough available storage space to complete the data transfer. If you try to send more data than the new device can handle, it will ultimately fail.
When this occurs, the transfer will often get stuck and be unable to progress, which could look like it is taking forever, when it has actually just stopped. Always know the storage capacity of your devices, and make sure to only send over what the new device can hold and handle.
Different Ways to Speed up the Process
If you are frustrated with how long your data transfer to a new iPhone is taking, there are a few ways you can try and speed everything up. While there are no guarantees that these methods will work, they can be effective at times and are certainly worth a try.
The first is to simply reset your internet. Sometimes, the simple act of turning your internet off and back on can help fix whatever the issue was as it clears the cache. While your internet may not be causing the issues, it often can be so this is a quick and logical first step to take.
It will only take a minute and just involves flipping a switch. Another thing to do is to make sure that both devices are on the same network. You will get a better connection if both devices are on the same Wi-Fi, so make sure the Wi-Fi name matches on each device.
Also, having the devices in close physical proximity to one another can be a good idea as the transfer process can easily be interrupted if there is too much distance between the two devices.
When issues still persist, you may try to restart both devices. Similar to restarting the internet, restarting devices can give them a clean slate to work with and deal with any behind-the-scenes problems that could have been occurring.
If that fails, and the transfer is still incredibly slow, you may want to take time to ensure both are updated and in working condition. If they have damage or some type of internal issue or glitch, it could be leading to data transfer troubles.
If you think something might be wrong with the device, whether it is damaged or otherwise, consider reaching out to a professional to get it dealt with.
Final Thoughts
While transferring data to a new iPhone is much easier than starting from scratch, it isn’t always the fastest or most streamlined process. I hope this guide has been able to help you learn why it may be going slowly, and what you can do to speed it up.
Is there anything else you think I should have mentioned in this guide? If so, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
