General Is This Considered A “Clean” Install?

[ghsDUDE]

I purchased an iPhone XS Max and set it up as brand new (it obviously came pre-installed with iOS 12).

I had some issues with it bothering my eyes so I returned it, but before I did that, I made a backup so I wouldn’t have to set my next phone up as new.

I got an 8 Plus (which had iOS 11 on it) and upgraded it to iOS 12. After I updated it, I then reset the 8 Plus to clear any stuff off of it since it was running iOS 12.

I then took the backup of my old XS Max and put it on the 8 Plus.

Now, I’m considering getting the XR which comes pre-installed with iOS 12...if I backup my current 8 Plus, will the old iOS 11 stuff that was reset (then updated to iOS 12) transfer over to the new XR?

Or will the XR be good to go as a clean install?

 

[Mr_Brightside_@]

Can you define stuff more specifically?
As far as I can tell you will have:
A clean install from iOS12/iPhone8
and
A backup of iOS12 from XS

I don't think you will have any issues (with 'stuff') transferring this backup to the Xr.

 

[Chazzle]

I purchased an iPhone XS Max and set it up as brand new (it obviously came pre-installed with iOS 12).

I had some issues with it bothering my eyes so I returned it, but before I did that, I made a backup so I wouldn’t have to set my next phone up as new.

I got an 8 Plus (which had iOS 11 on it) and upgraded it to iOS 12. After I updated it, I then reset the 8 Plus to clear any stuff off of it since it was running iOS 12.

I then took the backup of my old XS Max and put it on the 8 Plus.

Now, I’m considering getting the XR which comes pre-installed with iOS 12...if I backup my current 8 Plus, will the old iOS 11 stuff that was reset (then updated to iOS 12) transfer over to the new XR?

Or will the XR be good to go as a clean install?

A clean install involves setting up your phone as new wothout using a backup at all. Typically the erase/restore is done through iTunes, and you manually setup your settings and apps instead of using an iTunes or iCloud backup. This ensures that if there was an issue with anything on your backup, the issues will not transfer to the “clean” install.

 

[ghsDUDE]

Can you define stuff more specifically?
As far as I can tell you will have:
A clean install from iOS12/iPhone8
and
A backup of iOS12 from XS

I don't think you will have any issues (with 'stuff') transferring this backup to the Xr.

1) The XS was brand new, and I set everything up as new.

2) I moved to a brand new 8 Plus...it came with iOS 11, I updated it to iOS 12, erase and reset everything, then restored from the XS Max backup.

3) Taking the 8 Plus (mentioned in bullet 2) and going to back that up, and then use that backup on the new XR.

Would that be considered a “clean” install?

 

[Diamond Dog]

I wouldn't consider any setup where a backup is used to be a "clean" install.

That being said, if you set a phone up as new, used it for one hour, and then made a backup-- I would consider that to be "cleaner" than, say, a backup from a phone that had been used over the course of a year or two.

In the end, the idea is to minimize any problems you experience. I personally love setting phones up as new (I do it pretty much every major iOS release and every X.X release). But in your case, I'd say set up from your backup and see if you have any issues. If not, you're good to go. If issues, then you can set up as new.