How to Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 [Top 8 Ways]

The iPhone 16 launched in 2024 introduces excellent features along with iOS 18. Upgrading to this new device is exciting, but one of the first things you'll want to do is move important information like contacts from your old iPhone. People like the Reddit user below are looking for a convenient way to transfer contacts to new iPhone 16.

Luckily, this post will offer several ways to help you transfer iPhone contacts to new iPhone. While syncing your contacts via iCloud or iTunes may wipe out existing data, this post will not only guide you through these options, but also explore faster and safer ways to transfer contacts between iPhones without losing anything. Read on to find the way that works best for you.

How to Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 on PC - 3 Ways

If you have a PC handy, there are 3 ways to help you transfer contacts from old iPhone to new iPhone. Scroll down for more details!

Way 1. Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 from PC with FoneTool

FoneTool is a powerful and user-friendly iPhone data manager designed to transfer data from one iPhone to another without deleting any existing data. It provides an easy way to transfer contacts to new iPhone 16 relying on iCloud or iTunes. Here are some of its outstanding features:

Preview & Selectively Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16: With FoneTool, you can preview your contact list and choose which specific contacts to transfer, avoiding a full restore.
No Reset Needed (NO DATA LOSS): Transferring contacts to your new iPhone 16 doesn't require a reset, ensuring that no existing data on the device will be lost.
No Internet Required: Unlike iCloud or iTunes, FoneTool allows you to transfer contacts without needing a Wi-Fi or internet connection, providing offline convenience.
Supports All iPhone Models & iOS Versions: FoneTool works seamlessly with all iPhone models, including the iPhone 16, and is compatible with any iOS version.

Now that you know the key features of FoneTool, how to get contacts transferred to new iPhone 16? Before that, you should move your contacts to your PC from your old device.

Step-by-Step Guide on How to Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 from PC

Step 1. Download and install FoneTool on your PC > Connect your new iPhone 16 to your computer.

Step 2. Run FoneTool on your PC, go to Phone Transfer > PC to iPhone, and click Start Transfer.

Step 3. Select the contacts you stored on your PC earlier and click OK to continue.

Step 4. Choose your preferred format in Transfer Settings > Click Start Transfer to transfer contacts to new iPhone 16.

Way 2. One-Click Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16

Also, FoneTool is a great iPhone transfer app to transfer contacts from an old iPhone to a new one. This tool specializes in phone-to-phone transfers and makes it easy to move data between iOS/iPadOS devices.

With the help of FoneTool, you can easily transfer your contacts and other data (such as messages, photos, videos, music, notes, and more) to your new iPhone with just one click. Here is a full guide to transferring all data (contacts included) from the old iPhone to the new iPhone 16 with one click:

Step 1. Connect your old iPhone and new iPhone 16 to your computer, then choose Phone Transfer followed by iPhone to iPhone, and click Start Transfer to proceed.

Step 2. Verify the source and target devices > Enable backup encryption as needed to safeguard sensitive data such as Activity, Health, and keyChain.

Step 3. Click Start Transfer to initiate the data transfer. Once done, check the contacts on your new iPhone 16.

Way 3. Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 with iTunes

Some guides recommend restoring your new iPhone from an iTunes backup of your old device, but please note that this transfers not only your contacts but all other data from your old iPhone as well. This process will overwrite any existing data on the new iPhone with the contents of the backup, including unwanted files. Here is how to do it:

Step 1. Download the latest iTunes and connect your old iPhone to your computer > Select your iPhone, go to the Info tab, and check Sync Contacts, and click Apply.

Step 2. Once the synchronization is done, disconnect your old iPhone and connect your new iPhone > In iTunes, select your new iPhone 16, go to the Messages tab, and make sure the Sync Contacts option is checked.

Step 3. Navigate to the Advanced section and select Contacts under Replace Information on this iPhone > Click Apply to transfer the contacts to the new iPhone.

How to Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 Wirelessly - 4 Ways

If you don’t have any USB cables, there are also 4 wireless ways to transfer iPhone contacts to new iPhone. Let’s check it!

