iPhone 12 Pro iPhone Setup as new Option with an Apple Watch

[iAdamator]

I am considering setting my phone up as new for a change. I was wondering if there is any real benefit to it? I admit I have been restoring from a back up for quite a few years. Thought it might be different to try to setup as new then restore the apps I want.

But even setting up as new, you still get quite a few things synced via iCloud right? Messages, photos, reminders, notes, all that stuff?

I was also wondering about The Apple Watch. If I setup the phone as new, am I forced to set the watch up as new too? If not, how does my Watch Backup get onto the new phone so I can then pair it and restore my watch from the back up?

Thanks

 

[RabidMacFan]

In Settings > Apple ID > iCloud, there are switches for different apps that sync with iCloud. "Watch" is one of those apps. Don't take my word for it, but when it is on, I think it will save your Apple Watch backups from your old phone.

 

[ScottC7]

I got a Series 6 a few weeks ago and paired it with my iPhone 11 Pro. Today I received the 12 Pro and set it up as new (I do that every time I get an iPhone; it’s kind of “Spring cleaning” for my technology). Without really thinking about it, I did an iCloud backup of the 11 Pro and then did “Erase all content and settings” before unpairing the Apple Watch.

For the life of me, I could not re-pair the Watch with the 12 Pro without first wiping the Watch and starting all over. However, it does appear to have restored all of the data from the Watch (fitness/health info, workouts, badges). Although it was a little frustrating to reconfigure the watch, I wasn’t too upset since I didn’t lose anything. I‘m in the middle of one of the fitness challenges with my wife, and it even brought that info back!

I do not know if there is a way to pair the watch with a new phone, while setting up the phone as new, without going through what I did, but I’ll know there are forum members who are way smarter than me about this stuff who may know.

 

[iAdamator]

I appreciate you sharing that. I’m sorry you had that trouble though!

 

[ScottC7]

I appreciate you sharing that. I’m sorry you had that trouble though!

Thanks and no worries! I was just happy to have retained all of my data!