Resolved Clean install new iPhone and Apple Watch

[Pandyone]

I’m thinking of doing a clean install when my iPhone 16 Pro arrives and not transfer or download a backup from my current phone.
This is mostly to clean up apps and the data I’m not using. Also it can be fun to explore new settings again 😊

I know it will take time to reinstall everything and so on, but most things are in icloud or other clouds.

Does anyone have any experience with this, and also know how it works regarding Apple Watch to the old iPhone?

Will the Watch need a reset also before connecting to new iPhone?

Is there anything else to know about doing a clean install?

Otherwise it should just set up manually and log in to iCloud?

 

[chabig]

Doing what you suggest will work fine, but it's a lot of work for not much benefit. If you just want to clean up apps you're not using, simply delete them. Here is what to do:

1. Set up the phone without transferring from the old. Manually sign in to iCloud.
2. Manually install all apps.
3. Manually rearrange your home screens to match the old
4. I think you'll have to manually re-pair your watch to the new phone.
5. Wait...while iCloud resynchronizes all of your cloud data (could take a few days).
6. You will probably have to manually sign in again to all apps that require accounts.

It will work. I don't think it's worth the effort, especially if you're not having problems now.

 

[Pandyone]

It will work. I don't think it's worth the effort, especially if you're not having problems now.

Thank you for the reply. I don’t really have any problems. It’s just I’m thinking there are old junk app data left from older phones.
It would be fun with the new iPhone experience also, instead of unlocking the new one and everything looks and are set up exactly the same as last one. It’s hard to know tell what’s new but I guess I could check a walkthrough on YouTube for that.

I will consider my choice, and maybe just go through or reset the settings after the installation.

 

[cratterbury]

I always do this with every phone, and I sometimes reset my phone every so often to have that new and fresh feeling. Like you, I have nothing to lose as they are mostly just social apps and maybe games I’ve tried. Everything is backed up on the cloud so I don’t see any issue - as long as my photos and contacts are saved, I don’t care much for anything else on my phone

 

[Pandyone]

I always do this with every phone, and I sometimes reset my phone every so often to have that new and fresh feeling. Like you, I have nothing to lose as they are mostly just social apps and maybe games I’ve tried. Everything is backed up on the cloud so I don’t see any issue - as long as my photos and contacts are saved, I don’t care much for anything else on my phone

Okay, yeah most things are backed up and I will in such case have the old phone to make sure everything works.

Does it usually take days to cache Photos and such (I have a huge library with photos)?
Do you have an Apple Watch too, and is there any issues with than in such case?

 

[cratterbury]

Okay, yeah most things are backed up and I will in such case have the old phone to make sure everything works.

Does it usually take days to cache Photos and such (I have a huge library with photos)?
Do you have an Apple Watch too, and is there any issues with than in such case?

I have optimise storage on so nah it doesn’t take long at all. I have nearly 49,000 items in photos too.

And yeah I have an Apple Watch and no doesn’t affect anything either. You do have to also reset it to set it up again and add the apps back but again everything I need is on the cloud such as fitness goals and current progress etc.

 

[Pandyone]

I have optimise storage on so nah it doesn’t take long at all. I have nearly 49,000 items in photos too.

And yeah I have an Apple Watch and no doesn’t affect anything either. You do have to also reset it to set it up again and add the apps back but again everything I need is on the cloud such as fitness goals and current progress etc.

That is pretty much as much as I have so good to know that it shouldn't take that long.
Yes I figured that the watch needed reset be reset too. But it might actually be a good time to do it anyway after 4 years haha.
A few years back health data and some things were not backed up in iCloud, so I guess I'm just anxious something will go missing or go wrong.

 

[cratterbury]

That is pretty much as much as I have so good to know that it shouldn't take that long.
Yes I figured that the watch needed reset be reset too. But it might actually be a good time to do it anyway after 4 years haha.
A few years back health data and some things were not backed up in iCloud, so I guess I'm just anxious something will go missing or go wrong.

Yeah I remember back then you would lose all your stats for that day etc, however last time I reset everything was back within a few minutes of resetting and syncing.

 

[ubinko]

Thank you for the reply. I don’t really have any problems. It’s just I’m thinking there are old junk app data left from older phones.
It would be fun with the new iPhone experience also, instead of unlocking the new one and everything looks and are set up exactly the same as last one. It’s hard to know tell what’s new but I guess I could check a walkthrough on YouTube for that.

I will consider my choice, and maybe just go through or reset the settings after the installation.

Yea I do this too. I want my new phone to be optimal without any extra unnecessary junk files lying around. I do wonder how much of a pain in the a$$ it's going to be this time though, with my bank apps, etc that login with face ID.

 

[Pandyone]

I do wonder how much of a pain in the a$$ it's going to be this time though, with my bank apps, etc that login with face ID.

Yes, this part is not what I’m looking forward to if I go the clean install way.
Banking apps is good with their security I guess haha. Most other apps should be fine.

 

[Pandyone]

Thanks for the replies in this thread
I did a clean install and have pretty much everything back that I actually want.
Took some time to set it up on new iPhone, and the Watch feels snappier after a reset.

 

[ubinko]

Thanks for the replies in this thread
I did a clean install and have pretty much everything back that I actually want.
Took some time to set it up on new iPhone, and the Watch feels snappier after a reset.

Me too.