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With all this talk of sparkling 5G and delectable foldables, we'd understand if you've been eyeing up your upgrade and trade-in options recently. We also appreciate that the changeover can feel a little intimidating if your current device is spilling over with photos, apps and other personal data, or if it's your first time moving from an alternative operating system like iOS.
There's no need to stress though, because Smart Switch can help you transfer your photos, videos, music, contacts, alarms, messages* and even call history. There are also a few ways to use it, so whether you're a Wi-Fi champion or USB purist, you can choose the method that suits you best:
Got the itch to switch? Choose how you want to transfer and then download Smart Switch for Android, Windows or Mac OS.
*Some types of content, like secure or encrypted data (including WhatsApp chats), will not transfer via Smart Switch. If you want to keep your WhatsApp chats, you can back them up and restore them using Google Drive.
Transfer over Wi-Fi
Make sure your devices are next to each together, connected to reliable Wi-Fi and have Smart Switch installed. You'll need at least 500MB of free space on each.
Android to Android
iOS to Android
Transfer using a USB cable
If you'd rather go old-school with a wired connection, first check that your devices have Smart Switch installed and that they support an MTP option for USB to allow content to be transferred.
Android to Android
iOS to Android
Transfer with PC or Mac
Using Smart Switch for PC or Mac is a great way to create back-ups of your smartphone data, which can be transferred to new devices at any time. First of all, download the Smart Switch software for Windows PC or Mac.
Create a back-up to PC or Mac
Transfer a back-up from your PC or Mac to a new phone
Note: If your PC or Mac doesn't recognise your device, select More in the top-right of the screen and then Reinstall device driver.
Transfer from external storage
You can also make back-ups to external storage like an SD card and then transfer the data to your new device. Here's what you need to do:
Create a back-up to external storage
Transfer a back-up from external storage to a new phone
Things to note
Apps that require a username and password may store data on their own servers. Back up your data and note your log-in details before logging into these apps on your new phone.
If transferring from alternative operating systems, you'll need to download apps that weren't originally downloaded on the Google Play Store. If Smart Switch can't find Android alternatives, the content won't be transferred.
Technical requirements
Smart Switch for Android |
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A Samsung device with Android OS version 4.3 or later |
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Smart Switch for Windows |
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OS: Windows 7 or later |
Required software: Microsoft Media Feature Pack
You can download it from the following links:
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CPU: Pentium 4, 2.4GHz or higher |
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RAM: 512GB or higher |
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Smart Switch for Mac |
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OS: Mac OS X 10.5 or later |
MAC supported model Hardware: Models released after 2013* |
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CPU: 1.8GHz or higher |
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RAM: 512GB or higher |
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Driver installation space: 100MB or higher |
Head over to Support for more info about transferring data from iOS to Android, moving from your old Android device to your new one or using your PC or Mac to back up your smartphone.
Happy switching!
The Community Team
Discover more:
Download Smart Switch for Android, Windows or Mac
Support Splash: Backing up your data
Community Lifestyle: Samsung Unpacked 2020
Samsung Support: What is Smart Switch and how do I use it?
Samsung Support: How do I transfer my data from my iOS device to my new Samsung Galaxy?
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