If you’ve just gotten your hands on a shiny new iPad, or are planning to get your hands on one in the near future, you may have some questions. To help, we’ve put together a guide for how to migrating your applications and settings from your current iPad over to your new device.
1. Backup Your Old iPad
The first step in migrating is to back up your original iPad. To do this, simply plug it into your computer. If iTunes doesn’t launch automatically, launch iTunes and then sync your iPad. Additionally, you can choose not to sync, but only yo back up by right-clicking on the iPad in iTunes and choosing Back Up from the contextual menu.
This backup is important – it will preserve your iPad’s settings and saved data. It will not, however, back up your installed applications, music, movies, or photos. This must be done by syncing the iPad later in the process.
2. Prepare Your New iPad
This is the easiest step. Simply plugging it in to your computer and making sure iTunes is open will take care of it.
3. Restore
With your iPad plugged in to your computer, within the iTunes interface, you should be presented with the option of setting up your iPad as a new device, or restoring from a backup. If for some reason you aren’t presented with these options, then you can simply right-click (or option-click) your new iPad in iTunes, and select “restore from backup” in the contextual menu that follows.
iTunes will now make a copy of your backup, and use the copy to configure your new iPad with your old iPad’s settings.
4. The First Sync: The Waiting Game
After the initial backup, your iPad will restart and begin syncing for the first time. It’s important not to interrupt this, as iTunes is now migrating all your applications, music, movies, photos, and settings to the new iPad, carefully making sure to preserve their position on the home screen and in their respective folders. Interrupting the transfer might result in apps being out of place or content not being transferred to your new device.
5. Enjoy!
Once this process is finished, your new iPad is ready for action! Simply eject it from iTunes, and enjoy a faster, better version of what you already loved before.
If you have any questions about the process, please feel free to comment or contact us.
For more helpful tips, check out our full collection of tutorials by visiting our How-To category!
