How do I transfer photos from my old iPhone to my new iPhone?

Use Quick Start during setup. Hold the new iPhone near the old one, follow the steps, and at Transfer Your Data pick Download from iCloud or Transfer from iPhone. Your photos move with the rest of your data. If you already use iCloud Photos, signing in with the same Apple Account brings your library over too.

Can I transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud?

Yes. Pick Transfer from iPhone in Quick Start to copy straight from the old phone. Or restore the new phone from a computer backup made in Finder or the Apple Devices app. AirDrop also works for smaller sets and does not use iCloud storage.

How do I AirDrop photos from one iPhone to another?

Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both phones and keep them close. The other person sets AirDrop to Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes. On your iPhone, select the photos in Photos, tap Share → AirDrop, and tap their name. They tap Accept.

Why didn't all my photos transfer to my new iPhone?

With iCloud Photos on, photos download after setup, so give it time on Wi-Fi and power. Check the status in Photos → Collections. If iCloud is full, some photos may never have uploaded. With iCloud Photos off, make sure you restored the newest backup.

If I delete photos on my old iPhone, will they leave my new iPhone too?

Only if both phones use iCloud Photos with the same Apple Account. Then it is one library, and a delete on one phone removes the photo from both. To keep the new phone safe, erase the old one with Erase All Content and Settings instead of deleting photos one by one.

Does Pikondo transfer photos between iPhones?

No. Pikondo helps you review and delete screenshots, duplicates, and blurry shots on your iPhone. It does not move photos or change iCloud settings. Use Quick Start, iCloud Photos, a backup, or AirDrop to transfer.

Photo cleanup guide

How to transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone (old phone, new phone, or a friend)

Move photos to a new iPhone with Quick Start, iCloud Photos, or a backup. Send a few to someone else with AirDrop or an iCloud link. Plus what to check first.

By Pikondo team · Updated October 22, 2026

Pikondo review screen where marked photos can be checked before deletion

Short answer: for your own new iPhone, use Quick Start. Turn on the new phone, hold it near the old one, and follow the steps. At Transfer Your Data, pick Download from iCloud or Transfer from iPhone. If you use iCloud Photos, just sign in with the same Apple Account on the new phone and your library shows up. To send a few photos to someone else, use AirDrop. For a big batch, share an iCloud link. Pikondo does not move photos between phones. It helps you clear clutter so you copy less junk.

Short answer: pick the right way

New iPhone, set up from your old one: Quick Start. It moves photos with the rest of your data.
New iPhone, already set up: turn on iCloud Photos on both phones with the same Apple Account.
Old iPhone not nearby: restore the new iPhone from an iCloud or computer backup.
A few photos to a friend or family member: AirDrop.
Lots of photos to someone else: an iCloud link or a shared album.

Move everything to a new iPhone with Quick Start

Update both iPhones to the latest iOS if you can. Quick Start ties up both phones for a while, so pick a time you do not need them.
On the old iPhone, turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Plug both phones into power.
Turn on the new iPhone and place it next to the old one. Follow the steps on the old phone.
Scan the animation on the new phone with the old phone's camera. Then enter the old phone's passcode on the new one.
Set up Face ID or Touch ID.
At Transfer Your Data, choose how to move your data. Download from iCloud lets you use the new phone right away while things download in the background. Transfer from iPhone copies straight across, but you must wait until it finishes on both phones.
Keep the phones close and plugged in until it is done.

Use iCloud Photos (no setup needed)

If iCloud Photos is on, your photos already live in iCloud. On the new iPhone, sign in with the same Apple Account. Then go to Settings → your name → iCloud → Photos and turn on Sync this iPhone. Your library downloads over Wi-Fi.

Your iCloud plan must have room for your whole library. The free plan is only 5 GB. If iCloud is full, new photos stop uploading. Check upload status in Photos → Collections, at the top right. If sync looks stuck, see /blog/icloud-photos-not-syncing.

One thing to know: iCloud Photos is one library, not two copies. Delete a photo on either phone and it leaves both, after about 30 days in Recently Deleted.

Restore from a backup if the old iPhone is gone

Turn on the new iPhone and follow the steps until the Apps & Data screen (or Transfer Your Data). Pick Restore from iCloud Backup, sign in, and choose the newest backup. Check its date and size.

If iCloud Photos is off, your photo library is part of your iCloud Backup, so it comes back with the restore. If iCloud Photos is on, photos are not in the backup. They download from iCloud Photos after setup instead.

Back up to a computer instead? Restore the new iPhone from that backup in Finder on a Mac, or the Apple Devices app or iTunes on Windows. More on backups: /blog/back-up-iphone-photos.

Keep the new phone on Wi-Fi and power after setup. Photos and apps keep downloading for a while.

