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Best way to start a new iPhone backup (contacts)

M

marddin

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 11, 2009
401
38
Usually when the new iPhone comes out I just restore to my previous backup from my old phone. I've been using this back since the iPhone 4 so I want to start over. So instead of restoring to an old backup I'm going to begin a new backup "out of the box". The one thing that I do need is my contacts. What's the best situation to transfer my contacts to my new phone? I don't mind setting up my phone again like apps,settings, etc.

Thanks!
Martin
 
You can sync your contacts with icloud. When you get your new phone, just set up your icloud account and all your contacts will magically appear.
 
If you have a Mac then you could use the Contacts application. Sync all your contacts from your current phone to Contacts on the Mac via iTunes, then when go the new phone set it up as new, and then sync your Mac contacts to the phone via iTunes.

If you don't have a Mac your stuck with a "cloud" service like iCloud or google.
 
Irock619 said:
False....any computer with iTunes installed can create a physical backup of your phone. This is how it was done before iCloud existed.
Click to expand...

A backup of just your contacts? Sounds like he wants to set it up as a new phone, not restore from backup.
 
macbd said:
Ok, I knew about that, but is that really as clean as setting up the phone as new and then getting the contacts onto the new phone after the fact? Otherwise he still is having to do a restore from backup when setting up his phone.
Click to expand...

IMO if you are not restoring apps and settings then it is considered setting up as new. Also IMO there is no reason to not restore from a full backup. iOS is pretty stable and trouble free on iOS devices. I have never had a problem with iOS, unlike OSX. Sometimes I do a clean install of OSX when new releases come out, but never with iOS.
 
Irock619 said:
IMO if you are not restoring apps and settings then it is considered setting up as new. Also IMO there is no reason to not restore from a full backup. iOS is pretty stable and trouble free on iOS devices. I have never had a problem with iOS, unlike OSX. Sometimes I do a clean install of OSX when new releases come out, but never with iOS.
Click to expand...

Actually there is a reason. While yes iOS is pretty stable, hopping from phone to phone which has different hardware will cause problems over time.

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macbd said:
If you have a Mac then you could use the Contacts application. Sync all your contacts from your current phone to Contacts on the Mac via iTunes, then when go the new phone set it up as new, and then sync your Mac contacts to the phone via iTunes.

If you don't have a Mac your stuck with a "cloud" service like iCloud or google.
Click to expand...

If I only turn on contact iCloud syncing, whenever I get my 5S can I JUST pull down the contacts from the cloud or will it bring the entire backup with it? Right now I have my iCloud set to only sync the contacts.
 
marddin said:
Actually there is a reason. While yes iOS is pretty stable, hopping from phone to phone which has different hardware will cause problems over time.
Click to expand...

Doing a fresh install of iOS has no effect on hardware. Either you have the proper hardware or not. Some people are saying that iOS 7 is very choppy and slow on an iPhone 4, this is due to hardware restrictions. A fresh install of iOS on an i4 will show no improvements.

If I only turn on contact iCloud syncing, whenever I get my 5S can I JUST pull down the contacts from the cloud or will it bring the entire backup with it? Right now I have my iCloud set to only sync the contacts.
Click to expand...

I think you just answered your own question. If icloud is only set up to sync contacts then why would icloud restore additional programs? :confused:
 
Irock619 said:
Doing a fresh install of iOS has no effect on hardware. Either you have the proper hardware or not. Some people are saying that iOS 7 is very choppy and slow on an iPhone 4, this is due to hardware restrictions. A fresh install of iOS on an i4 will show no improvements.

Incorrect.


I think you just answered your own question. If icloud is only set up to sync contacts then why would icloud restore additional programs? :confused:
Click to expand...

My question is, if I ONLY select Contacts is it truly only syncing contacts or does it bring over system data and other things like that. I want to start fresh from the beginning so if it just loads my contacts and no other system data then great. But that is my question.
 
marddin said:
My question is, if I ONLY select Contacts is it truly only syncing contacts or does it bring over system data and other things like that. I want to start fresh from the beginning so if it just loads my contacts and no other system data then great. But that is my question.
Click to expand...


I'm pretty sure it will be contact info only. You are setting the phone up as a new phone, so that is "starting fresh". The only thing cleaner would be to hand enter them. :)

I would think syncing and restoring from a backup would be two completely different things.
 
macbd said:
I'm pretty sure it will be contact info only. You are setting the phone up as a new phone, so that is "starting fresh". The only thing cleaner would be to hand enter them. :)

I would think syncing and restoring from a backup would be two completely different things.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comments. Makes sense. If it brings over more than contacts I will try one of those apps (My Contacts Backup) where it creates them as a vCard file and then you can add them all in one quick process.

Thanks for your help!
 
Between Gmail and iCloud all my contacts get restored including display pictures. Physical backups are great and I always recommend having them but when cloud services work this easy then its just so simple.
 
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