Is smart switch ok to use when upgrading from an old Samsung device to s24+?

[MarkBatch]

Hi I have read a few reports that if upgrading from an old Samsung device not to use Smart Switch is this true? I have a Samsung S10+ and today am moving onto a S24+ but not sure best way to transfer over all my apps and contacts etc?

[Tourbillon De La Vie]

I've also read those reports and yet have used smart switch whenever I was moving phones. Had no issues. Beware that some apps that you have on the old phones which are only 32bit compatible will not transfer to your new 64bit device. 

[MarkBatch]

Thank you that's reassuring to know. Am sure some people just use it as an excuse for high battery drain etc

[GoanGeek]

Hi.

I am personally against smart switch.

If you do want to do it here are a few things you might find helpful.

Do back up everything in either cloud or smart switch ( I prefer the cloud like Google one)

Set up your new phone from scratch and don't recover apps and settings. Rest you can recover like your messages, photos etc.

The reason I do this is apps and settings sometimes might have incompatibilities which could affect your phone in weird ways.

I install apps as and when I need them as then I have the latest fresh apps from the store.

Hope this helps.

[MarkBatch]

This is really helpful too. So if I use smart switch just for contacts and email account then for apps etc just to upload from the cloud like Google play and Samsung account? Sorry I am not very techie. I guess as long as I transfer over the sim card from old phone as the last thing I do I can't really go wrong as can take my time setting it up whilst using my old phone still?

[GoanGeek]

I pay for Google One 100gb it's quiet cheap.

I never save my contacts on SIM card.
Save them under my Google account.
All my messages , contacts, photos etc are saved on Google.
So regardless of how many new phones I change or factory resets I do. The minute I sign into Google on my new phone all my stuff is back.

I generally do back up everything including apps and settings along with the other stuff from top.

But I only restore my contacts, message, photos etc and not the apps or settings.

I set up phone as new. Get all the stuff back once I sign into my Google account and then other apps I will install as and when I need them starting with my banking apps.

This also helps declutter apps which I may hardly use .

If you do not want to go the cloud way.

You should be able to do similar with smart switch.

Maybe someone will help you with that as I don't really use smart switch. ( Over the years with Samsung I found most people who did a smart switch transfer had issues with their phones, obviously some never had any issues).

But for me the cloud way has served served me well with no hassle or issues.

[MarkBatch]

Thank you so much, pretty much all my stuff is backed up on Google too so I guess a very similar situation for me, cloud seems best route to go.

[keith30]

It shouldn't do any harm to use Smart Switch so don't take to much notice to what you've been reading and the reports on not to use it, it's a lot quicker to use than to upload data manually

[BandOfBrothers]

I prefer to use Samsung SmartSwitch to move my photo's over. 

The rest I use Samsung Cloud @MarkBatch 

[MarkBatch]

Thank you everyone for your help I now am the proud owner of the s24+ I just restored everything from the cloud and got on fine. I used smart switch to transfer photos over but that was it. So pleased with the phone so far. Thanks again everyone.