Update New IPhone with older IOS than the new phone when setting up new iPhone from iCloud.

Problem: I got a new phone and during set up it asked me how to transfer the old iPhone to the new iPhone. The OLD iPhone has the latest IOS, and the new phone has an older iOS (should be the opposite). This causes the “iCloud not compatible with an older iOS”. Here is what to do:

 Begin the basic set up on new phone. Make sure your WiFi is connected to the new phone. This is before any data transfer. You still have to pair with old phone to the new to the transfer from iCloud option. 

1. instead of choosing transfer from old phone, or from iCloud, choose General (not iCloud, not phone to phone, not apps and data). 
2. Choose from general data only. 
3. Once the familiar look of the iPhone comes up, go to general, software update. Update to the new iOS. 
4. Once the update is complete and installed,  on new phone, go to settings, general, transfer or reset iPhone
5. Choose Erase all content and settings. The new iOS will be kept on new phone! Do not do the simple “reset “. 
6. Choose keep eSIM and erase old data
7. Once it’s reset, begin the normal new phone set up using your old phone. It will take you to the new set up screen with the “hello” screen. You’ll need to pair using the old phone and following instructions. 
8. Once it asked how to set up new phone, choose from iCloud! 
9. You’re done once the set up is complete. It will take some time to upload all of the iCloud to new phone. It took me 2 hours to find this solution with the carrier and apple support. 
10. Good luck!