Transfer messages to an older phone

To ensure your messages are seamlessly synced across multiple Apple devices, such as an iPhone XR and an iPhone 7, follow these steps:

1. Enable Messages on iCloud: On your iPhone XR, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud, then toggle on the switch next to "Messages." This allows your messages to be stored in iCloud.
2. Use the Same Apple ID on Both iPhones: Ensure that both iPhones are signed in to iCloud using the same Apple ID. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud on your iPhone 7 and sign in with the same Apple ID used on your iPhone XR.
3. Enable Messages on iCloud for iPhone 7: After signing in with the same Apple ID on your iPhone 7, follow the same steps as on your iPhone XR to enable Messages on iCloud. Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud and toggle on the switch next to "Messages."

By following these steps and using the same Apple ID while enabling Messages on iCloud on both iPhones, all your messages will be synced across the devices. This means that any messages received or sent on your iPhone XR will also appear on your iPhone 7, ensuring you have access to your entire message history across both devices.

Restoring from a backup will depend on the iOS versions of these devices. If the iOS on iPhone XR is at a higher iOS version then the backup will not get restored on the iOS 7.