Way 4. Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 with iCloud Sync

iCloud gives iPhone users a simple and convenient way to transfer contacts without using a PC. All you need is your Apple ID to do this. First, make sure your contacts have been backed up to iCloud on your old iPhone. If not, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup and tap Back Up Now. Once done, follow the steps below to transfer your contacts to your new iPhone:

Step 1. Connect both iPhones to Wi-Fi > Sign in to the same Apple ID on both your old and new iPhones.

Step 2. On each iPhone, navigate to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Contacts. Toggle Contacts and select Merge when prompted to merge contacts.

Step 3. Wait for the contacts on your old iPhone to sync with your new iPhone.

As long as both devices are signed in with the same Apple ID and Contacts Sync is enabled, your contacts will sync seamlessly between iPhones.

Way 5. Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 via iCloud Backup

If your contacts are backed up to iCloud, you can use that backup to easily restore them to your new iPhone. Here is how to get contacts transferred to new iPhone via iCloud Backup:

Step 1. On your old iPhone, go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Then, tap Back Up Now.

Step 2. On your new iPhone, go to Settings > General > Reset (Transfer or Reset iPhone) > Erase All Content and Settings.

Step 3. Start setting up your new iPhone and when you get to the Apps & Data screen, select Restore from iCloud Backup. Select the most recent backup you created to restore your data and contacts.

Way 6. Share Contacts from iPhone to iPhone 16 Using AirDrop

AirDrop is a convenient tool that allows iOS users to wirelessly transfer files, including contacts, between iOS devices. To AirDrop your contacts to your new iPhone, follow these steps:

Step 1. Swipe up from the bottom or down from the top right corner to open Control Center > Press and hold the wireless control box in the upper-left corner, tap AirDrop. (Select your preferred AirDrop mode: Receive Off, Contacts Only, or Everyone.)

Step 2. On an older iPhone, open the Contacts app and locate the contact you want to share > Tap Share Contacts and select AirDrop.

Step 3. Select your new iPhone from the AirDrop options and tap Accept on the target iPhone to receive the contact.

Way 7. Move Contacts from iPhone to iPhone 16 via the SIM Card

If your contacts are saved on the SIM card of your old iPhone, you can easily transfer them to your new iPhone by following the steps below:

Step 1. Remove the SIM card from your old iPhone and insert it into your new iPhone.

Step 2. Open Settings and tap Contacts > Select the Import SIM Contacts option.

Once the process is complete, the contacts from the old iPhone should appear on the new device.

Note✍: The iPhone does not support backing up contacts to the SIM card; contacts are stored in the device's memory. If your contacts are not on the SIM card, explore the alternatives outlined in this post to transfer iPhone contacts to new iPhone.

Also Read: How to Unlock SIM Card on iPhone [Ultimate Guide] >>

Bonus Tip: Transfer Contacts to New iPhone 16 from Old iPhone/Android

In addition, FoneTool has a client for iOS/Android that supports data transfer between iPhones and between iOS and Android devices. To get started, download and install FoneTool for Android and scan the QR code to get the FoneTool iOS client.

Now follow the steps below to transfer all contacts to new iPhone without iCloud:

Step 1. Open FoneTool on both your devices and enable WLAN. (Only activate the Wi-Fi option without connecting to a real network.)

Step 2. On your Android/iPhone device, go to Connect Device > Connect to iOS to get the connection code.

Step 3. Navigate to File Transfer, select Contacts on the source iPhone, preview and select contacts to transfer, and then tap Send to start the transfer.

For transferring contacts to a Windows PC, the desktop version of FoneTool allows for selective data transfer and one-click transfers between iPhones. Download the desktop software by clicking the button below.

The Bottom Line

This post covers the top 8 ways of how to transfer contacts to new iPhone 16. If you're looking for a faster solution, FoneTool or its clients can help you easily transfer all your contacts directly. What are you waiting for? Download FoneTool and use it to transfer various data (including contacts, photos, videos, etc.) easily.