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Tekzilla

macrumors 6502
Oct 14, 2011
284
83
Shoreham, NY
Is there any proven benefit to starting fresh as opposed to restoring?

My 6 plus has gotten a little slow lately and I wonder if thats because I have too much stuff on it and if it will also slow down the 7 Plus?
 

Newtons Apple

Suspended
Mar 12, 2014
22,757
15,253
Jacksonville, Florida
Crap & garbage = all the hidden system files, settings, app preferences, caches etc, that I don't want on a new device

I always like to start with a fresh build.

And it is your choice to do so. I choose not as I have never had a problem.

People have choice, let them make it.
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Is there any proven benefit to starting fresh as opposed to restoring?

My 6 plus has gotten a little slow lately and I wonder if thats because I have too much stuff on it and if it will also slow down the 7 Plus?

No one has provided proof either way.
 

andyp350

macrumors 6502a
Aug 14, 2011
807
460
Enough stuff is stored/synced with iCloud now that I can do a clean install without losing anything I really care about. Text message history is the only biggy but I can live with that. So it's fresh start for me.
 

kevink2

macrumors 68000
Nov 2, 2008
1,842
294
I haven't had any issues with restores, I have thousands of pictures of my kids from now going back 5 years, moving up to the 128 to capture even more..

And you don't transfer it to a computer? What happens if the phone is lost or damaged?
 
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big samm

macrumors 68000
Oct 27, 2008
1,508
341
Nope fresh install on every iphone,!most of the important thing are on iCloud except for my text messages.
 

lsutigerfan1976

macrumors 68030
Sep 14, 2012
2,751
1,734
I am. If iCloud could somehow transfer my text messages from the cloud I would just restore from iCloud. But since I can't figure out how to do that, I'll just use iTunes. May take some time doing it that way, but this way I know everything will transfer.
 

Steve.P.JobsFan

macrumors 65816
Jan 27, 2010
1,010
613
Columbus
Clean fresh installs does not apply to iOS and are pointless. Most people when having issues with the OS they cannot delete iOS and reinstall like you can OSX.

So, what does putting your iPhone into DFU mode and flashing an IPSW do to it?

A clean install... o_O


On-topic response: Restoring from backup. There won't be any "junk" in my backups because I moved all of my stuff (photo library, etc.) into iCloud. So my iCloud Backups are literally just my apps, app data, messages, health data, system settings and Watch settings. That's it.
 

joeblow7777

macrumors 604
Sep 7, 2010
7,017
8,609
I'm (probably) not getting a 7 but if I was I would restore from an iTunes backup. I always have for as long as I've been using iOS devices. I want my new device to pick up right where my old one left off. I've never had any problems with this.
 
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iSocialista

macrumors member
Sep 4, 2013
90
52
The thought of a fresh install is giving me hives. I've restored from backup since my 3G and will continue to do so.
 

perkedel

macrumors 6502a
Dec 30, 2014
534
203
California
I'll do restore from back up then just reset all settings. I need my activity data/message history. Not important to some, but it is to me.
I was doing support for someone that had 4s, do full backup and restore it to a new 6. It works fine.
 

applefanboy4

macrumors regular
Apr 9, 2015
143
58
If I did clean install, would everything but stuff connected to iCloud be lost? What is not connected to iCloud?
 

perkedel

macrumors 6502a
Dec 30, 2014
534
203
California
Starting fresh avoids the dreaded "other." I just did this the other day on my 6 and recovered 3 GBs in storage space even after I had deleted texts and other things.

I used to do clean/refresh install after a few months. This is because of the "Other" and when I had 16GB iPhones.
Those "Other" always come back over time, no way of getting rid of it completely after I started syncing my music files and using iMessage.

Now, I'm just like, screw it, I got 128GB iphone now, and a new 256GB iPhone!
 

rui no onna

Contributor
Oct 25, 2013
14,377
12,325
Restore from backup as always. I'm still using the same backup that's been carried over since the original iPhone. I have my icons and apps arranged exactly how I want them and it would be really annoying trying to do that from scratch. That said, I usually take the time to delete unused apps, etc, before I backup my old device for restore on the new one. :p
 

DanGoh

macrumors 6502
Apr 6, 2014
366
506
Fresh install makes the phone feel new. I just use iCloud to sync contacts, notes, and photos.
 

Nikos

macrumors 68000
Nov 20, 2008
1,641
291
New York
I want to set it up as a new iPhone, but also want to keep health/activity data. I know there's third party software to accomplish it, but that will also feel like I'm tainting it.
 

Ledsteplin

macrumors 65816
Oct 23, 2013
1,107
688
Florence, AL
Is there any proven benefit to starting fresh as opposed to restoring?

My 6 plus has gotten a little slow lately and I wonder if thats because I have too much stuff on it and if it will also slow down the 7 Plus?
Proven benefit? Not unless there's issues with the back up. Some just like to start with a fresh copy, regardless of the back up condition. Last year I set up my new iPhone 6s Plus with the back up of my iPhone 5. I had several issues. After 3 days, I restored as new, and it made a world of difference. I say set up a new phone with a back up. Then if there are problems you can restore as new. Going as new is a PITA. But I'll do it again if neccessary.
 
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