Upgrading your iPhone should be exciting — not stressful. But every year, plenty of customers hit the same frustrating problems: unmet carrier commitments, forgotten account passwords, and apps that don’t transfer correctly.
A few quick checks before you start can make your upgrade smooth and worry-free.
🎥 Watch the full video below for a complete walkthrough:
1. Make Sure iCloud Is Fully Synced
Before anything else, confirm that iCloud has finished syncing your photos, messages, and app data. On your iPhone:
- Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud
Check that key items like Messages, Contacts, and Photos are toggled on and show recent sync activity.
If you use Messages in iCloud, wait until the progress indicator finishes — otherwise, some texts may not appear on your new phone.
2. Update Your Backup
Don’t rely only on iCloud sync. Create a full iCloud backup or computer backup before upgrading your phone:
- iCloud: Settings → [Your Name] → iCloud → iCloud Backup → Back Up Now.
- Mac or PC: Connect your iPhone → open Finder or iTunes → Back Up Now.
A current backup ensures that if anything goes wrong, you can restore everything — even your app data and settings. And an iCloud backup can make activating a new iPhone a breeze even when you activate the phone in an Apple Store or a carrier location.
3. Know How Your Carrier Handles eSIMs
Most newer iPhones no longer use physical SIM cards. If your carrier supports eSIM transfer, you’ll see an option during setup to move your eSIM (and its phone number) automatically.
However, if you’re switching carriers or moving from a physical SIM to eSIM for the first time, check with your carrier before upgrading. It’s far easier to confirm now than to troubleshoot activation issues later. While it’s not as common as it used to be, some carriers can actually lose your phone number when they’re not expressly looking for your conversion to their services.
4. Turn Off Find My on Your Old iPhone
If you’re trading in your old phone, remember to:
- Open the Find My app and tap the Devices tab.
- Find the iPhone you’re trading in and tap it to open its configuration.
- Tap Remove. You will likely be prompted to enter your Apple ID and password.
At this point, DO NOT ERASE your old iPhone. You will need it to activate your new phone. After all is working on your new iPhone, you can erase all data and settings.
- Open Settings app
- Tap General and scroll to the bottom
- Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone → Erase Al Content and Settings.
You then be shown what will be deleted. You’ll need to enter your iPhone passcode. You’ll be offered to make an iCloud backup (that you can likely skip). The phone will reboot a few times and finally show the “hello” screen. At that point, your data has been fully removed from your old phone.
Final Thoughts
Before your upgrade your iPhone, it’s the perfect time to tidy up old settings, check your backups, and make sure your carrier plan is ready for the switch.
Doing these steps first saves you from the “why didn’t my messages transfer?” panic that hits every upgrade season.