7 Methods| Transfer Contacts to New iPhone Without iCloud

How to transfer contacts to new iPhone without iCloud?

When getting a new iPhone, the first thing you need to do is to transfer data from old iPhone to new iPhone, especially contacts. After all, you need to call or send messages to get in touch with others in daily work and life, so Contacts app is an indispensable part of your iPhone.

When it comes to transferring contacts from iPhone to iPhone, Apple's built-in utility iCloud is probably your first choice. However, we all know that iCloud only offers 5GB of free storage. If you don't have enough iCloud space, you may be looking for some other alternative ways to transfer contacts to new iPhone without iCloud.

In this guide, we will share 7 feasible methods to help Apple iPhone transfer contacts without iCloud effectively. Keep on reading to get more details.

Method 1. The fastest and safest way to transfer contacts to new iPhone

FoneTool is a professional free iOS data transfer software that helps users to transfer contacts, messages, songs, photos and videos from one iPhone to another iPhone with a super fast speed.

● With the help of this tool, you can preview and select the contacts you want to transfer.
● No need to reset your new iPhone and no data will be erased from both iPhones during the transfer.
● With a user-friendly interface, you can import contacts to iPhone with a few simple clicks.
● It supports all models of iPhone and other iOS devices and is perfectly compatible with the latest iOS 18/17.

Download and install the tool on your computer, then follow the detailed tutorial below and you'll learn how to get contacts from iPhone.

Step 1. Run FoneTool > Connect your old iPhone to a computer via the USB cable > Tap Trust on your old iPhone.

Step 2. Click Phone Transfer and go to iPhone to PC. Then click Start Transfer.

Step 3. Click the add icon > Choose Contacts to preview and select the contacts you want to transfer > Click OK.

Step 4. Click Start Transfer > Select the destination to save your contacts > Click Transfer.

Step 5. Unplug the old iPhone and connect your new iPhone to the computer > Click Phone Transfer and select the PC to iPhone option.

Step 6. Click Contacts and choose the contacts exported before > Click Start Transfer.

In addition to transferring contacts, in order to prevent unexpected data loss, you can also choose the Phone Backup feature and then selectively backup your iPhone contacts to a PC.

If you don't have access to a computer, there is an available mobile phone app FoneTool for iOS. You can scan the QR code below or download it for free from the App Store.                 

Method 2. Transfer contacts to new iPhone without iCloud via iTunes

iTunes is another commonly used method provided by Apple to transfer contacts from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud. With the help of this free tool, you can backup iPhone contacts to your computer and then restore them to your new iPhone from iTunes backup. In addition, there is an option where you can synchronize your contacts with iTunes. Follow the instructions below to get iTunes contacts.

Notes:✎...

You cannot preview contacts, messages, and other data, or selectively share desired contacts before using iTunes to transfer contacts.

Restoring iTunes backup will restore all data at the same time, and you can't restore certain data such as contacts separately.

When syncing or restoring files, it will first erase all existing data on the new iPhone and then import contacts.

Option 1. Backup and restore iPhone data

Step 1. Connect your old iPhone to the computer via a USB cable and run iTunes on your PC.

Step 2. Click the Device tab > Select This Computer > Click Back Up Now.

Step 3. Unplug the old iPhone and plug in your new iPhone.

Step 4. On the Summary page, click Restore Backup under Backups.

Option 2. Sync contacts to new iPhone with iTunes

Step 1. Connect your old iPhone to a computer and run iTunes.

Step 2. Click the Device tab > Info > Select the Sync Contacts option > Tap Apply to sync your iPhone as well as the contacts with your computer.

Step 3. Plug out your old iPhone from the computer and then plug in your new iPhone.

Step 4. Click Info > Check the Sync Contacts option > Locate the Advanced menu > Check Contacts under Replace information on this iPhone > Click Apply to sync contacts to new iPhone.

If you use macOS Mojave or earlier, these steps are useful on how to sync contacts from iPhone to Macbook without iCloud.

Method 3. Move contacts to new iPhone using Quick Start

If you haven't set up your new iPhone yet, you can use the built-in feature in iOS 11 and above- Quick Start. It allows users to transfer everything to new iPhone. But, you can't use iPhone to do other operations during the transfer process. Check out the following steps on how to share your contact on iPhone.

