How to Verify Photos Moved to a New iPhone

Step by step

1. 1 min

   Check iCloud Photos synchronization status

   Open the Photos app and tap the Library tab at the bottom. Scroll to the very bottom of the All Photos view. Look for a status bar indicating either 'Syncing with iCloud' or 'Synced with iCloud'.

   Note: If the status bar says 'Paused', ensure your iPhone is connected to a power source and Wi-Fi.
2. 30 sec

   Validate total photo and video counts

   Navigate to the Library tab and tap 'All Photos'. Scroll to the bottom to view the total count of items. Compare this number against the count visible on your previous device to ensure a complete match.

3. 1 min

   Review Hidden and Recently Deleted albums

   Tap the Albums tab and scroll down to the Utilities section. Select 'Hidden' and 'Recently Deleted' to verify that sensitive or recently removed media migrated correctly. These folders remain locked behind Face ID or your passcode.

   Note: iCloud hides the 'Hidden' album by default in settings; toggle it in Settings > Photos if you cannot see the folder.
4. 1 min

   Confirm Shared Albums availability

   In the Albums tab, scroll to the Shared Albums section. Verify that your active shared feeds are populated with images. If they appear empty, ensure you are signed into the same Apple ID used for iCloud sharing.

5. 30 sec

   Compare local storage usage

   Go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Wait for the usage breakdown to load and locate the Photos app in the list. Confirm that the data size corresponds to the expected size of your media library from your previous device.

   Note: If 'Optimize iPhone Storage' is enabled, the local file size will be significantly smaller than the total cloud library.