[malkrob2]

AT&T and Apple both gave me their best answer, but hoping a wizard has more to help me...

I'm an iOS Beta tester (current phone is on 10.3.3).

I got a new phone today (iPhone 7plus), and the guy couldn't figure out how to A: get my text messages to come over and B: get all my apps to mirror my old phone (he told me I have to literally go in and manually download all the apps again...probably losing information if they don't have log-ins).

I casually mentioned..."I am a beta tester...do you think that has anything to do with this issue" and he immediately said yes.

Their only fix option for the text messages: If i have an old back up of my iPhone6s with the previous software (10.3.2 -- current for iOS users), then I could back it up to that previous back up. Unfortunately, the last time I backed up, I must have done a back up with the 10.3.3. *sigh*

As I was writing this, I said -- "hmm maybe if I back up one more time on 10.3.3, I can register my new phone to do the beta testing, and update IT to 10.3.3." -- the only con to this, is I really don't feel like putting my new iPhone on beta software, HOWEVER, I really really really want my text messages and apps back where I left them.

I'm going to go ahead and try this out, and I'll let you know if I was successful. Until then, if anyone has any other solutions, I'd love to hear them.

Thanks!

[Just_Me_D]

As stated, you cannot restore a backup made with a newer iOS version to a device containing an easier iOS version. Your only option is to do what you’ve already concluded - update your new device to iOS 10.3.3 and then restore the backup you recently made to it containing your text messages as well as mirror the look of your old device.