Notes:✎...

Make sure both iPhones are running iOS 12.4 and above.

Make sure the iPhones are fully powered to prevent transmission interruptions due to lack of power.

Step 1. Turn on both iPhones and place them near each other. Then the Quick Start screen will automatically appear on your old iPhone, click Continue to start setting up your new iPhone.

Step 2. Wait for an animation to appear on your new iPhone, place your old iPhone on the new iPhone and the animation in the center of the viewfinder. Then enter your old iPhone's passcode on your new iPhone and follow the instructions to set up Face ID or Touch ID on your new iPhone.

Step 3. On the Transfer Your Data screen, click Transfer from iPhone to enable iPhone to transfer contacts.

Method 4. Send contacts from iPhone to iPhone via Bluetooth

As is known, Bluetooth is a wireless technology that contributes to sending contacts to another phone within a specific range. However, the Bluetooth contact transfer will be time-consuming if the amount of data transferred is too large. The following steps will guide you on how to transfer contacts from iPhone to iPhone via Bluetooth.

Step 1. Turn on the Bluetooth option on both iPhones and pair them.

Step 2. Tap Contacts > Select the contacts you want to transfer.

Step 3. Tap the Share button and select the new iPhone from the list of options > tap Accept on the new iPhone, then you can sync iPhone contacts via Bluetooth.

Method 5. Share contacts on iPhone to new iPhone by Airdrop

Ideally, you can use another wireless method similar to how to transfer contacts via Bluetooth, namely AirDrop. It can help iPhone export contacts without iCloud. Note that it allows you to transfer only one contact at a time, which means that if you want to transfer more than one contact, you need to repeat the same operation in a tiring and tiresome way.

Make sure both iPhones are in as close a range as possible. Here are the steps on how to share contacts on iPhone.

Step 1. Turn on Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on both iPhones > Go to Settings > Tap General > Enable AirDrop.

Step 2. Go to the Contacts app on the old iPhone > Select the contacts you want to AirDrop > Click the Shared Contacts option > Tap AirDrop > Select the name of the new iPhone.

Step 3. Tap Accept to receive contacts on the new iPhone.

Method 6. Export contacts from iPhone to iPhone with SIM card

If you have saved iPhone contacts to SIM card, you can easily share contacts on iPhone. Follow the steps below to import contacts to new iPhone.

Step 1. Insert the SIM card that has your contacts into your new iPhone.

Step 2. Go to Settings > Tap Contacts > Import SIM Contacts.

Step 3. After the process completes, you can check the Contacts app.

Method 7. Backup and export iPhone contacts using Google Gmail

Of course, you can also make full use of Google Gmail to sync your iPhone contacts and then import them to your new iPhone. Let's look at how to export contacts from iPhone without iCloud.

Step 1. On your old iPhone, go to Settings > tap Passwords & Accounts > Add Accounts > Google.

Step 2. Sign in to your Gmail account and click Next.

Step 3. Click Save when your account is verified > Turn on Contacts sync > Click Save.

Step 4. Do the same steps above to turn on Contacts sync on the new iPhone. Then go to Settings > Tap the Fetch New Data button. After that, you can slide the Push button.

Further reading: Transfer contacts to new iPhone with iCloud

In this section, we will show you how to transfer contacts from iPhone to iCloud, and you can sync contacts to new iPhone. Make sure both iPhones are signed into the same iCloud account and then connected to a stable network.

Step 1. On your old iPhone, go to Settings > Tap [your name] > Click iCloud > Turn on Contacts > Tap Merge when you're asked if you want to merge iPhone contacts. It will start to move iPhone contacts to iCloud.

Step 2. Log in to the same iCloud account on the new iPhone, and the contacts will be automatically synced to the new iPhone.

Summary

In this guide, we introduce 7 proven methods to help you transfer contacts to new iPhone without iCloud. By comparing them, you can choose the method you prefer to start moving contacts to another iPhone.

In fact, you will find that FoneTool is definitely the best method. It can help you transfer contacts from iPhone to iPhone without iCloud more safely and easily. Try it out yourself and start exploring more great features.