New iPhone 15 stuck on iOS 18 Update

You are a genius - had left my phone 'updating' overnight and still hadn't worked 10 hours later! Only thing to add is that when upgrading to IOS18 and setting up your new phone before transfer, don't enable the security settings for if the phone is stolen - I did and now can't progress for an hour as the phone is locked for that function.

I have a hope that this will all be done before lunchtime today - will have been 24 hours in total but could have been longer without the advice from po_victory!

Thank you so much for the advice! I have been stuck all day trying to sort this out and assuming that I’d made a dumb error somewhere along the line (five times over… really?) But thanks to your help it is sixth time lucky and I can finally use my new phone. Many thanks again 😊

Same issue! Setting up new iPhone 15 and getting stuck on non optional update. Followed po_victory advice and it worked!! Had been stuck for hours on a never ending loop. Apple needs to address this issue!!

Hi, thanks for sharing. I have 2 questions:

1. do you also already update your old telephone to IOS18 before you transfer data?
2. how to use cable transfer data? One cable with both end lightning? Or do I need extra stuff? (I have only one cable lighting to type C (then I have a small adapter from type C to lighting, which seems not working)

Hope you could help on that!

Thanks and regards,

Thanks for your advice I have done this but nothing happens when I reset all settings. Will I erase the iPhone 15 and start again? Will I erase the iPhone to start again? I signed in using my Apple ID and now I’m worried I’ll loose all my apps and data? Thanks

This doesn't appear to be working for me.

1. I took out of my old iPhone 11 and put it in the new iPhone 15.
2. Settings>General>Transfer or Reset iPhone>Erase all Content and Settings
3. Went through and did a very basic setup, not using another phone.
4. Upgraded to iOS 18
5. Settings>General>Transfer or Reset iPhone>Reset (I didn't see any option about eSims)

Phone restarts with a vanilla setup, but shows my phone call history, text messages, etc

I don't get the option to transfer from another phone (my old iPhone 11 is connected to home Wi-Fi)

Am I missing something / doing something wrong?

I just had exactly the same issue. Spoke to two Apple support reps who were both very nice but were absolutely convinced it was a problem with my router and couldn’t possibly be a problem with the phone.

I followed your instructions and found that iOS 17.7 was waiting to be installed and already downloaded which is probably why it was tripping over itself trying to install 18. It deleted the 17.7 version and got on with the update in about half an hour, had my data transferred over in another 20 mins.

Thank you for the helpful post! I’d probably still be stuck staring at that spinning wheel otherwise!

Thank you so very much. I ran into the same issue when trying to set up my brand new iPhone 15 and transfer over my info from my iPhone 13. My new phone got stuck on the new 18 software download. I tried starting from scratch twice, waiting over 5 hours and nothing changed. It just hung on the software update screen. I admit that I was starting to freak out until I found this page. Thank you for the clear and step by step explanation that even a Luddite could navigate! I followed your steps and now have an updated and working new iPhone 15. Much appreciated!

Similar issue for me - have tried to download IOS18.0.1 for hours with our new iPhone 15s. Yet another example of Apple incompetence in issuing ‘releases’ without testing them properly!😡

If Apple even had the common sense to let these releases be tackled later rather than not providing any option, it would be so much easier.

Disappointing - to say the least and does not reflect well on Apple’s credibility.

I have purchased an iPhone 15. I am trying to set it, copying from my old phone. My new phone keeps getting stuck when trying to update the software to IOS 18. Can you please advise how I can resolve this as currently my phone has been stuck on the software update screen since 930 this morning (it is now nearly 530pm)

Thank you for this. IT REALLY WORKED! I am circa 1947 and just upgraded from an iPhone 11 Pro Max. I spent all day yesterday trying to transfer and then hit the update. I was so frustrated but I found your directions and it makes so much sense to upgrade the new phone and then transfer. Thank you and God bless you.

Dude! That was exceedingly awesome. Thanks, @po_victory, for the walk through. I've done everything now except for the last step. How do I get the data from my old phone onto the new phone, now that the new phone thinks it is all set up and ready to rumble? I've tried General > Transfer or Reset > Reset All Settings, but that doesn't seem to trigger the "Welcome to your new phone! Let's play the set up game (again...)" prompt.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! I have been struggling with this for three whole days! Finally an answer that worked! I was beginning to think I was too old to have the latest technology. Was about to contact a kindergarten student to assist me! lol

My new iPhone 15 had the same issue. I followed the suggested steps of setting it up as a new phone. I upgraded to iOS 18 and then went to reset the phone. It does not return to the original start-up page and now I can't transfer my old iPhone content to my new phone. Any tips or help?

I think I also ruined an iphone 14 trying to update the software. It got stuck with just a short bar for a long time. I did the force restart and eventually it simply stopped responding and is now black and won't show sign of taking a charge. Is that what happened to you?