It’s an exciting time. You’ve finally budgeted for a new iPhone and you’re ready to make the switch.
Your current generation of phone feels so outdated all of a sudden. Every time your friend posts on Instagram, it’s painfully obvious how much better their iPhone 14 camera is when compared to your iPhone X.
Getting a new iPhone can be a thrilling experience, provided you do your research and understand the process. The last thing you want to do is get a new iPhone, only to realize you didn’t effectively back up your previous one. There are sometimes all kinds of other hurdles involved as well, depending on your circumstances.
Luckily, learning how to switch iPhones can be simple once you’ve learned the basics.
What You Need to Know Before Switching iPhones
There are a few things to consider before you make the upgrade to a new iPhone. Buying an iPhone is a straightforward task, but a smooth transition to your new device requires some additional knowledge. Don’t turn your newest splurge into a frustrating experience.
Consider Storage Options
Upgrading your iPhone is the best opportunity to explore storage capacity. You might feel like your current device doesn’t have enough.
We live in a time where photos and videos are shot in high definition. It’s not uncommon to have gigabytes of space used to store your myriad applications from the App Store.
Before spending any money on a new iPhone, take some time to consider your storage options. Look at your current device’s capacity. Is it sufficient? Would you prefer to have more or less space on it?
Make an informed buying choice based on your budget and storage needs. Sometimes, buying the best iPhone with the least amount storage isn’t your optimal move.
Instead, you might buy the previous generation of iPhone, which is still a great device, and then pay for an increase in its storage capacity. By doing so, you still get excellent hardware, but you can afford more storage.
Are you unsure how much current storage capacity your device has? If so, then follow these steps.
1. Access the Settings application on your iPhone.
2. Tap General.
3. Tap iPhone Storage.
4. From this screen, you can see your maximum capacity and how much of that storage space you’re using. You can also see a helpful chart that breaks down what type of content is taking up the most space.
Watch for Promotions & Price Cuts
iPhone prices aren’t set in stone. Promotions and price cuts happen frequently.
If you’re looking for a new device during an event like Cyber Monday, consider waiting until that day. You can also check places like Amazon or your phone carrier’s website for one-day deals on your iPhone.
Also, check with your carrier for any current promotions, especially around September. That’s when everyone anticipates new iPhone releases.
Carriers love to clear out old stock. They’ll occasionally throw out promos like $250.00 off a new model iPhone or $2.00 for an earlier generation of the iPhone.
Depending on your needs, you might grab an older generation of the iPhone for pennies or get last year’s model for a significant discount.
Don’t Fall for Carrier “Upgrades”
The days of a subsidized “upgrade” on your new iPhone after 2 years are long gone. Such deals are almost never offered anymore.
Carriers have switched their business model to sell you a new iPhone at full retail price, which is often over $1,000. The only option they give you is to pay it all upfront or to pay it off incrementally as a line item on your monthly phone bill.
Carriers can also penalize you for “upgrading” your iPhone. Any time you upgrade, the carrier might insist that you start a new 2-year contract at that moment.
Your carrier may also use this as an opportunity to increase your data and line fees, so make sure to read the fine print of any contract you sign.
Back Up Your Old iPhone Before Switching
Before switching iPhones, ensure your current device is completely backed up. You don’t want to lose any of your precious data.
The option to set up your new iPhone as a brand-new device is always on the table, but data loss is permanent. Backing your iPhone up using iCloud is intuitive and easy.
- Access the Settings application on your iPhone.
- Tap Your Name at the top of the Settings screen.
- Scroll down to and tap iCloud.
- Scroll down to the bottom and tap iCloud Backup to enable it.
- Tap Back Up Now.
- Your first iCloud backup may take over an hour in some instances.
Once you’ve successfully backed up your iPhone onto iCloud, it’s easy to restore from that backup when you first turn on your new device.
Follow the on-screen prompts from the Welcome screen. When you’re finished, everything from your old iPhone will be on your device.
Trade In Your Old iPhone
Don’t just toss your old iPhone into a drawer or the trash when you get your new one. Your old iPhone, depending on its age and cosmetic condition, could net you over $100.
Instead of trashing your iPhone, consider trading it in via a buyback program. They’ll give you fast, easy cash for your used device.
Even if your old phone is in terrible shape, a buyback program will at least recycle the electronics for you. The lithium-ion battery in your device is terrible for the environment.
Recycling your iPhone is much better than letting it poison a landfill. Under the right conditions, your device battery could also explode if it’s pulverized by a garbage truck. Throwing out your iPhone is hazardous.
Switching from Android to iPhone
Sometimes, you need a new perspective. Going from Android to iPhone or iPhone to Android is a great way to appreciate the differences between the operating systems.
