iPhone With so many updates, would a full install be a good idea?

[Telesmurfen]

Hi!
I was wondering, with all the big and small iOS updates the last month and a half, would it be a good idea to restore the iPhone in iTunes and start “as new”? I don’t have any issues with my phone now, so I guess it might sound silly, as setting up the phone from scratch is quite a task. But I was wondering if it might improve the phone even more (battery, speed, free up storage from temporary/junk files, etc). Or is it just a waste of time? Any thoughts?

 

[BugeyeSTI]

If you’re not having any issues, leave it alone. I only setup a phone as new when I get a new device, so every two or three years.

 

[Telesmurfen]

Thanks for the reply.. I guess OTA updates work fine. I just thought that maybe patch upon patch could lead to a worse performance in some areas and that downloading the full installer would be better. But I have the iPhone 11 Pro Max and it’s running great on 13.2.2, so I guess I’ll just keep it as it is.

 

[phillytim]

iOS is a Unix-based core (BSD, to be exact); Unix is built to be easily patched, and is nowhere near the patch-disaster of digital sludge that Windows-based devices are.

I don't recall doing a clean install of my last phone, the iPhone 6s Plus, in all the 4 years I had it - that is until the end, since I was diagnosing a problem that ended up being a hardware malfunction.

 

[Dr_Charles_Forbin]

Well, I just did it on my XR in an attempt some nagging Siri issues/Bluetooth problems after backing up/reset/restore twice. It didn’t address the Siri problem and I have some “new” functionality and some new issues as well. Usually every major upgrade I wind up having to do it at some point, even if it’s just to keep the Apple techs happy that I really have “exhausted all options“..

 

[SoYoung]

If you really want to do a full install no need to set up your device as new, just plug your phone on your computer when the next update show up and install the full ISPW.

 

[IowaLynn]

As good as iOS may be at being "patchable" can the same be said of the 80+ apps installed? Or app cache?

What if a storage cell or page fails? Does it map out as bad and move storage page contents?

Setting up as new to me is more about 3rd party that I've accumulated and been carrying around.

We're also assuming any compiled code is perfect - no bandaids or shoestring. Not every problem reported gets a happy ending, some don't see the light of day. Even if long standing: encrypted email messages?

 

[Vlad Soare]

I never did a full install on any of my or my wife's iPhones, iPads or Macs for the past seven years. Only regular, incremental updates. No problem so far.

 

[Isamilis]

I would say yes. Especially with the lower Apple’s QC in last few updates.