what to know
- For a new iPad: Create an iPhone backup > Select Restore Backup during iPad setup.
- If this is not your first time setting up your iPad: Manually download each app from the App store on your iPad.
- To do this: App Store > Profile picture > Purchased > Not on this iPad > Download app .
This article explains how to transfer (copy) apps from iPhone to iPad on devices running iPadOS 15 or iOS 15 and later.
If you're buying your first iPad, the best way to transfer apps to it is during the setup process. To import apps from iPhone:
- Create a backup before setting up your tablet.
- Next, during the iPad setup process, choose to restore from your iPhone's backup.
The restore function during installation does not actually copy the application from the backup file. Instead, it downloads them again from the App Store. This process eliminates the need for you to download apps manually.
If you don't set up your new iPad, you'll need to manually download the app from the App Store. You can download apps to multiple devices for free as long as those devices are registered to the same Apple ID.
If the app is universal, it will run just fine on the iPad. If the app has an iPhone version and a specific iPad version, you can still download the iPhone version to your iPad.
You need to do the following:
Click the App Store icon on your iPad (or iPhone) to open the app.
On the "Today" tab, click your photo .
Click Purchased .
If you use Family Sharing, tap the name on the next screen to bring up the Apple ID-purchased apps.
Click " Not on this iPad" to limit the results to apps you haven't installed yet.
Scroll down or use the search bar to find the app you want to install.
Click the Download icon (looks like a cloud) to install the apps in the list.
If you want all future purchases on your iPad or iPhone, including free apps, to be automatically downloaded to your other devices, go to Settings > App Store > Automatic Downloads and change Apps Or move the slider next to "App Downloads" to the "On/Green" position on iPhone and iPad.
In terms of compatibility, there are three types of apps available in the App Store:
- Universal: These work on both iPhone and iPad. When running on an iPad, universal apps adapt to the larger screen. Usually, this means a different interface than on the iPhone.
- iPhone only: Some apps are designed specifically for iPhones, especially older iPhones. These will still work on the iPad. However, they run in iPhone compatibility mode, which expands the scope of iPhone apps to some extent.
- Phone-specific: Finally, some apps use unique features of the iPhone, such as the ability to make phone calls. Even in compatibility mode, these features are not available on the iPad.
Unfortunately, there are still some iPhone-specific apps. Most of them are old apps, but there are still some newer and useful apps that only work on iPhone.
The most popular among them is WhatsApp Messenger. WhatsApp uses SMS to send text messages, and since iPad only supports iMessage and similar messaging apps and not SMS, WhatsApp cannot run on iPad.
FAQWhen transferring data from Android to iPhone, you will not be able to transfer apps downloaded from Google Play Store. However, most Android apps have iOS versions, so when you purchase and download the app from the App Store and log in, you should still be able to access your account.
If apps aren't transferring to your new iPhone, there might be a cloud storage issue, a password issue, or the transfer process might still be in progress. Solutions include checking the transfer progress, entering your password when prompted during the process, checking your Wi-Fi and network, and checking your iCloud storage.
