Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

iCloud restoring doesn't work

Hi folks,


I got a new 6s days ago and was used for several days. However, I backup my phone around an hour and half ago and erase my phone right after the back up has finished. Therefore, I would like restore my phone by using the backup I just did, but it can't get start. It continuously says that "There was an error connecting to iCloud server." or got stuck on the screen "Restore from iCloud". First of all, I thought it was internet error so I restart my router and found that the internet was great to use. Second, I can't find any news or anything that related to iCloud server issue. Does there anyone who can help me?


By the way, I am outside of States until Jan,2016.


my device: iPhone 6s 64G

iOS version: 9.1


Best Regards,

Neal

iPhone 6s, iOS 9.1, null

Posted on Oct 26, 2015 1:29 AM

Reply
Question marked as Best reply

Posted on Jan 2, 2016 9:13 PM

Hello Neal,


I went through the same pain and found out that you cannot restore from an older iPhone to a new one using iCloud or iTunes. In this respect, iCloud is a one way trip in terms of data. iCloud allows you to backup but there is no way to restore. I know several people that are unable to restore from iCloud so I really don't know why Apple offers a service that doesn't work. The same applies to itunes backup and restore. It doesn't work! In other words, you lose your phone and you are hosed! The only data you can port from one device to another is contacts. But that should be done by a store technician. I did save all my photos from my iPhone 5 to my computer but the only way to get them back on my new iPhone 6 is to email them one at a time and then download and save the pics from your email application on your iphone.


You think that Apple, which supposed to make tech easy, would figure out something as porting photos (and other data) from one iPhone device to another easy. Apple makes great hardware and I'm hoping they figure out how to make good software someday too.

7 replies
Question marked as Best reply

Jan 2, 2016 9:13 PM in response to nealwei

Hello Neal,


I went through the same pain and found out that you cannot restore from an older iPhone to a new one using iCloud or iTunes. In this respect, iCloud is a one way trip in terms of data. iCloud allows you to backup but there is no way to restore. I know several people that are unable to restore from iCloud so I really don't know why Apple offers a service that doesn't work. The same applies to itunes backup and restore. It doesn't work! In other words, you lose your phone and you are hosed! The only data you can port from one device to another is contacts. But that should be done by a store technician. I did save all my photos from my iPhone 5 to my computer but the only way to get them back on my new iPhone 6 is to email them one at a time and then download and save the pics from your email application on your iphone.


You think that Apple, which supposed to make tech easy, would figure out something as porting photos (and other data) from one iPhone device to another easy. Apple makes great hardware and I'm hoping they figure out how to make good software someday too.

Jan 2, 2016 9:38 PM in response to jammer57

Restoring iCloud and iTunes backups from older devices to newer ones works perfectly well for hundreds of millions of users. If you can't, there is something wrong with what you're doing or with your iPhone. The complete lack of any useful information in your post makes it impossible to know which.


The only backups that can't be restored are those made with an new iOS to a device with an older version.


Likewise, photos are easily transferred to or viewable on other iOS devices and computers either by importing to a computer and syncing with iTunes or use of iCloud Photo Library. Your problem with this is the same as with restoring backups - you don't know what you're doing.


Likewise, your statement that "the only data you can port from one device to another is contacts" is incorrect. Contacts are transferred by syncing via iCloud, not direct transfer. There is no direct transfer of any data between iOS devices.

Your lack of useful or truthful information is typical for those posting in long extinct threads...

Jan 3, 2016 8:43 AM in response to modular747

Exactly, in your own words, "There is no direct transfer of any data between iOS devices." And that is the problem. Yes, hundreds of millions of users successfully backup their iphone to icloud but for those who upgrade to a new iphone, you are SOL. Here is the problem. icloud or itunes see's my new phone with new a OS and can't sync from my old iphone that to my new one. It is a flaw in the system. Data like music and photo's are not Operating Systems, they are files, MP3 and JPEP. I should be able to access those stored files and import them into my new brand new iphone 6 but, unfortunately, there is no path to do so. I suspect that iCloud wraps all these files in metadata slaved to the current OS. Any files saved by a earlier OS appear not to be accessible.

