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How to Transfer Data from Old iPad to a New iPad (iPad Mini 6, iPad Pro 2021)

It’s just the right time to pick up the latest iPad or iPad Pro, but how do you make sure that all of the data is migrated from the old one? Here’s a detailed guide on how to transfer data to a new iPad and the different ways to do it.

Even the global pandemic wasn’t enough to dampen the human spirit, especially when it comes to our collective devotion to Apple. The Cupertino company took the stage this year to unveil the 6th generation of the mighty Apple iPad Mini, which is being hailed as the fastest tablet you can get right now. With the Holiday season just around the corner, the latest iPad Mini (6th generation) or iPad Pro 2021 is expected to be a hot item, with discounts during Black Friday and Cyber Monday making it all the more tempting.

As exciting as getting a new iPad can be, the ordeal of moving all of your content from the old device, to the new one can be a mammoth task. If you’ve been using the iPad long enough, there can be all sorts of important content such as photos, contacts, messages, notes, calendar entries, and so much more – all of which you cannot afford to lose. And,

  • Transferring data to your new iPad helps save time, and mobile or WiFi data plans
  • Transferring data ensures that you won’t need to backup and restore data
  • Transferring data sets your new iPad and makes it ideally suited to you in minutes
  • Transferring data helps you transfer apps and app data as it is on your previous device

Fortunately enough, there isn’t just one but a handful of official as well as unofficial ways to transfer data from an old iPad to the new one.

Transfer data to new iPad from the Quick Start (Automatic Setup)

After the iOS 12.4 update, Apple has made it possible to efficiently migrate from the older iPhone to the new one, offering plenty of flexibility to the users. Taking a page out of Android’s playbook, Apple provides a way to detach from iCloud and allow users to move the contents of their older iPad directly to the new one.

  1. Turn on the new Apple iPad and place it in close proximity with the old one, since the two need to be in wireless contact for the process.
  2. On the old iPad, the pop-up to Set Up New iPad will appear, so press the Continue button.
  3. The Quick Start screen will ask you for the authentication pattern on your new iPad. Using the camera of your old iPad, authenticate the pattern and enter the passcode to establish a connection between the two iPads.
  4. The Transfer Your Data screen will now appear, giving you the following choices – Transfer from iPad, Download from iCloud, and Other Options.
  5. Press Transfer from iPhone, or you can even choose to Download from iCloud, if you have all of your content stored on the cloud.
  6. Go through the Terms and Conditions and press Agree to begin the migration process. It should take anywhere between 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the amount of content you are transferring.
  7. You will see the Transfer Complete screen at the end, so press Continue to move forward.

Note:

  • If you choose the Download from iCloud option when migrating your iPad data, you must make sure that all of your current data is synced to the cloud.
  • To do so, turn on the old iPad, navigate to Settings, and tap on your Apple ID at the top.
  • Navigate to iCloud – iCloud Backup and tap on Back Up Now to make sure everything is synced and ready.

Transfer data to new iPad using iCloud

iCloud is amazing, and if you already have an Apple ID and an iCloud account, you can use it to transfer data to your new iPad. The process is wireless, and setting up the backup is foolproof so that you can basically never screw up. Here’s how you can transfer data using iCloud:

1. Firstly, go into settings and log in with your Apple ID and iCloud account on your current device. Remember that both the devices should have the same ID and account, but you need to log in to your new iPad at a later stage. Next, click on your profile and then on iCloud, which will bring up a new page of different options.

2. Now, click on “iCloud Backup” and tap on the “Back up Now” button. This will create a manual backup of all the data on your current device and store it in the cloud.

3. Now, turn on your new iPad and start setting it up. Once you reach the wireless settings, connect to a network, and click on the “Restore from iCloud Backup” button.

4. Finally, log in to your iCloud account, select the latest backup you want to restore, and click on “Continue” to start the restoring process. Once the process is completed, the iPad will boot up and have all your data from your previous device.

Note: You can also use the sync feature to transfer data across devices, but it requires a lot more time. However, if you don’t have an issue with that, you can easily use it by logging into the same iCloud account on both devices and enabling all the data sync buttons.

Transfer data to new iPad using AirDrop

Another quick and easy way to transfer data to a new iPad is through using AirDrop. The process is again wireless and requires a little bit of time to be completed. It also comes with some limitations such as:

  • WLAN and Bluetooth should be enabled on both devices.
  • Only works within 10 meters or 30 feet.
  • Compatible with iOS 7 and later devices.

So, if you think that you meet all the criteria, then go ahead and read the steps below so that you can have decent knowledge on how to transfer data across to a new iPad.

1. Firstly, select your data of choice (Photos, Music, Documents, and Videos) that you want to share

2. Next, click on the “Share” button and the “AirDrop” button to transfer the data across your new iPad.

3. Click on “Accept” on your new iPad and let the transfer process complete. Do this for all the data you want to send over, and you’ll have a wholly recovered iPad within no time.

