New iPhone - Transfer iPhone contacts and WeChat backup steps
New iPhone - Transfer iPhone contacts and WeChat backup steps
Someone I know is trying to switch to another iPhone they own. Both devices are outdated, and they think it might be an iPhone 6, hoping to use a model called iPhone 6 Plus. When they try to move the SIM card from the old iPhone 6 to the new one, none of their contacts appear. That’s unusual. I assumed transferring the SIM should work, but it doesn’t. They also use WeChat on the iPhone 6s, and when they log in, all data from the other iPhone disappears. I’m wondering how to move everything from WeChat from the old iPhone to the new one. Should I manually enter numbers? That would be time-consuming. Is there a way to back up iCloud and then move it to the new phone? I have their iCloud username and password. They want to copy all apps, contacts, and numbers without downloading anything on the new device. Also, they’re using the same iCloud account for both phones—does that matter?
The SIM card serves only as an identity for a mobile plan and doesn’t store any data. Usually I’d back up my iPhone and restore it on the new device. This process is possible using either a Mac or a PC.
There isn't a direct method to transfer data between iPhones without using a laptop. You can't simply copy everything from one iPhone model to another. For apps like WeChat, you may need to manually download them on the older device first. Backing up the iPhone 6 and then copying it to the 6s is possible via iCloud, but it won't work automatically without a connection. Logging out of Apple ID or iCloud on one phone and logging in with the other doesn't provide a seamless transfer either.
You can also save to iCloud, though it tends to be slower and could require extra storage. The backup usually includes most files, but you may need to log in to WeChat afterward to transfer them (see WeChat guidelines, as I don’t use the app).
I checked my iPhone that’s not theirs, but it never backed up because I didn’t pay the monthly fee. I think the same happens with the iPhone 6. If you need to move the name and phone numbers from one model to another, you’ll have to arrange backup yourself. For WeChat, you can back it up by copying a QR code directly into the new device. Regarding regular texts, there isn’t a built-in option to transfer them automatically—you’d need to export them manually or use third-party tools.
I saved the WeChat by following the steps on WeChat. On the old iPhone 6, it displayed around 4.2GB used out of 5GB, which means storage wasn’t full. Yet it didn’t appear backed up. When I clicked backup, I noticed the same login was shown for iCloud on the iPhone 6s. That seems normal. The contacts showing up for the phone might be due to data syncing issues. There’s no obvious option to merge devices directly—transferring names and numbers would require using a dedicated app or manual process. You’ll need to follow specific steps in the app to complete the transfer.
The issue likely stems from how Apple manages device storage and syncing. The backup size of 4.2GB may be limited by system settings or restrictions, even though both devices are signed in. Since the iPhone 6 Plus doesn’t support the full backup feature, it can’t access the larger data. The sync process might also be throttled for older models. Checking storage limits and ensuring the correct backup method is used could help resolve this.
You need to select the specific iPhone model during the airdrop process. The issue might be related to the app not recognizing the backup size or the cloud integration not functioning properly. Check your device settings and ensure the correct backup file is being used.
Wechat offers an internal backup feature... iPhones come with a migration tool for setting up a new iPhone, but it functions locally. If you have games, music, and photos on your old device, it might be too much. Also, the iPhone 6 could be outdated for the newest iOS versions. Consider using a PC to create a backup before switching to the new phone.