What will I lose if I DON'T restore from iCloud everything that was on my iPhone 4 to my new 5s?

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Level 1

3 points

What will I lose if I DON'T restore from iCloud everything that was on my iPhone 4 to my new 5s?

I've just bought the 5s - have had a 4 since March 2011.

I've been told that there's the odd risk of bringing any bugs that may be on my 4 to my 5s if I "restore previous backup from iCloud" (or whatever it's called) when I turn on my 5s for the first time.

Things I'd like on my 5S that I have on my 4:

Apps, photos, music (though I have iTunes Match so not worried about this so much), notes, calendars (all on iCloud). That's about it I think, off the top of my head.

I'm not worried about having my texts from my 4 to my 5s as I'm not getting rid of the 4.

So four questions:

1. Are there risks of bringing bugs onto my 5s by restoring from iCloud backup?

2. What WILL port over if I set up the 5s as a new phone then just sign in to iCloud?

3. What will I NOT have on my 5s that I had on my 4 if I set the 5S up as a new phone?

4. If I set the 5S up as a new phone then decide I do want whatever is on the 4 can I "restore previous backup from iCloud" at a later date or is it a one chance only thing?

Thanks!

iPhone 5s, iOS 7.0.2

Posted on Sep 27, 2013 12:21 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Michael Black

Level 10

80,418 points

Sep 27, 2013 12:27 PM in response to Toby10

Since the introduction of the first iPhone, the normal method of setting up a new iOS device has been to restore from a backup of the previous iOS device.

Whomever told you that you will introduce "bugs" apparently does not know iOS very well.

Was your iPhone 4 functioning satisfactorily when you last had it? If so, what "bugs" do you think you had?

The backup does nothing to the firmware or iOS - a backup only contains data, not apps, not iOS.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4946

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Answer 2

wjosten

Level 10

95,345 points

Sep 27, 2013 12:39 PM in response to Toby10

If you setup as new, rather than restore from backup, you will lose the following data:

Application settings, preferences, and data, including documents.
App Store Application data including in-app purchases
Autofill for webpages.
Call history.
Keychain
Location service preferences
Map bookmarks, recent searches, and the current location displayed in Maps.
Network settings (saved Wi-Fi hotspots, VPN settings, network preferences).
Nike + iPod saved workouts and settings.
Offline web application cache/database.
Paired Bluetooth devices
Safari bookmarks, cookies, history, offline data, and currently open pages.
Saved suggestion corrections
Messages
Trusted hosts that have certificates that cannot be verified.
Voice memos.
Voicemail token.
Wallpapers.
Web clips.
YouTube bookmarks and history.

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Answer 3

Axeman1020

Level 6

15,132 points

Sep 27, 2013 12:25 PM in response to Toby10

Signing in to iCloud and iTunes store will get you most of what you are looking to get.

The only issue would be the photos in your Camera Roll but those you canb transfer to your computer from the iPhone 4s. You will lose any remembered network settings and your Home Screen layout too.

You can still restore from your iPhone 4s backup if you set up as a new devices and find it doesn't work for you.

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