Transfer data to new iPad using iTunes

The traditional method to backup your iPhone or iPad is still going strong and is a preferred choice of many. iTunes gives you greater control over the content that you can sync across devices, and also add files and folders to the device from your computer.

  1. Make sure you have the latest version of iTunes running on your computer system.
  2. Connect the old iPad to the computer using a USB cable and launch iTunes.
  3. Wait for the iPad icon to appear in the iTunes window and click on it.
  4. Under the Backups tab, press the Back Up Now button.
  5. Wait for the process to be completed and then disconnect the old iPad
  6. Now, connect the new iPad to the computer and click on the iPad icon when it appears in the iTunes window.
  7. Click on the Summary tab and select the Restore Backup option from the window.
  8. Select the iPad name from the drop-down list and press Restore to proceed.

Transfer data to a new iPad using a third-party app

Similar to how Apple likes to keeps things in a closed-loop, the process of backing up your data is entirely controlled by the manufacturer. On an older iPad, you may not even have the ability to use the Quick Start service to transfer content wirelessly to the new iDevice. iTunes may have been around for the longest, but it continues to bundle up the backup content into an encrypted file, which makes it difficult for you to sort through the junk and only restore user data to the new iPad.

Making the backup and restore process simpler, without the involvement of the official methods, iMazing is an iPhone and iPad data wizard that goes above and beyond. Available for both Windows as well as macOS, moving data across iPhone, iPad, and iPod is made simpler with iMazing.

  1. Free download iMazing and install it in your computer and launch it.
  2. Connect both of the iPads to the computer using a USB cable.
  3. The two iPads will be visible simultaneously on the iMazing screen, so begin by clicking on the old iPad whose data you wish to transfer to the new one.
  4. On the right panel, you will be able to see the option to Transfer to another Device, so click on it.
  5. Check the box next to the target device (the new iPad) and press the Next button.
  6. The second screen will give you the ability to handpick the content you wish to transfer.
  7. You can press the Customize button under the Data option and select elements such as Calendars, Contacts, Health Data, etc.
  8. There is also the option to sync Accounts and Other Data and Preferences, all at once by clicking the Select All check box.
  9. Similarly, press the Customize button under the Apps option and select the apps you wish to move from the old iPad to the new one. To move all the apps, check the box next to Select All at the bottom of the window and press the Save button.
  10. Finally, press the Next button to proceed and wait until the transfer process is completed.

Note:

  • Keep in mind, that iMazing puts your data security first, by managing backup encryption the smart way. When moving content from an iPad with backup encryption enabled, the backup password will also be copied over to the new iPad.
  • When moving data from one iPad to another which already has some data on it, it is recommended to erase data on the iPad first. iMazing comes with a feature to “Erase target device” on the screen, so make sure you check the box next to it.
  • Remember, data from Apple Music, iCloud Music Library, Ringtones, Movies, and Books will not be synced across.

Bonus: transferring content from computer to iPad

Apart from making it uber simple to migrate from an old iPad to a new one in minutes, iMazing offers a lot more. A renowned feature of the app is Quick Transfer, which makes the complicated job of adding media from Windows PC and macOS computer to the iOS device, a whole lot simpler.

  1. Connect your iPad to the computer using a USB cable and launch the iMazing app
  2. Select the iPad from the left sidebar.
  3. On the main window, drag and drop the file you want to add to the iPad.
  4. The service will look for compatible apps to add the selected files.
  5. Pick the iOS app you want to move the selected files to and press the Transfer button.
  6. Wait for the process to complete or click on Close the Window to continue while the transfer process continues in the background.

Final words

The longer you have the iPad, the more you are connected to it through all of the data you have accumulated on it. As exciting as it can be to get your hands on the new tablet from Apple to streaming work and entertainment on the big screen, the first task at hand is managing all of the content you’re going to use on it. For the newer iPad that supports iOS 12.4 and its Quick Start migration feature, the difficult chore of shifting to the new iDevice is simplified, but the official choices are quite limited when it comes to the older ones.

If you aren’t a big fan of iTunes, and iCloud simply does not have the data allowance to help you get your important apps, data, and media across, looking towards a third-party iOS data transfer service such as iMazing is the way to go. Apart from the quick and easy transfer, iMazing also comes with some pro features such as the ability to edit backup files saved on the computer through iTunes and cherry-pick only the files you need.

Were you able to successfully move all of your essential content from the old iPad to the brand new one? Would you instead stick to the official ways to migrate data across iOS devices, or look towards a most convenient, third-party solution such as iMazing? We’d love to know your thoughts on it, so don’t forget about reaching out to us in the comments section below.

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