Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
iPhone 5 or earlier Restoring backup to iPhone 5S
- Thread starter BigDO
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
You don't answer the question properly.
You can use the backup made on a given iOS version on another device only if the device use to run the backup has same or newer iOS versions compared to backup. Sadly, you cannot go the other way and since iPhone 5S can't run iOS 14 it can't use the backup.
Excuse me, but I most certainly did answer it correctly! He cannot restore from his backup because it’s on iOS 14. Therefore he has to set his iPhone 5s up as new.
No. He obviously knows that the 5S is not compatible with iOS 14.
The question was is it possible to use a backup made on a iOS 14 device and make it usable on an older iOS. It is slighlty different.
Maybe one day iOS backups could have sort a backward compatibilty or at least on main data (photo, contacts etc.). I don't think so tbh, but who knows.
It's a different topic than just running the same iOS.
You don't need a backup for that. iCloud sync can restore a bunch of stuff (contacts, photos, passwords/keychain, Safari bookmarks, etc).
Very good point but some people don't have an iCloud subscription and do it with manual transfer with a computer/iTunes (old school method but viable for those who don't want to pay iCloud or cloud storage services). In this case the backup is saved locally in the computer.
Only issue there is photos/videos. Contacts, bookmarks, etc. are small enough to fit in the 5GB free iCloud. Wasn't iTunes sync (or whatever is the Mac equivalent) an option for Photos?
Just stop. I answered his question. It’s completely black and white. He has NO choice but to set up as new. Whether there is compatibility or not is irrelevant.
The question was not about running iOS 14 on 5S.
The question was whether it's possible to run a backup made on iOS 14 on an older iOS version.
Seems like the implication was that if the device isn't able to run a particular version then it can't use the backup from that version. Perhaps not every aspect/detail of that spelled out, but the idea is certainly there and the end result that things would need to be set up without the backup was also given. Seems like things are down to splitting hairs at this point and all the needed information is already provided.
Well, that is not entirely true. The info.plist file in your backup has a "ProductVersion" this is where the check is performed to see OS level. Now, would I do this, probably not. But technically can be done and if the OP is in a situation which shouldn't last long, why not try it?