iPhone Stuck on Preparing to Transfer? How to Fix It

If you are trying to use the “Quick Start” feature to set up a new iPhone, but you keep getting stuck on the “Preparing to Transfer” screen, you can be forgiven for thinking that the “Quick Start” feature just doesn’t work.

Like all iOS features, “Quick Start” depends on various other functions of the device to make it possible for you to transfer data from the old iPhone to the new one.

Therefore, there may be more to the problem than meets the eye. But this article should help you get to the bottom of it.

Be Prepared to Wait

Sometimes the transfer process can take a while, especially if you have a lot of data to transfer to the new device.

So, you may want to give the process ample time to complete the transfer of all data from the old device to the new one.

If the transfer process has already begun, simply wait for the process to be completed.

Connect Both iPhones to the Same Network

The process of transferring data from an old iPhone to the new one will require that both devices remain connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

The network that you are using must also be strong enough to facilitate the transfer of all data to the new device.

To ensure that the devices are connected to the same network, go to Settings > Wi-Fi on both devices.

Keep Both iPhones Near Each Other

You will also need to make sure that the devices are close to each other to transfer data using the “Quick Start” menu.

When the devices are not close enough, you may encounter various problems including getting stuck on “Preparing to Transfer.”

Check Apple’s System Status

You may need to connect to Apple Servers to complete the transfer and complete other related functions such as signing to your Apple ID.

Therefore, go to this page to make sure that all related services are marked in green.

If you see red next to any function that may be relevant to the setup process, you may have trouble using the “Quick Start” menu.

In this case, the only thing you can do is wait for the Apple Servers in question to come back online before attempting the transfer again.

Reset the Network Settings and Try Again

This data transfer process requires you to be connected to a Wi-Fi network. So, in addition to making sure that both devices are connected to a reliable network, you may also want to reset the network settings just to make sure there aren’t any network errors keeping the devices from connecting to a network.

To reset the network settings on your device, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open the Settings on your iPhone and then tap on “General.”

Step 2: Select “Reset > Reset Network Settings.”

Step 3: Enter the device’s passcode and confirm that you’d like to reset the network settings.

Do this for both devices and when they restart, connect them to a Wi-Fi network and then try to transfer the data again.

Fix iOS Stuck Issue with System Repair Tool

When there is an issue with the iOS system it is not uncommon for various processes on the device to get stuck.

To rule out a major iOS system malfunction, we recommend using TinyFix to repair the device.

This is an iOS system repair tool that is designed to fix various iOS system bugs without causing data loss.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Download and install TinyFix onto your computer.

Step 2: Open TinyFix on your computer and use a USB/lightning cable to connect the device to the computer. When the program recognizes the device, click “iOS System Repair.”

Step 3: Select “Standard Repair” and confirm the selection.

Step 4: The program will prompt you to download the latest firmware for the device. Click “Download” to initiate the download process.

Step 5: When the download is complete, click on the “Fix Now” button to begin fixing the device.

The whole process will take only a few minutes and when it is complete, your iPhone will restart. You should then be able to easily transfer your data.

Transfer Old iPhone to the New One Using iTunes

If you just can’t overcome the problem, you can try to transfer data from the old device to the new iPhone via iTunes.

This method will require you to back up the data on the old device to iTunes and then restore the backup to the new iPhone.

Here’s a detailed guide to help you do that:

Step 1: Connect the old iPhone to the computer and open iTunes if it doesn’t automatically open.

Step 2: When iTunes recognizes the device, click on its icon and then in the “Summary” tab, make sure that “This Computer” is selected before choosing “Back Up Now.”

Step 3: Once the backup process is complete, disconnect the old iPhone from the computer and connect the new iPhone.

Step 4: Click on the device’s icon when it appears in iTunes.

Step 5: In the “Summary” tab, choose “Restore Backup.”

Step 6: Select the backup that we just created and click “Restore.”

Wait for the backup to be restored to the new device and then complete the setup steps on the new iPhone.

Contact Apple Support

The solutions above should fix the problem and allow you to transfer data without any issues, but if you have tried all of them and you are still unable to complete the transfer, it may be time to get help from professionals.

Contact Apple via the Apple Support website and give a detailed description of the problem, including all issues that may have caused the problem and they should be able to come up with a solution.

Conclusion

The “Quick Start” feature is meant to simplify the process of switching to a new device, but sometimes the process can be affected by issues beyond your control.

We hope we have been able to help you overcome this issues and complete the setup of your nee iPhone.