If you have purchased a new smartphone and want to migrate all your old phone data to the new device, there are a few different ways to back up the data on your Android smartphone. Google has its own built-in backup feature, or you can use third-party apps to do this, or you can transfer data to your computer. It can be a bit of a hassle to transfer all your important data from an old phone to a new one. In this article, we will be sharing an in-depth guide to help you transfer data to a new smartphone, so you don’t lose important data in the process.
Note: AndroidGreek advises its users to regularly back up their Android device in case of accidental damage or hardware failure. This will help keep your data safe and ensure that you won’t lose important information.
As we have mentioned, there are various methods to back up your data on Android and easily restore it on your new smartphone. However, Android does not have a built-in feature that can be used for one-click like iPhones. Here, we need to use several apps and have solutions to help you with the process to carefully ensure you don’t lose any bit of information. As you must make the transition to a new smartphone, it is important to ensure your important data is backed up and ready to be imported on the new smartphone.
How to Make the Transition to a New Smartphone
Before proceeding, you must ensure all the available options for migrating your data from your old device to your Android smartphone and then restoring it on your new device. We will explore the various methods that can directly transfer your data either via a wired connection or wirelessly, saving you time in the process of migrating data on your Android device with the best option for your needs.
Android’s Data Migration Service
Let’s first start with Google’s own Android default data migration service, which allows you to transfer your data from your old phone to a new phone. However, it will be available during the setup process where it allows you to copy your data via a USB connection or wirelessly, log into your Google account, etc. There, you will have an option to copy apps and data, which allows you to easily transfer data from your old Android phone to your new Android device.
This will save a lot of time and effort you put in. It not only transfers your apps and data but also your settings and preferences. For this, during the setup menu, you need to connect your device to a Wi-Fi network and log into your Google account, etc. so your phone will search for nearby devices that are eligible for data transfer. From there, select your old phone and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the transfer of your data, ensuring a smooth and successful transfer.
Phone Clone App
Many manufacturers like OnePlus, Oppo, Realme, Vivo, Xiaomi, or Huawei offer their own tool or app to help you easily transfer data from an old phone to a new phone. These options go beyond the traditional Android Data Migration Service. You need to download the Phone Clone app and then follow the on-screen instructions to finish the transfer with ease.
On the other device, you need to use the standard “Copy Apps and Data” feature to transfer your data. This is a phone-specific tool, and the process may vary depending on the manufacturer, but it is generally straightforward.
Back Up Data on Android
In case you don’t have your old phone with you when you bought your new device, you can use different methods to transfer your data. One option is to back up your data on your old device and then restore that backup on your new device. Here are several ways you can do this.
Google Backup and Restore Feature
Many Android smartphones come with a built-in feature that allows you to back up your data to Google’s servers and help you restore it on your new device. To use these settings, all you have to do is open your device settings and head over to the system. From there, you have the option to back up your old device. Follow the on-screen instructions to create a backup. After it’s done, head over to your new phone and simply follow the on-screen instructions to finish the setup process and restore your device data backup.
It’s as simple as that. You just need to select the backup that you want to restore from your Google Cloud backup, and for this, ensure you have logged in with the same Google account during the setup. Within the backup, you have all your apps, contacts, call logs, SMS messages, and other settings stored on your device.
You may notice that we also mentioned apps. Yes, apps will also be restored, but it may take some time to connect to the Play Store and download and install the application, depending on your internet connectivity. In the meantime, your data, including photos, videos, files, app data, and some others, will not be transferred.
Samsung and Xiaomi Cloud
Similar to OEMs who have their special app like the Phone Clone App, Samsung and Xiaomi Cloud offer storage solutions to help you back up your data and restore it to your new device. So, if you are using a Samsung or Xiaomi device and plan to get a new device from the same manufacturer, there isn’t as much of a hurdle as with other options. All you have to do while transferring and backing up is ensure you have enough storage on your new device as you did on your old device.
They have implemented the backup process better than Google. Samsung and Xiaomi allow you to have a backup of your apps, photos, files, contacts, settings, and home screen layout. So, you can expect an exact clone of your old device on your new device. You may need to purchase additional cloud storage since it only has limited storage capacity for free, and if you have more than this to keep a backup of.
To open your device settings and from there look for the Cloud option (Samsung Cloud or Mi Cloud). Once you find the Cloud Storage menu, create a backup and then restore the data on your new device. We also want to point out that not all smartphones from Xiaomi or Samsung support this functionality. If you don’t find this option, then you have other methods mentioned in this article.
Custom Recovery Backup
Another popular method is NANDroid, a useful tool for users who have unlocked their bootloader and installed a custom recovery like TWRP, or users who are experimenting with custom ROMs, kernels, or other mods on their Android devices. With this, you can have a complete backup of your system and data from the recovery partition, as it allows you to create a complete copy of your device’s system and data.
It’s a good idea to regularly back up your device’s data with tools like adb or third-party apps. However, since it keeps a complete backup of your device, the file size could be massive and require a significant amount of storage space on your device or computer. So before making a backup with this, ensure you only keep those files that are actually necessary.
Note: This isn’t an easy process to do because if something goes wrong, you may end up with a soft-bricked smartphone. However, you can simply boot into recovery to restore your backup, which could be a lifesaver if you don’t get things ready.
Back Up Apps on Your Android Device
You can also create a backup of your Android apps, which means you don’t need to spend time waiting for apps to download. With this, you can back up apps locally on your device and restore them accordingly. However, some apps may require device-specific data or settings that may prevent them from being backed up or restored due to not being compatible with your new phone, causing them not to work properly after a restore.
App Backup and Restore
App Backup and Restore is a popular and useful tool for creating app backups on an Android device, stored on your internal or external SD card and later restored to your device whenever you need to. However, it only transfers the app from one device to another; it doesn’t transfer app data, meaning any settings or progress within the app will not be preserved when restored on your new device.
