Losing all the stuff on your phone was no big deal before the smartphone age. Wondering how to switch iPhones or iPads successfully without losing anything in the process? If you're looking to upgrade (these are the best iPhones to buy right now), it is possible to do so painlessly. Back Up Your Old iPhone or iPadBefore you switch iPhones, you need to back up your old device, which can be done via iCloud or your computer. Even if you are out of iCloud storage, ever since iOS 15, Apple has allowed you to back up your data to iCloud to switch to a new iPhone.