How to Fix iPhone 18 Stuck on 'Preparing to Transfer'

“Preparing to Transfer” means Quick Start is preparing the connection and moving data from your old iPhone to your iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max. A short preparation period can be normal, but treat the transfer as stalled if the screen shows no visible progress for an extended period, becomes unresponsive, or repeatedly returns to the same screen. Start by checking power, proximity, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, storage, and software readiness, then restart both iPhones and try Quick Start again.

Check These Conditions Before Restarting Quick Start

Before making another attempt, prepare both devices:

Connect both iPhones to power or make sure they have sufficient battery. Leave them connected during the transfer.
Keep the phones close together, ideally next to each other throughout setup.
Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both iPhones. Quick Start depends on the devices being able to detect and communicate with each other.
Check available storage on the iPhone 18. Confirm that it has enough capacity for the data you want to move. Low available space is a reason to resolve before retrying, although it is not a confirmed explanation for every “Preparing to Transfer” freeze.
Install compatible iOS updates available for both iPhones when practical. Do not assume that a particular iOS version is required or that one specific release fixes the problem.
Avoid moving either phone away from the other or switching into unrelated setup screens while Quick Start is preparing the transfer.

Restart Both iPhones and Retry Quick Start

If the setup screen is frozen, use the normal cancel or back option shown on the screen when one is available. Then restart both the old iPhone and the iPhone 18.

After both devices restart:

Place the iPhones next to each other.
Connect both to power.
Make sure Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are enabled.
Start Quick Start again and follow the setup prompts.
Keep both phones together and connected to power until the transfer finishes.

Restarting or retrying Quick Start does not instruct you to erase the old iPhone. Your data remains on the old device, so keep it available while you troubleshoot.

If the iPhone 18 has already been partly configured and Quick Start cannot be started again normally, you may need to return the new iPhone to its setup state before retrying the transfer. This can require erasing the new iPhone, which removes data already placed on that device. Do not erase the old iPhone as part of this process.

If Wireless Quick Start Still Stalls

If the wireless transfer repeatedly remains on “Preparing to Transfer,” switch to a different migration method instead of repeating the same attempt indefinitely.

Try a wired transfer

Apple supports transferring data between iPhones with a direct cable connection. The required cable or adapter depends on the connector on the old iPhone and the iPhone 18 model, so use a compatible combination for both devices. A wired connection provides an alternative path when the wireless Quick Start connection does not proceed.

Restore from an iCloud backup

You can also use iCloud as a fallback:

On the old iPhone, create or confirm a current iCloud backup.
Begin setup on the iPhone 18.
At the data-migration screen, choose From iCloud Backup.
Select the relevant backup and keep the new iPhone connected to reliable Wi-Fi and power.

Apps and some content may continue restoring after the initial setup, so leave the iPhone connected and allow the process to finish.

If the iPhone remains trapped in setup or becomes broadly unresponsive after the Quick Start checks, restart attempt, wired-transfer option, and iCloud alternative, Dr.Fone - System Repair may be considered as a guided desktop system-repair workflow. Verify current iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and iOS compatibility with Wondershare first; it is an escalation option for a persistent software or setup freeze, not a replacement for Quick Start, wired transfer, or iCloud restore.

Do Not Erase the Old iPhone Yet

Keep the old iPhone untouched until you confirm that the new iPhone contains the information you need. Check photos, messages, contacts, files, apps, and other important content on the iPhone 18 before erasing, trading in, or giving away the old device.