User profile for user: lou-r
lou-r Author
User level: Level 1
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Best to wipe my iPhone 12 before giving to my 92 yr old mom?

My mom has an iPhone 7... pretty much only texts and calls with it, but is going blind and would like to use BE MY EYES app. Sadly, it won't load on her phone because IOS can't update to a high enough level to support app. I recently got a new 16, so thought I would give her my 12 ... hoping the IOS can be updated enough to support the app. Is it best just to wipe it clean before transferring it to her?

I also have 2 GB iCloud storage (shared with her) so she can have a backup. How do I get my old 12 to backup into "her portion" of iCloud? She should be backed up in iCloud now... can I use that backup to complete this transfer? If so, can I get details... I'm not the best with this stuff. :-(

iPhone 16 Pro, iOS 18

Posted on Feb 12, 2025 5:23 PM

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User profile for user: Zachyy
Zachyy
User level: Level 6
15,083 points

Posted on Feb 12, 2025 5:38 PM

You will want to wipe your old iPhone clean before giving it to her so she can properly set it up on her Apple Account. If you guys share iCloud Storage, there is no “her or your” portion of storage, it is shared. Yes you will be able to use her backup to complete the transfer.


First on your old iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Then Erase all Content and Settings. Then once your mother has backed up her iPhone to iCloud, in Settings > [her name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Backup Now, when she set’s up her new iPhone, tell her to restore from a backup.

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User profile for user: Zachyy
Zachyy
User level: Level 6
15,083 points

Feb 12, 2025 5:38 PM in response to lou-r

You will want to wipe your old iPhone clean before giving it to her so she can properly set it up on her Apple Account. If you guys share iCloud Storage, there is no “her or your” portion of storage, it is shared. Yes you will be able to use her backup to complete the transfer.


First on your old iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Then Erase all Content and Settings. Then once your mother has backed up her iPhone to iCloud, in Settings > [her name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Backup Now, when she set’s up her new iPhone, tell her to restore from a backup.

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User profile for user: Zachyy
Zachyy
User level: Level 6
15,083 points

Feb 12, 2025 9:21 PM in response to lou-r

lou-r wrote:

thank you! Excellent instructions! I understood our data was separate in the cloud, though... is that true? How does it know? maybe by device?

It is by person. Your data is separate in the iCloud, but you guys just share the storage space. If you go to Settings > [your name] > iCloud > Storage > Family Storage, you will see how much storage each person is using. Then within each person has their devices.

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Best to wipe my iPhone 12 before giving to my 92 yr old mom?

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