If your old and new phones support an SD card, we would recommend using this option to transfer apps since you can easily store the app backup on your SD card and later swap the SD card to install the app on your new device. If your device doesn’t support an SD card, then you need to use a flash drive or backup files on your computer to move the backup and then transfer it to your new device. If you want to transfer app data, then you have to use other third-party apps that allow you to back up and restore app data. Follow the following article to do so.
Titanium Backup
If you have been on XDA-Forum, then you may have heard of a powerful application that allows Android users with root access to create a backup of all their device, including system apps with data. However, you need root access for this, which means it is most useful when switching ROMs, as you can simply restore all your apps, including system apps, as well as app data and other system data. It saves a lot of effort and time manually reinstalling and setting up all the applications with a single click.
This method is a bit more advanced compared to others, and it may not be suitable for general users. If you are not comfortable with this, then we suggest taking a safer approach and using the built-in backup and restore feature on your device or more user-friendly apps that we have discussed in this article.
Back Up Your Contacts on Android
After finishing the backup of your apps, you may also be thinking about how to transfer contacts from your old phone to a new phone. There are always several methods to do this, and one of the easiest is Google’s own sync feature.
Google Contact Sync
Google Contact Sync is enabled by default. Whenever you save a new contact on your Android device, it is saved on your Google account. After switching to a new device, all you have to do is sign in to your Google account and enable sync. After that, all your contacts on your phone will be automatically backed up and restored on your new phone as long as you are signed in to the same Google account.
To confirm that you are being synced with your Google account, go to Settings, then Account, and select your Google account. From there, look for Sync and ensure that the checkbox for Contacts is checked. To manually sync, tap on Sync now to confirm. This way, the next time you switch to a new phone with the same account, your contacts will automatically be synced and restored in the background, or you can manually sync using the action described above.
Export as VCF Files
You can export and import contacts on an Android phone via the phone’s local storage. To export contacts from an old phone, follow these steps:
- Open Contacts and tap on the More or triple-dot icon.
- From there, tap on Export and choose how you want to export your contacts, such as to your storage or SIM card.
- After selecting, click on Export to Local Storage or send it via any communication app, email, or flash drive. To import the contacts to your new device, simply open Contacts, tap on the triple-dot menu or More, and choose Import. From there, you can browse for the .vcf files from your old phone.
Note: Some devices may have different options, but you can easily find this option on any Android smartphone by looking in the settings of your device.
Back Up SMS
The SMS Backup & Restore app is handy when it comes to creating a backup of your SMS and MMS messages on Android. There are similar apps that you can find on the Android Play Store.
SMS Backup & Restore
The SMS Backup & Restore app is an amazing tool to create a backup of your text messages and call logs. It is free on the Play Store and easy to use. To create a backup, simply choose the option to create a backup of your messages and logs, and select where you want to export the backup (such as your device’s local storage or a cloud service like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox).
Once the backup is complete, you can install the app on your new smartphone and sign in with the same account to restore the backup. This is a simple and effective way to ensure that you don’t lose your important communication data when switching to a new device.
Back up WhatsApp messages on Android
WhatsApp is a popular instant messaging service that stores data locally on your phone. However, you can create a backup of your WhatsApp messages on your Google Drive for later restoration when switching devices. To create a backup, go to the WhatsApp Settings, then select Chats and choose Chat Backup. Tap on the Backup option to create the backup on your Google Drive.
Once the backup is complete, download and install WhatsApp on your new phone and log in with the same number and Google account to sync. When you reach the setup screen, you will have the option to restore the backup on your device. However, it may take some time to restore your chats from the backup files stored on your Google Drive.
Back up photos and videos on Android
Photos and videos are an important part of life and serve as a way to save our beloved memories. To have a backup and restore these memories, the Google Photos app is a great choice. The app allows you to automatically back up your photos and videos on your Google account and access them from any device with the same Google account.
It also allows you to share these photos and videos. Google Photos used to offer unlimited free backup of photos and videos until June 1st, 2021, but now it will consume space on your Google Drive if you store images on Google Photos.
Google Photos
An easy way to back up and restore your photos and videos is to ensure that Backup & Sync is enabled. To do this, go to Device Settings and look for Backup & Sync. Ensure that it is enabled. With this feature enabled, your photos will be automatically backed up to your Google account and can be accessed on new devices with the same account.
As images are automatically synced and restored on your new device, you can also use the device’s internal storage to create a backup. To do this, download all of the photos by clicking on the triple dots or “More” icon in Google Photos, and save them to your device’s internal storage.
Before deleting the backup or photos from Google Photos, be aware that deleting them from Google Photos will also delete them from other devices where you are signed in. To free up storage on your Google Drive, simply delete the backup or photos from Google Photos.
Back up documents and other files and folders
It is important to move your important documents and folders to your new device. One recommended way to do this is to copy the files to your external storage and then move them to your new device. Alternatively, you can use a cloud storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. You can also use an OTG (On-The-Go) cable and a flash drive to create a copy of the items you want to transfer to your new phone.
If you are using an SD card, simply copy the files and then swap the card to the new device and copy the files. Alternatively, you can upload the important data to your cloud storage and then sign in to the storage service on your new device to download the files you need. Or, you can use an OTG cable and a flash drive to copy the important files to the flash drive using the “Files by Google” app. Then, on the new device, connect the flash drive with the OTG cable and copy the files to the new device.
By following these steps, you can easily create a backup of everything and restore it to the new device. If you have any tips that have helped you with backing up and restoring, please let us know in the comments section below. Thank you for joining us. We would appreciate your valuable feedback in the comments section below. Stay tuned for more updates in the future.
