When buying a new iPhone, you need to transfer all of your data from the old device to the new one. This way you’ll keep all of your photos, notes, contacts and text messages. There’s more than one option to transfer text messages from one iPhone to another. The guide below will teach you everything you need to know about transferring your data.
Using iCloud or iTunes
iCloud option
The easiest way of transferring text messages from iPhone to iPhone is through backing up the device first. Backup your old device to iCloud, and then restore the new one with the backup file. All you have to do is to check the settings on your old iPhone.
Go to:
Settings > iCloud > Backup > Back Up Now
For older versions go to:
Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup > Back Up Now
During these steps you need to be connected to Wi-Fi, otherwise the process will be interrupted. Make sure that the “iCloud Backup” setting is on (if it’s not, turn it on by tapping on it).
- Sign in to your iCloud account on your new iPhone
- Now restore from iCloud backup
All of your data will now be transferred to your new phone, including text messages.
iTunes option
The second option involves the iTunes backup files and it basically does the same thing. Connect your old iPhone to your computer and open iTunes. Select the device, then go to:
Summary > Backup now
A new backup file of your iPhone will be saved on your computer. All that’s left to do is to restore this backup to your new device. Although these two options seem the perfect choice for transferring text messages from iPhone to iPhone, they lack one important feature. A backup file basically contains all of your iPhone data, which means that when you’re restoring to the new device, you won’t be able to transfer only the text messages. This is where a data recovery software comes in handy because it will allow you not only to extract only the text messages from your old iPhone, or from a recent backup file, but you will also be able to transfer them to your new device without overwriting all of the data.
The Best Solution – Enigma Recovery
Enigma Recovery is the best data recovery software that works both on Windows and Mac. You can use it to retrieve, transfer and recover text messages, contacts, internet history, WhatsApp history, calendar entries, photos and videos from iPhone, iPads and iPods Touch without damaging files. After you download it, follow the next steps to transfer text messages from iPhone to iPhone.
Enigma Recovery™
Transfer iPhone text messages using your PC/Mac
Compatible with Windows and Mac computers | Reviews (297+)
How to Transfer Text Messages from iPhone to iPhone
First of all, you need to extract the text messages from the old device.
Step 1 – Install and open Enigma Recovery
Install the software on your computer (Mac or Windows), and open it.
Step 2 – Connect iPhone to computer
Use a USB cable to connect the iPhone to the computer, and click on “Recover from device”.
Step 3 – Trust computer
To make the connection between the iPhone and the PC, you need to trust the computer from your phone.
Step 4 – Data type
Choose what type of data you want to extract from the old device. For transferring text messages, click on “Messages”, and allow the software to scan all of your data.
Step 5 – View data
After Enigma Recovery is done with recovering your text messages, you will be able to see the retrieved files.
Step 6 – Export
Choose what text messages you want to transfer from your old iPhone, and click on “Export”. Your files are now transferred to your PC.
Enigma Recovery can also be used to extract text messages from iCloud and iTunes backup files. If you want to retrieve old messages from backup files, go back to step 1 and click on “Recover from iTunes backup” or “Recover from iCloud”, instead of “Recover from device”. The steps are basically the same. Choose what backup file you want to extract text messages from and pick the data type “Messages”.
With Enigma Recovery you can extract existing data, recover deleted files but also send them back to your iPhone, or to a new device that you just started using. It will not cause any damage to your backup files or data stored on both of your iPhones.
The second part of the tutorial is about how to restore the previously extracted text messages into your new device. Follow the next steps to transfer text messages from iPhone to iPhone. You will need:
- Your new iPhone
- Text Messages recovered by Enigma Recovery (Steps 1 – 6)
- Wi-Fi, 3G or 4G Connection
- USB cable
Step 7 – Select text messages
After you transferred the text messages using Enigma Recovery, choose what to restore to your new iPhone. Select them by clicking on each box.
Step 8 – Download the Restore App
Download the free Restore App from the App Store and make the connection between the new iPhone and the computer.
Step 9 – Restore data
Click on “Restore” and choose what you want to send to your new device. Then click once more on “Restore”.
Step 10 – Send data
The data is now transferred to the Restore App.
Step 11 – Restore
Open the Restore App on your iPhone, and tap on “Messages” to see all of the restored texts.
Enigma Recovery™
Transfer iPhone text messages using your PC/Mac
Compatible with Windows and Mac computers | Reviews (297+)
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Dry helpful Sarah. great work. Keep it up.
SB
Sorry I meant VERY helpful Sarah. Great work. Keep it up.
SB
I have an iPhone 5s and an iPhone 8. I would like to consolidate the text messages from the iPhone 8 to the iPhone 5. I also have a Windows 10 PC and an iPad mini. If I purchase the software (Enigma Recovery App), will I be able to do this? If so, what passwords will I need to have on hand?
Hello Marilyn,
Thanks for your message!
The Enigma Recovery app will allow you to export messages from an iPhone and restore them back to the Restore app on your device i.e. it wouldn’t transfer the messages back into the native Messages app on your iPhone, so, unfortunately, it does not sound like our software would fulfill your needs on this occasion!
If you are using the same iCloud account for both devices, then the iMessages should already be consolidated between devices – you can find out more about this here. Before continuing with any changes to either device I would suggest making separate backups of both iPhones to preserve the messages on each of them.
On this occasion and to prevent potential data loss, I would suggest contacting Apple directly to find out what the best way is to consolidate your messages.
Hope this helps!
Thanks,
Shaazia