Other Setup new iPhone from iCloud or iTunes? At store? At home?

[SomersIsles]

Maybe I'm over thinking this... but.. I want to trade in my old iPhone so I can get the apple credit to put towards the newer iPhone. (I'm assuming I'll get the best trade in that way?)

I've heard that setting up an iPhone from an iCloud backup does not transfer as much information as an iTunes backup? I want to ensure EVERYTHING transfers (notes, messages, apps, etc.)

So would I backup my phone prior to going to the store, prep my phone for trade in (wiping out all data, signing out of icloud, etc.), go to the store and trade in & purchase new phone, then go home and set up my new device?

I feel like I'm over thinking this because it can't possibly be this complicated. I just want to make sure that I don't lose anything in the transition.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I do a backup to iTunes and the cloud first, and after the upgrade I go home from the Apple store with my new phone and restore from my iTunes backup.

It's faster via iTunes and uses less wifi bandwidth, since your music and movies go back on to the iPhone via USB. Newer iOS versions and iTunes 12.7.x will still restore the apps via WiFi after restoring a backup.

Both restore methods should include all your app data, including iMessages or call logs or Camera Roll if you aren't using iCloud photo library; but with any restore you'll still download via WiFi or LTE all of your iCloud data, iCloud photo library, and email, regardless of whether you restore from the cloud or from iTunes.

And not all of your media is restored from the iCloud backup - you still have to sync when the cloud restore is done to finish. By restoring from iTunes I immediately get the higher res music that I ripped from CD or bought in 24/96 res, and not the 256K versions that were uploaded to iTunes match. I also get my ripped DVD movies re-installed via iTunes, and not just my movie purchased via the iTunes store reinstalled back onto the phone.

In the past, even if all your music was 256K iTunes Plus, when you restored via the cloud it only downloaded 128K versions instead of the 256K version that you had in iTunes. I think that changed, but back then I hated how my phone was full of 128K versions instead of the higher res.

I only use the iCloud backup to restore in case of emergency, as that restore still requires you to sync with iTunes to get the rest of your media back on, but only after it restores everything else from the cloud.

 

[newellj]

I do a backup to iTunes and the cloud first, and after the upgrade I go home from the Apple store with my new phone and restore from my iTunes backup.

It's faster via iTunes and uses less wifi bandwidth, since your music and movies go back on to the iPhone via USB. Newer iOS versions and iTunes 12.7.x will still restore the apps via WiFi after restoring a backup.

Both restore methods should include all your app data, including iMessages or call logs or Camera Roll if you aren't using iCloud photo library; but with any restore you'll still download via WiFi or LTE all of your iCloud data, iCloud photo library, and email, regardless of whether you restore from the cloud or from iTunes.

And not all of your media is restored from the iCloud backup - you still have to sync when the cloud restore is done to finish. By restoring from iTunes I immediately get the higher res music that I ripped from CD or bought in 24/96 res, and not the 256K versions that were uploaded to iTunes match. I also get my ripped DVD movies re-installed via iTunes, and not just my movie purchased via the iTunes store reinstalled back onto the phone.

In the past, even if all your music was 256K iTunes Plus, when you restored via the cloud it only downloaded 128K versions instead of the 256K version that you had in iTunes. I think that changed, but back then I hated how my phone was full of 128K versions instead of the higher res.

I only use the iCloud backup to restore in case of emergency, as that restore still requires you to sync with iTunes to get the rest of your media back on, but only after it restores everything else from the cloud.

All good advice (and what I do). I'd add a suggestion to encrypt the backups. Not for security, but for the reasons explained in this Apple KB article:

When you encrypt your backups in iTunes
The Encrypt backup feature in iTunes locks and encodes your information. Encrypted iTunes backups can include information that unencrypted iTunes backups don't:

• Your saved passwords
• Wi-Fi settings
• Website history
• Health data

iTunes doesn't encrypt your backups by default. To encrypt a backup in iTunes for the first time, you need to turn on the password-protected Encrypt backup option. Then, iTunes automatically makes encrypted backups for that device from then on.​

 

[Newtons Apple]

I always use a current encrypted backup from iTunes. Much faster and more complete than using the cloud.

 

[newellj]

I always use a current encrypted backup from iTunes. Much faster and more complete than using the cloud.

Yeah, I agree...so...help me out here. On the few occasions when I've restored an encrypted backup from iCloud, it does not seem to include all of the data mentioned in the snip from Apple quoted in my post above. The most recent one, as an example, did not restore my health data. Fortunately, the old phone was still here and I realized the problem immediately and did another restore, this time from iTunes. But in theory, if I understand what Apple is telling us, there should not be a difference. Comments? Am I missing something?

 

[Newtons Apple]

Yeah, I agree...so...help me out here. On the few occasions when I've restored an encrypted backup from iCloud, it does not seem to include all of the data mentioned in the snip from Apple quoted in my post above. The most recent one, as an example, did not restore my health data. Fortunately, the old phone was still here and I realized the problem immediately and did another restore, this time from iTunes. But in theory, if I understand what Apple is telling us, there should not be a difference. Comments? Am I missing something?

For health data the backup must be encrypted, but Apple says the cloud is encrypted so you should not be having this problem unless it take a longer time to update this data from the cloud. Maybe it will repopulate the data the next day?

I have never depended on just the cloud but use it automatically and do a weekly back up in iTunes just for the insurance. I like using iTunes as everything is moved in just a few minutes.

 

[DNichter]

Backup to iTunes, then get your new phone and plug it in and restore.

 

[joeblow7777]

I do an encrypted iTunes backup and restore. It seems to transfer everything.

 

[brgjoe]

Has anyone done the iOS 11 transfer method? If so, does each phone have to have the *exact* same iOS?

That is, say my iPhone is running 11.2.1, does the new iPhone also have to be upgraded to 11.2.1 also to be able to use that transfer method?

Sounds like though the iTunes method is the simplest and most complete however..

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

Yes, I should have mentioned that all my iTunes backups are encrypted AND DON’T FORGET YOU PASSWORD!
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Has anyone done the iOS 11 transfer method? If so, does each phone have to have the *exact* same iOS?

That is, say my iPhone is running 11.2.1, does the new iPhone also have to be upgraded to 11.2.1 also to be able to use that transfer method?

Sounds like though the iTunes method is the simplest and most complete however..

An older iOS backup can go into a newer iOS device. But the new device can’t be in a lower version of iOS.

This sucks because if you downgrade while Apple is still signing the old firmware you have to make sure one of your backups is from the previous iOS to restore it.

 

[newellj]

Has anyone done the iOS 11 transfer method? If so, does each phone have to have the *exact* same iOS?

That is, say my iPhone is running 11.2.1, does the new iPhone also have to be upgraded to 11.2.1 also to be able to use that transfer method?

Sounds like though the iTunes method is the simplest and most complete however..

You can go "up" but not "down." I didn't pay much attention to having old and new devices on the same version of iOS in years past, but since I got an Apple Watch and my health and activity data has become more important, I've decided I'm safer if both are on the same version. Reason: if for some reason something goes wrong, I may need to go back to the "old" iPhone. In that case, they *will* need to be on the same iOS version.

Something to think about.