Upgrading from S3 to S9-questions about set-up

[cuestakid]

I am upgrading from a Series 3 so I have basically missed out on everything in the last two plus years WatchOS wise (I have an iPhone 13). Is there any reason not to start fresh on the new watch? I dont have Apple Pay set-up on the watch and while I am getting the cellular model I am activating the cell part for now. I do care about the health data and maybe a couple of apps but beyond that I am open to starting clean and trying out the new features I haven’t been able to use for a while.

 

[Bigwaff]

When I upgraded from a S3 to an S7 I restored from a backup and it was easy.

 

[jz0309]

I am upgrading from a Series 3 so I have basically missed out on everything in the last two plus years WatchOS wise (I have an iPhone 13). Is there any reason not to start fresh on the new watch? I dont have Apple Pay set-up on the watch and while I am getting the cellular model I am activating the cell part for now. I do care about the health data and maybe a couple of apps but beyond that I am open to starting clean and trying out the new features I haven’t been able to use for a while.

I always setup my AWs as new, the health data is backed up to iCloud unless you specifically turned that off.
Setting up all your CCs in apple pay is a bit of a hassle as you have to add them again ...

 

[cuestakid]

I always setup my AWs as new, the health data is backed up to iCloud unless you specifically turned that off.
Setting up all your CCs in apple pay is a bit of a hassle as you have to add them again ...

is there a way to determine how big a watch backup is vs a phone/ipad backup? I will assume it is all counted under backups in iCloud. I ask because even when I did one for the first many years ago the setup process took a long time-not sure why so I am trying to see if I can reduce that wait time.

 

[jz0309]

is there a way to determine how big a watch backup is vs a phone/ipad backup? I will assume it is all counted under backups in iCloud. I ask because even when I did one for the first many years ago the setup process took a long time-not sure why so I am trying to see if I can reduce that wait time.

AW is only “backed up” by unpairing it from your phone, that backup includes your settings etc. and it’s on your phone.
Health data is synced with iCloud daily

 

[jz0309]

here it is explained:

Back up your Apple Watch - Apple Support

Learn how your Apple Watch data is backed up and what the backup includes.

support.apple.com

 

[cuestakid]

AW is only “backed up” by unpairing it from your phone, that backup includes your settings etc. and it’s on your phone.
Health data is synced with iCloud daily

Thank you. I was not aware of this.

 

[Saturn007]

Health data is synced with iCloud daily

That has to have been turned on first, right?! Which can only be done on your iPhone, also, no?!

We sync our health data with our iPhones locally, without involving iCloud.

 

[jz0309]

That has to have been turned on first, right?! Which can only be done on your iPhone, also, no?!

We sync our health data with our iPhones locally, without involving iCloud.

I believe that is turned on by default, so need to be turned off. but honestly it's a long time ago ...
yes, health data gets sync'd with iPhone, you can see it in the Health app.
I have iCloud sync'ing on.y turned on for health, keychain and Notes I think, my recommendation is to turn it on for Health ... I'm using just over 500MB of iCloud data, so I'll continue the "free" ride for a long time