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The main or phone backup of my iPhone happened to my PC, but I had iCloud backup enabled for a number of apps (like WhatsApp, and others).

My iPhone crashed and burned last week and Apple gave me a new iPhone, and even though I named it the same, and used the same AppleID on the new phone, it obviously has a different serial number and IMEI.

My question is if I can in some way restore the applications backup of my previous phone (that are on iCloud) to my new phone? Again, I'm not talking about a full restore of the phone from an iCloud backup, but only retrieve the application data (chats, etc) that my previous iPhone had backed up to iCloud.

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Yes. I've done this many times.

The iCloud restore process deposits the sandboxed saved application data, but not the application package itself.

As a second step, you can sign into the store to re-download the apps (or connect to iTunes to transfer the apps) so that it matches the data, but I see no reason why you can't get at the data using whatever tool can read the filesystem such as a jailbreak or PhoneView.

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  • I dont think the solution you suggest applies bmike, since I mentioned that only apps were backing up to iCloud, not the whole phone. Given that, what you suggest wouldn't be possible, would it? – GR7 Apr 13 '12 at 19:27
  • Hmm - when you erase all content and settings and then restore from iCloud - it restores only your data and settings. At that point, the phone needs to then connect either to a computer or the app store to retrieve the apps to match the data that is now on the phone. Are you trying to merge two backups somehow? – bmike♦ Apr 16 '12 at 8:35
  • Since the restore from iCloud is all or nothing, you'll have to export or save whatever data you want to preserve from the "before restore" phone. It's a matter of what specifics you want to mix whether it's feasible or not to accomplish what you seem to be wanting - picking and choosing parts isn't something there is an interface to specify. – bmike♦ May 15 '12 at 0:31
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If you want to restore your data to your new phone, you most certainly can; that is the point for have iTunes/iCloud backups. But you cannot select what data you wish to restore from backup, regardless if its an iCloud or iTunes local backup.

I suggest you restore your backup to your new phone and then manually remove any applications and data that you do not wish to keep on it. Otherwise, you are forced to start with a brand new phone without any data from your previous phone.

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  • Nick, please note that I said i wanted to restore it to ANOTHER phone. iTunes will let you do a whole restore from a previous iPhone, but what I want is to only restore the application backups from an iCloud backup. Problem is that even though the phones have the same name, iCloud sees it as a completely different device (Which makes sense). That's why I ask if I can selectively restore application backups. – GR7 Apr 13 '12 at 19:30
  • You can restore any backup to any phone. It does not need to have the same name. Whenever you get a brand new iPhone, or replacement iPhone, or simply restore your current phone to factory, during the initial setup you are given to the option to "Set up as a new phone" or "Restore from itunes/icloud backup". The backup does not care what model phone it is ever. – Nicholas Arvelo Apr 13 '12 at 19:39
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    With that being said, you do not have control over what data gets restored. It's an all or nothing process. You either restore all data to a new/replacement device or you do not restore anything at all. – Nicholas Arvelo Apr 13 '12 at 19:40

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