Most consumers feel that both Android and iPhone are high-end devices worthy of appreciation. Moving from one to the other allows you to enjoy the distinct qualities of both. Just make sure your transition between operating systems is smooth.
Register an Apple ID
Think of an Apple ID as your Google Account. It’s the account that controls your interaction with the company’s entire architecture. You can use it to purchase media, back up your device, and interact with other Apple users.
If you’re a longtime Android user, then you might have never registered an Apple ID. If that’s the case, it’s best to do it before you get your hands on your new iPhone.
- Navigate to https://appleid.apple.com.
- Tap Create Your Apple ID on the top right section of the navigation bar.
- Fill out the information on the next screen.
- Enter your billing information or select None to skip this step. Note that billing information is needed for downloading applications from the App Store.
Transfer Your Data
Switching from Android to iPhone is more intuitive than ever. The days of manually transferring your data between phones are long gone, thanks to some helpful cooperation between both operating systems.
- Via the Google Play Store, download the app Move to iOS.
- Power on your new iPhone.
- Follow the on-screen instructions via the iOS Welcome screen.
- When prompted, choose Move Data from Android.
- Follow the on-screen instructions from your Android device and enter the 12-digit code displayed on your iPhone.
- Using a local Wi-Fi connection, both devices will communicate.
- On the final screen, choose what data you want to move to your iPhone and allow the app to finish the transfer.
The Move to iOS application can move your Google account (your email, contacts, calendar, etc.) as well as your browser bookmarks, old text messages, and photos. It’s a seamless transition to the iPhone’s architecture and couldn’t be any easier.
How to Navigate Switching Phone Carriers
Switching carriers can be a great way to quickly save money on your phone bill. Sometimes, promotions at other carriers are just too good to pass up.
Maybe Sprint is offering a free iPhone 14 for new sign-ups. After doing some digging, you realize their monthly rates are lower than what you’re currently paying.
Sometimes, you might move to a new area and realize that you only get one bar of signal with your Verizon iPhone. No one wants to get stuck standing in the far corner of the bathroom, knowing that’s the only part of your new apartment that gets three bars.
Not all carriers have the same signal strength in the same regions. It’s better to switch than to face having a bad signal.
Switching carriers can be a harrowing experience if you’re unprepared for the transition. Luckily, there are a few simple steps that should prepare you.
Ensure You’re Out-of-Contract
You can switch carriers at any time, but doing so when you’re still in-contract means you’ll have to pay a hefty early cancellation fee. Contracts typically last for 2 years.
If you plan on switching carriers soon, don’t renew your contract when it ends. Most of all, try not to switch carriers if you’re still in that 2-year window.
Unlock Your iPhone
If you’re simply moving to a new carrier without switching iPhones, then ensure your device is unlocked by your current carrier. Unlocking your device can be done in three easy steps.
- Pay off all outstanding dues on your current plan (pay off your iPhone and pay your phone bill).
- Request an unlock code from your carrier.
- Use this unlock code to activate your iPhone on your new carrier when prompted to do so.
Bear in mind that, depending on your carrier, you have either a GSM or CDMA iPhone. The two aren’t interchangeable, and even an unlocked iPhone is incompatible across those technologies.
Here’s a simple breakdown of where you can take an unlocked iPhone.
CDMA iPhones: Compatible with Verizon and Sprint, these iPhones can switch between these two carriers, as long as they’re unlocked.
GSM iPhones: Compatible with AT&T and T-Mobile, these iPhones can switch between these two carriers as long as they’re unlocked.
To put it simply, there’s absolutely no way for you to unlock your Verizon iPhone and use it on an AT&T plan, or any other incompatible combination from the list above.
Port Your Phone Number
Unless you’re looking for a clean start, you’ll probably want to port your phone number to your new carrier.
Porting your number is a simple process, but it’s contingent upon one thing. You do not cancel your current contract with your current carrier.
Canceling your current carrier before you’ve ported your phone number by signing onto a new carrier will mark your phone number as “available” and you’ll no longer have access to it. The second you give it up, it’s going to be thrown out into the ether for anyone to grab.
Once you give away your phone number, there’s no getting it back. Instead, keep your contract with your current carrier and sign onto a new carrier. Then, tell them to port your phone number.
Once they’ve done that, call your old carrier and cancel your contract. Doing any of these steps out of order will lead to a lot of frustration, and possibly the loss of your old number.
Switching iPhones is a Fun Experience
There’s no better feeling than having a new smartphone in your hands. You can take it out of your pocket and show your peers all of the exciting new features.
Just make sure you understand the process of upgrading your iPhone, as well as the limitations that come with the transition. Today, there’s not a whole lot you need to worry about when switching devices, provided you followed the steps in our guide.
