Temporary iCloud storage for backups when buying a new device

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
My daughter has an original iPhone SE. She has just ordered a new iPhone SE to replace it. She would like to create a backup of the old and use that to set up the new.
1. Sometime in the past, she created an encrypted password on her computer but has no clue now what password she used. I have read about the steps needed to reset the password but it sounds like there will be some settings lost in doing the reset on the old iPhone to achieve this.
2. Alternately she could do an iCloud backup of the old and I don't believe that asks for an encrypted password? The problem here is that she does not (nor wants to) pay for extra iCloud storage and so a normal iCloud backup is out of the question.
3. I am aware that Apple can let one have temporary iCloud storage for just this use and it is (fairly well) described at https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212732 But I have a couple of questions about this:
A. It states "Update your current iPhone... ...to the latest version of iOS..." The old SE won't go beyond 15.7 and the new one will likely arrive with 16.0.3 or maybe even 16.1 So does this eliminate this method as available.
B. No matter what method she uses we are not clear on the time to swap the SIM card over. Do you remove the SIM card from the old and put it in the new before beginning any of these methods? Does it matter?
4. I know there is another method where you can just hold an old iPhone in proximity to a new one and your stuff will transfer over. But was that method available with the old original iPhone SE?

Any other advice would be gratefully received.

Dave
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
A. No.
B. Doesn’t matter, the iPhone can activate by Wi-Fi, it just takes a little longer.
C. That feature was introduced with or before iOS 15, so that method should work.

General advice:

a. NEVER encrypt your drive unless you absolutely feel you must. Apple cannot and will not help you if you forget the password.

b. Not paying for iCloud storage is, IMHO, short-sighted for most users. For the backup service ALONE it is worth the incredibly modest cost, but you also get syncing across devices and some really great iCloud+ features like Hide My Email and so on.
 

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
Thanks Chas, Very helpful as always. (A, B and C)

Your point a. She hasn't encrypted her drive. At one time she just chose the encrypted backup to her computer (so she said). My understanding is that you get a more complete restoration from such a backup. But perhaps I am mistaken? But this article sure suggests that to be the case:
Could she have even made an encrypted backup to her Windows laptop?

Your point b. She is very low budget, so rarely even turns cell data on, She only has one Apple device (her iPhone) so syncing doesn't play a part. i.e. not really in the Apple eco-system
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
I misunderstood what you were talking about -- I thought you meant she was backing up to a Mac (since she isn't using iCloud) and that the backup drive had been encrypted. Yes, password-protected backups do include the sort of sensitive info mentioned in the Apple article, but you must know the password (and possibly your Apple ID password as well) in order to use an encrypted backup for restoring purposes.

And yes, if you only have one Apple device, then the syncing features of iCloud/cell data are not really needed.

Finally, yes, iTunes in Windows (yes it is still called iTunes, and still handles backing up Apple devices on Windows) can make an encrypted backup. If she's lost the password to that backup, then that backup is useless, and she'll have to make another for her existing iPhone before she tries to set up the new one.
 

DaveWT

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the additional clarifications, Chas. Am I correct in my belief that using the temporary iCloud storage for a backup to use with a new iPhone does not ask for this encryption password?
 

chas_m

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the additional clarifications, Chas. Am I correct in my belief that using the temporary iCloud storage for a backup to use with a new iPhone does not ask for this encryption password?
When you backup an iPhone using iCloud, it doesn’t ask for an encryption password because it is already encrypted. When you are backing up an iPhone to a Mac, the file is stored on the Mac — so it offers the option of storing sensitive data using an encrypted password if desired.
 
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