Matteo G.

Q: Changing iPhone, backup and icloud

Hi to all,i will soon change my iPhone, and i want to backup only some content like messages and photos, no applications or settings, to put them in the new phone. Also i don't understand very well some option in icloud in my phone.

 

1. What is the different between the Safari option in iCloud and the other one situated in icloud drive? Also what content the other application downloaded from the store synchronize in icloud drive if the option is enabled? This is something i never understand

 

2. To backup my photos and my messages to put them in the new iphone, i have to do a complete backup using iTunes or icloud, or there is a way to backup only the 2 things? Or eventually do a complete backup and then restore only photos and messages, but i don't know if there is an option to do that. For the photos i'm thinking on activate ''icloud photo library'' and then re-download them on my new iphone, but for messages?

 

3. Now i have ios 9.3.1 on my iPhone 5, i will unable to restore the backup if the new iphone has ios 9.3.2?

 

Thank you very much!

 

Matteo

iPhone 5, iOS 9.3.1

Posted on Jun 21, 2016 10:07 AM

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Q: Changing iPhone, backup and icloud

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  • Helpful answers

  • by mabaeyens,Helpful

    mabaeyens mabaeyens Jun 21, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Matteo G.
    Level 4 (1,986 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 21, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Matteo G.

    Hi Matteo,

     

    1.- You don't need so backup safari data at all. If you are using Keychain your passwords will be there anyways, if you are not, having Safari clean in a new device could be a good idea. iCloud Drive is another app you can use to store whatever data you want, while iCloud settings in app use their own space you can see in Settings > General > Software & iCloud Usage.

    More on that

    How to back up your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch - Apple Support

    iCloud: iCloud storage and backup overview

    iCloud Drive FAQ - Apple Support

     

    2.- When you backup, you cannot backup a few apps or items, you backup your entire device or nothing. If you have space available, use iCloud Music Library and iCloud Photo Library, so all your media goes there. Anyway, there is no harm in doing a full backup locally in your computer using iTunes, you can remove it once you have restored your device and will be likely faster to restore.

    More on that

    iCloud Photo Library FAQ - Apple Support

    Get help with your iCloud Photo Library - Apple Support

    Sync Apple Music across your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch and computer - Apple Support

     

    3.- You will be able to restore your files. Files and OS go in separate ways, and if your device is new it will prompt to upgrade as soon as you plug it in to your computer, but you will be able to get all your files, pictures and movies there.

     

    Enjoy your new device!

  • by Matteo G.,

    Matteo G. Matteo G. Jun 21, 2016 1:28 PM in response to mabaeyens
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 21, 2016 1:28 PM in response to mabaeyens

    Hi mabaeyens, thank you for your fast reply. I will ask you some more question if i can

     

    1. So i could not activate the icloud safari option on the new device, but i think in that way it will not synchronize the favorites that are already stored on icloud, am i correct? So i think i have to enable it..

     

    2. So basically i want to restore content only by ''content'', like photos from library and favorites by safari icloud option ecc. to avoid the total backup and have a more ''clean'' phone, but you tell me that for messages the only way is to do this last option? Am i correct?

     

    3. I think i will do a complete backup and restore, if you tell me that an ios 9.3.1 backup can be restored with no problem on a device with ios 9.3.2.

     

    Thank you again

     

    Matteo

  • by mabaeyens,

    mabaeyens mabaeyens Jun 22, 2016 1:51 AM in response to Matteo G.
    Level 4 (1,986 points)
    Apple Watch
    Jun 22, 2016 1:51 AM in response to Matteo G.

    Matteo,

     

    1.- Turning on iCloud for all your apps like Safari, Mail, etc is always a good way of keeping them backed up and synced across your devices, and available on web via https://www.icloud.com

     

    2.- Whatever is in your iCloud Drive or iCloud Library (Photos, Music, Books, settings) are kept there even if you fully erase your device. When you turn them on on your new device, they will be synced and available again. It's not that much a restore rather than making sure you are using iCloud to store all your items. It's like if you store something in a Box, DropBox, Google Drive or any other such cloud service, it syncs meaning the contents are always there in the cloud.

     

    Turning on all iCloud settings means that everything will be stored there, so your device will sync whenever it needs to access that information.

     

    Backing up is always a good practice to make sure that if you remove a document, delete an album or remove a movie, you could still restore them. In the case of iTunes, music, apps and movies you purchased they will always be there for you, regardless whether or not you download them.

     

    I know it sounds confusing but think this way: syncing relates to something live you interact with (music you listen to, photos you show or edit, bookmarks you edit or create) while a backup is just a file you store there just in case, but you don't interact with it. Syncing is having all your info just in a different place, instead of locally in your device or computer.

     

    3.- Yes, it will work

     

    You're welcome!

  • by Matteo G.,

    Matteo G. Matteo G. Jun 22, 2016 5:58 AM in response to mabaeyens
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 22, 2016 5:58 AM in response to mabaeyens

    Thank you, i did it and everything went well! One more last thing.. i restore the itunes backup on the new iphone, but i realize later that the new iphone has a previous version of ios (9.3), but the backup was made from ios (9.3.1). Everything goes ok, but i have read somewhere that the backup can be restored only on newer version of ios and not in a device that has a previous version. I'm ok?

     

    Thank you!

  • by Lawrence Finch,

    Lawrence Finch Lawrence Finch Jun 22, 2016 6:49 AM in response to Matteo G.
    Level 8 (37,864 points)
    Mac OS X
    Jun 22, 2016 6:49 AM in response to Matteo G.

    You can only restore a backup made with one version of iOS to a device with the same version or a later version. You cannot restore a backup to a previous version.

  • by Matteo G.,

    Matteo G. Matteo G. Jun 23, 2016 2:32 AM in response to Lawrence Finch
    Level 1 (4 points)
    iPhone
    Jun 23, 2016 2:32 AM in response to Lawrence Finch

    Yes, but they actually let me do that. Don't know why. I think i'm ok, everythings work fine.