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I've never done a fresh install on any of my iPhones...never had any issues either. A fresh install may be beneficial to those who are having issues.
 
I'm kind of a neat freak who just likes setting things up from scratch so I tend to do clean installs regardless of any supposed merits.

But one benefit I do find is a clean install forces me to comb through all the options to set up the device as I want it. I think this gives me a better understanding of what is new or has changed between major releases.
 
I find downloading an IPSW and installing it over your existing setup the least intrusive and time-consuming. Takes about 10 minutes, depending on your internet speed and device and you do not have to fiddle with restoring any settings, as everything is kept intact.
 
DFU should be used if there is an issue with booting/bootloader. You can update normally or use recovery mode which will both grab the latest IPSW using Finder or iTunes.
 
DFU should be used if there is an issue with booting/bootloader. You can update normally or use recovery mode which will both grab the latest IPSW using Finder or iTunes.
Yeah. DFU has always been my go to for some reason, although don’t think I’ve done a clean install for MANY years!

Rare I have an iPhone longer than a couple of years before I upgrade.
 
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