I am a data tech and I routinely copy, backup and modify media files all the time. If I don't know what I'm doing then it's because Apple has failed to provide a workflow that I can actually execute on my devices. That's because, Apple requires every device to has the same OS and again, if you backup with an older OS, that backup won't work on a device with a newer OS. It's a major flaw with iCloud and the entire Apple ecosystem.

Jan 3, 2016 3:19 PM in response to modular747

Modular, I think there is some confusion here. To be clear, I an unable to restore my new iPhone 6 from my old 5C. I backed up my 5C both in iCloud and iTunes. With respect to iTunes, when I plugged in my new 6, I had to update iTunes. The apparently update killed my 5C backup. It is gone. The tech at the store that I bought my iphone 6 told me that this was a common problem upgrading to a new phone. An Apple tech also told me the same so appearently it isn't just me.


As for iCloud, my new 6 won't sync up with it. I followed the instructions and did everything I was told to. As if turns out, I an Apple Support tech told me in a roundabout way that I cannot completely restore the system on an new phone from an older one. Yes, many of the settings came through but it would have been really cool if my photos and music were preserved too! At any rate what I inferred from my conversation with Apple is that, in some cases, you can only restore an Apple device from a backup made from the same device.


Moving on, the latest version of iTunes does not have a Sync Contacts option. ***!? No matter, from my experience, iTunes is unreliable when it comes to properly synchronizing contacts. For example, it randomly duplicates the same contacts on my iPhone but does not add them to Contacts on my Mac. in other words, the sum check is faulty so backing up contacts on iTunes (and probably) iCloud is a risky proposition. In this regard, when I create a new contact either on my iPhone or my Mac, I email the VCF file and download to add to whatever machine. Yes, this is a clunky way to backup but it's the only reliable method I know of.


Back to the Apple tech, they suggested as workaround, to use Google Drive for photos and music. Again, I inferred that this was because iCloud is unreliable in this regard. I don't know if you ever seamlessly upgraded from one iphone to another via iCloud or iTunes. If so, good for you. If iCloud and or iTunes fails for me, I could care less about how it works for others. It is a binary thing for me. Either it works or it doesn't' work.

Jan 3, 2016 4:12 PM in response to jammer57

The apparently update killed my 5C backup. The tech at the store that I bought my iphone 6 told me that this was a common problem upgrading to a new phone. An Apple tech also told me the same so appearently it isn't just me.

False. Rare at most. Quoting anonymous techs is meaningless. Many "techs" tell you that your problem is "common", rather than incompetence as a customer relations technique.

At any rate what I inferred from my conversation with Apple is that, in some cases, you can only restore an Apple device from a backup made from the same device.

You inferred wrong: iPhone: Transferring information from your current iPhone to a new iPhone

Moving on, the latest version of iTunes does not have a Sync Contacts option. ***!?

Huh?? On the Info page of your device, Sync Contacts is right at the top!!

Back to the Apple tech, they suggested as workaround, to use Google Drive for photos and music. Again, I inferred that this was because iCloud is unreliable in this regard.

Hard to believe any Apple tech would recommend Google Drive for anything. iCloud has been perfectly reliable for me and everyone I deal with.

I don't know if you ever seamlessly upgraded from one iphone to another via iCloud or iTunes. If so, good for you.

It certainly has, 7 times (3G>3GS, 3GS>4, 4>4s, 4s>5, 5>5s, 5s>6 Plus, 6 Plus>6s Plus.) Same story for my wife, daughters, friends, and colleagues.

I could care less about how it works for others. It is a binary thing for me. Either it works or it doesn't' work.

The rest of us do when you use those flawed personal perceptions to make sweeping generalizations and accusations about the design that works perfectly for hundreds of millions of other users.

iCloud restoring doesn't work

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.