Send a few photos to someone else with AirDrop

Both people turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Stand within about 30 feet (10 meters).
The person getting the photos opens Control Center, touches and holds the top-left group, taps AirDrop, and picks Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes.
On your iPhone, open Photos, tap Select, and pick the photos.
Tap Share, tap AirDrop, then tap their name.
They tap Accept. The photos land in their Photos app. On newer iOS, if you are not in their contacts, they may need to share an AirDrop code with you first.
Sending to your own other iPhone with the same Apple Account? It accepts on its own.

Send lots of photos to someone else

AirDrop is best for a small set. For a big batch, select the photos in Photos, tap Share, and choose Copy iCloud Link. Send the link by message or email. They open it and save the photos. The link does not last forever, so ask them to save the photos soon.

For an ongoing set, like a trip or a family album, make a shared album: select photos, tap Share → Add to Shared Album, and invite people. Shared albums are good for viewing. They are not a backup.

Check before you wipe the old iPhone

On the new iPhone, open Photos and scroll to the oldest and newest photos. Gaps often show up at the ends.
Open a few videos and Live Photos. Check that they play and look sharp, not small or blurry.
If you use iCloud Photos, wait until the upload status says it is up to date on both phones.
If you used Optimize iPhone Storage, the old phone may only hold small copies. The originals are in iCloud. See /blog/optimize-iphone-storage.
Only then erase the old phone: Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase All Content and Settings.

Clean up before you copy

A transfer moves everything: old screenshots, bursts of near-duplicate shots, and blurry misses. That makes the move slower and fills the new phone and iCloud faster.

A short cleanup first helps. Delete screenshots you no longer need (/blog/delete-iphone-screenshots), clear duplicates (/blog/delete-duplicate-photos-iphone), and drop blurry shots (/blog/delete-blurry-photos-iphone). Then empty Recently Deleted so those items stay behind.

How Pikondo fits (and where it stops)

Pikondo is an on-device photo cleaner. It helps you review screenshots, duplicates and similar shots, and blurry photos. Swipe to keep or mark, check the marked list, then confirm. Deletes go through your Photos library and follow the same Recently Deleted and iCloud rules as the Photos app.

Pikondo does not transfer photos between iPhones, run Quick Start, send AirDrop, or change iCloud settings. Use Apple's tools to move photos. Use Pikondo before the move, so you carry less junk to the new phone.

Related guides

For more on moving and cleaning up photos, see transferring photos to a Mac at /blog/transfer-photos-iphone-to-mac, transferring photos to a PC at /blog/transfer-photos-iphone-to-pc, backing up iPhone photos at /blog/back-up-iphone-photos, iCloud Photos not syncing at /blog/icloud-photos-not-syncing, turning off iCloud Photos at /blog/turn-off-icloud-photos, freeing iCloud storage at /blog/free-up-icloud-storage, deleting duplicates at /blog/delete-duplicate-photos-iphone, and clearing screenshots at /blog/delete-iphone-screenshots.

The key point

To transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone, use Quick Start for a new phone, iCloud Photos if you already use it, or a backup if the old phone is gone. Use AirDrop for a few photos to someone else and an iCloud link for a big batch. Check the new phone before you erase the old one. Pikondo only helps you clean up first. It does not move photos.

Frequently asked questions

How do I transfer photos from my old iPhone to my new iPhone?: Use Quick Start during setup. Hold the new iPhone near the old one, follow the steps, and at Transfer Your Data pick Download from iCloud or Transfer from iPhone. Your photos move with the rest of your data. If you already use iCloud Photos, signing in with the same Apple Account brings your library over too.
Can I transfer photos from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud?: Yes. Pick Transfer from iPhone in Quick Start to copy straight from the old phone. Or restore the new phone from a computer backup made in Finder or the Apple Devices app. AirDrop also works for smaller sets and does not use iCloud storage.
How do I AirDrop photos from one iPhone to another?: Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both phones and keep them close. The other person sets AirDrop to Contacts Only or Everyone for 10 Minutes. On your iPhone, select the photos in Photos, tap Share → AirDrop, and tap their name. They tap Accept.
Why didn't all my photos transfer to my new iPhone?: With iCloud Photos on, photos download after setup, so give it time on Wi-Fi and power. Check the status in Photos → Collections. If iCloud is full, some photos may never have uploaded. With iCloud Photos off, make sure you restored the newest backup.
If I delete photos on my old iPhone, will they leave my new iPhone too?: Only if both phones use iCloud Photos with the same Apple Account. Then it is one library, and a delete on one phone removes the photo from both. To keep the new phone safe, erase the old one with Erase All Content and Settings instead of deleting photos one by one.
Does Pikondo transfer photos between iPhones?: No. Pikondo helps you review and delete screenshots, duplicates, and blurry shots on your iPhone. It does not move photos or change iCloud settings. Use Quick Start, iCloud Photos, a backup, or AirDrop to transfer.