New iPhone - what is a clean install?

[gigatoaster]

Hello there

I will receive on Monday my new iPhone 15 Pro. I currently own an 11 Pro.

I’d like to do a clean install but in practical terms, what is it?

I just want to keep my iMessages & WhatsApp conversation and my Notes.

Do I just need to setup as new and add my AppleID?

Why would you recommend a clean install instead of a data transfer? What sort of bugs or issues can happen and is it documented somewhere is it better to do a clean install?

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Why would you recommend a clean install instead of a data transfer?

Simple answer - I wouldn’t.

Data transfer works. I’ve used it from my iPhone 3G through 5 or 6 intermediate phones, to my current 15 Pro.

Setting up “clean” - okay, I could see that if you want to just start over. But “oh, except I don’t want to lose history in these apps…” yeah, just transfer.

 

[Kottu]

I did a clean install and just installed only those apps which I wanted in my 15PM. Got all messages and photos back. Happy with my choice.

 

[now i see it]

Setup from a backup could conceivably copy over some problem. Rare but not unheard of.
Setup as new installs nothing from your old iPhone so that risk is eliminated.

Apps that can store their data in iCloud (Notes etc) will be able to be used on the new phone that was set up as new - because the data is in iCloud.

I set up as new once and it takes forever to get the new phone just like your old one. Super tedious and time consuming. I’ll never do that again.

Apple sometimes recommends setting up a phone as new if it’s experiencing inexplicable problems. It’s the nuclear option.

 

[gigatoaster]

I followed your advice and did a transfer. I had to login to each app so thankfully I followed you otherwise I would still be installing things tonight. Now I am transferring my music and I already deleted my old phone. All good.