I have a 2-year old iPhone that I never connected to iTunes until today. I'd like to capture a backup before traveling. Prompted to "set up this iPhone as a new iPhone..." Afraid it will wipe my iPhone. Will setting it up as new wipe it?
iPhone 12 mini, iOS 16
No.
The "setup as new" means it will set it up as a new device syncing to that computer -- not that it will erase the device.
When connecting an iPad or iPhone to computer iTunes for the first time, you will get the choice to restore from backup or setup as new; the setup as new choice does nothing to the iPhone or iPad (i.e., it does not erase the device -- however another user here in this forum has noted that if any data was previously synced from another computer to the device, that data will be removed from the device.).
No.
The "setup as new" means it will set it up as a new device syncing to that computer -- not that it will erase the device.
When connecting an iPad or iPhone to computer iTunes for the first time, you will get the choice to restore from backup or setup as new; the setup as new choice does nothing to the iPhone or iPad (i.e., it does not erase the device -- however another user here in this forum has noted that if any data was previously synced from another computer to the device, that data will be removed from the device.).
FoxFifth was correct! The setup as new automatically starts a backup on the iPhone and erases nothing on the iPhone itself. Whew!
Backing up an older iPhone that has not been set up in iTunes before
