Moving Lesscue to a new iPhone with optional iCloud sync

The practical answer

Optional Pro iCloud sync can carry selected Lesscue records between iPhones using the same iCloud account. It does not copy app-selection tokens, Always Allowed choices, permissions, or a running timer. On the receiving phone, review imported definitions and select apps locally before enabling routines.

A setup to try

1. On the original phone, review the iCloud connection and explicitly enable sync if you want the supported records transferred. Wait for server-confirmed status rather than assuming a pending change is already uploaded.
2. On the new phone, confirm the intended iCloud account and your Pro entitlement, then review the merge. A Lesscue account login alone does not restore local-only records.
3. Reauthorize Screen Time, select apps and websites for the imported groups, and rebuild Always Allowed choices on the new phone. These selections are deliberately not copied through the sync payload.
4. Review each imported routine’s days, times, group, and ending method before enabling it. Start with a short Confirm test and keep the old phone’s active protection separate.

Will my saved group names appear on another iPhone with Pro iCloud?

Group identifiers and names are within the supported sync subset. Their app and website selections are not. When a group appears on another phone, treat the name as an organizational starting point and choose its actual targets locally before using it for protection.

Why does an imported group have no apps selected?

Apple’s protected selection tokens are deliberately excluded from Lesscue’s iCloud payload. The receiving iPhone needs its own picker selections. An empty imported group is therefore not evidence that the name failed to sync; it signals the local setup still required for that device.

Why is an imported routine switched off even though it was enabled before?

Imported routine definitions stay disabled until you review them on the receiving phone. This prevents a remote schedule from silently activating against incomplete local selections. Confirm its times and group, choose the apps, and explicitly enable it when the setup fits the new device.

Will a focus timer continue on my new iPhone at the same remaining time?

No. Active protection and live timers are excluded from iCloud synchronization. The original phone’s session remains a local run, and the new phone should not pretend to inherit its enforcement. Historical session records and focus defaults are separate from a timer currently in progress.

Do my Always Allowed apps transfer with the group names?

No. Always Allowed selections are local to the iPhone and excluded from the sync data. Rebuild the essential-app list on the new device, particularly communication, navigation, and authentication tools, before starting a broad or Locked boundary there.

Does signing into the same Lesscue account guarantee my history will return?

No. A Lesscue account identifies you to the account service; it is not a repository of your personal records. History returns through optional iCloud sync only if it was actually uploaded to the relevant iCloud account, or through a separate applicable device-restoration process.

Can Free users recover records that were already synced while they had Pro?

New Lesscue sync transfers require an active Pro entitlement, while local records already on the phone remain available. Existing iCloud-data deletion remains a separate control. Do not assume a Free session automatically downloads a previous cloud history merely because the account identity matches.

Should I erase my old iPhone as soon as I press enable sync?

First verify that the intended changes were confirmed by the server and that the receiving phone has the expected records. Pending changes are not a completed transfer. Keep the old device’s data until you have checked the new setup and any separate backup you rely on.

Will the Gem colors I currently use be copied to the new phone?

Current appearance preferences such as selected Gem, palette, timer, and tilt are not part of the described sync subset. Historical records can retain their recorded appearance metadata, which is a different purpose. Choose the new phone’s current appearance independently after setup.

Does iCloud sync let one iPhone remotely unblock another running session?

No. Synced definitions and history must not end or weaken a current protection snapshot on another device. Live timers and active protection are outside the sync payload. If you change a routine remotely, review its future configuration separately from any occurrence already running.