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wolfpackfan

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 10, 2007
1,549
16
Cary, NC
Okay, it's been a while since I've bought a new iPhone but plan on buying three of them next week (or whenever they start taking orders). How do you normally setup a new iPhone assuming you are using an old one? Do you set it up as a new phone or do you set it up and restore from a backup of your old phone. I just can't remember what I did last time.
 
I've always restored my new phone from a previous phones back up and never had any problems.
 
Restore from backup. That way all my messages/settings/apps/etc are restored onto the new phone exactly the way that I had them on my old phone.
 
I USED to set up as new for the reasons listed above, until one day and restored from back up and didnt see any issues.

Restoring from backup brings back all my photos, settings, text messages, game saves, app data.
 
OP back. I guess I'll just restore from backup. Sounds like it really doesn't create any issues and with having to setup three phones, it sure will be a lot easier. Thanks for everyone's input.
 
I always restore. This time I'd actually like to go the other route and just start from new. Except I have one single game that doesn't support any sort of backup. Most other games I wouldn't care, but I'd have to re-do all the levels, loose my achievements, etc. So I'll wait for them to add a backup option and setup as new somewhere down the line.
 
I was concerned about this as well.

Since firmware updates are available over wifi now I havn't plugged my iPhone into my computer in over a year! In fact, the computer that my phone was tied to now sits in the corner collecting dust while I use my newer laptop exclusively.

I've downloaded a fresh itunes on the new laptop and all and was wondering how I would be syncing this new phone (actually my wife AND mine). I use the cloud to back up everything possible so I guess it's as simple as turning the cloud on when I get the new phone, logging into iCloud and that should be it right?

I kind of want to start with a clean slate though but don't want to lose any of my pictures and more important things like that.

Hmmmm, what to do.:confused:
 
I like to setup as new.
I just copy over my contacts, apps,photos, music and videos and Im good.
I dont need to save or have available thousands of texts from years ago.

If you set up as new, how do you copy over the contacts, apps, photo, etc.?
You can easily sync contacts, music and photos easily. But apps... I have hundreds of apps. To set up as a new phone, means I will have to go through the list and pick which apps I want to keep on the phone and then rearrange them into their own folders again.

Or maybe there is a trick that I don't know?
 
If you set up as new, how do you copy over the contacts, apps, photo, etc.?
You can easily sync contacts, music and photos easily. But apps... I have hundreds of apps. To set up as a new phone, means I will have to go through the list and pick which apps I want to keep on the phone and then rearrange them into their own folders again.

Or maybe there is a trick that I don't know?

Yes I sync over everything.
I have about 5-6 pages of apps and will have to pick them and then arange them on itunes on the locations that I want and sync them.
Its not that bad.
 
I use my iCloud backup, it's easier to have my contacts re downloaded and everything put back into place then start over again.
 
I like to setup as new.
I just copy over my contacts, apps,photos, music and videos and Im good.
I dont need to save or have available thousands of texts from years ago.

Why don't you just delete your texts then rather than letting them accumalate and waiting for a new device to start fresh?
 
I always regard the purchase of a new iPhone (and iPad) as a chance to have a damned good clear out, so I have always setup as new...This time around though, with my ever increasing collection of apps / music etc. I may restore from a backup...Not sure how well that will work though as we also have IOS6 to add to the mix. Will probably wind up performing a clean setup anyway :)
 
Usuallyas a new phone, but this time I'll do it as a backup as I have some saved game data that I have taken months to accumulate and I dont want to lose it yet... I have a few more months of play before I get bored with the game lol
 
I restore from backup. I have a few text messages I try to hold on to, plus I have the settings customized how I like them and I don't want to change that all again.
 
I restore from backup. I've done it that way when migrating from a 3 to a 4 and then, this past April after my 4 died, to a 4s. It allows me to have copies of texts, etc fully available on my new device and minimizes the work required for contacts. photos, and apps PLUS their settings.
If none of those things are important to you, I guess you could set it up as new- but just remember you will have to manually load apps, redo settings, lose your prior texts and have to add photos and contacts manually.
 
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