I'm curious about what exactly gets transferred when I set up my new iPhone using an iCloud backup. Do all my settings and apps come over just like they were on my old phone, or are there things that are left behind? Thanks!
3 Answers
Don’t forget about your non-Apple data. Like any music or video files you ripped from CDs or DVDs—they won't automatically transfer either. If you made PDFs or other documents, those also need to be moved manually. But as long as you’ve saved those files somewhere, they’re still safe, just not included in the iCloud transfer.
Just a heads up, when I switched, my ringtones didn’t transfer over at all. Had to reset them all up again, which was a bummer!
When you use iCloud to back up and restore, most of your settings and data transfer over. However, certain things don’t make the cut, like notes already synced with iCloud, photos if you use iCloud Photos, and your iMessages if they're set to sync. Also, Apple Pay info, Face ID or Touch ID settings, and your iCloud Music Library won't transfer. You’ll have to re-download your apps from the App Store, so they won’t carry over directly. So, it's handy to review what will definitely move over before making the switch!
Thanks for breaking that down! Sounds like a bit more than I expected.
Right? I assumed everything important would go, but I guess Apple has their own criteria for what matters.
That’s strange! I’ve had my ripped CDs transfer without issues, but I guess it depends on how they’re stored.