iPhone X New iPhone XS Max - Set up as new?

[Apple_Robert]

So if you setup as new what happens to your iCloud backup from your old phone? Does it take up space on iCloud and then you'd have two phone backups? (the old phone and the new phone backup)

Unless you archive the backup, it will eventually be deleted.

 

[tarsins]

I've always restored from iTunes since 3GS and will do so today (X to XS Max). Quick, easy and painless. Just realised this will only be the second time I've used the X's lightning port - wireless charging FTW.

 

[SRLMJ23]

I ALWAYS set up my new phones as a "new phone" - Just a nice clean start, little more time consuming to reinstall apps you had from the App store.. Heck many apps I have on old phones, I just won't even bother to install again since I simply don't use them or completely forgot about them.

I rather have a totally fresh phone off the bat, nothing that may be "useless" installing from a backup.

I agree with you completely! I did a fresh install of iOS 12 on my iPhone X, and my backup iPhone 6s, and 7 Plus. Also did a fresh install on my iPad Pro, and iPad Mini. Did a fresh install of watchOS 5 on my Apple Watch Series 3 LTE.

In my opinion, and many others it makes the devices run a little faster, and like you said, you can "clean up" a little bit by not re-downloading apps that you rarely or never used. All my devices that I had upgraded to the iOS 12 GM on, and now clean installed to the released version (I know they are the same) which are all my iPhones and iPads are now clearly running faster. One example, FaceID on my iPhone X unlocks WAY faster!

 

[darthbane2k]

I rather not carry over any bad info from iOS 11 and any iOS 12 betas that I'm on so I'm starting fresh, restoring from messages in Icloud and all iCloud information I cousins passwords apps need to filter through.

Myth. Restoring from backup is just fine

 

[strawberriesandcream]

I just had this discussion with a colleague. It might not make that much sense to set it up as new / be more convenient to install from backup, but starting something fresh always is such a nice feeling

 

[3rdiguy]

I prefer full iTunes backup to restore my device from. iCloud does not do a complete device backup and it takes a very long time for everything to be restored.

 

[bizack]

I used to setup as new, but I have a lot of apps, and most of those apps require logging in with passwords which is a painful process to have to go through.

I haven't seen any data to confirm that setting up as new results in a 'faster' phone, although restoring from an encrypted iTunes backup probably brings over some unwanted remnants from a storage perspective (since iTunes backups are basically an iOS backup + user specific data/settings).

What I've settled on is restoring from a 'clean' iCloud backup. iCloud backups are basically metadata backups (what your settings are, what apps are installed, etc) along with some binary data like lock screen and home screen images (if you're not using built-in wallpapers), app data, health data, etc.

Best way to get a clean iCloud backup is:

Perform an encrypted iTunes backup in case something goes wrong
Delete/turn off iCloud backup (this will remove any app data for apps that are no longer installed)
Power cycle your phone (this will clear any in-memory or on-disk app caches)
Turn on iCloud backup
Perform an iCloud backup
Setup new iPhone from iCloud backup

Hope this helps.