cant download cloud backup to new iphone

[Curjoe4]

I have a 4s with ios 6.0 and have a 9G backup in the cloud. I "drowned" my phone while on vacation and bought a new 7 with ios 10. The problem is that the 7 is "unable to be restored because of a problem with backup data"

I'm clearly not a technical person but thought the problem might be that there is too big of a version gap. The hope is that I can find a 4s with 6.0 and will be able to download the backup, update ios on the 4s, create a new backup and then be able to update the new phone. Apple store was not able to help.

Anyone encounter a similar problem or have suggestions? Much appreciated.

 

[WeatherMate]

You are unable to restore the backup in new iphone 7 because the version used in the new ios is older in iPhone 7 than the version of iOS that made the iCloud backup but you can fix the cloud backup issue.
Try these steps to fix this issue:

1. Connect your iPhone 7 to a computer running iTunes.
2. Put your iPhone 7 into DFU mode.
   
3. Restore your iPhone 7 using iTunes.
4. Restore from your iCloud backup

All you have to do is to update your iphone with the latest version of ios to solve the problem.

 

[C DM]

You are unable to restore the backup in new iphone 7 because the version used in the new ios is older in iPhone 7 than the version of iOS that made the iCloud backup but you can fix the cloud backup issue.
Try these steps to fix this issue:

1. Connect your iPhone 7 to a computer running iTunes.
2. Put your iPhone 7 into DFU mode.
   
3. Restore your iPhone 7 using iTunes.
4. Restore from your iCloud backup

All you have to do is to update your iphone with the latest version of ios to solve the problem.

Seems like the backup version is from iOS 6, while iPhone 7 would have iOS 10 on it, so it's already on a newer version.

 

[Curjoe4]

Seems like the backup version is from iOS 6, while iPhone 7 would have iOS 10 on it, so it's already on a newer version.

Thanks all for the help. I bought a "throwaway" 4 on line that had 6.0.1. With the 4 I was able to get my data from the cloud. I then downloaded to iTunes on my computer and uploaded from iTunes to new phone.
Icloud may be nice but the lesson for me is to back up phone periodically on iTunes.

Thanks again