How to backup your Samsung Galaxy phone or tablet

Backing up your data is essential and comes in handy in a variety of events. It doesn't matter if you're switching to a new phone, sending it for repairs, or want to be safe and prevent losing your data if you break or lose your handset. Backups are a quick and easy way to safeguard your apps, personal information, settings, and other content stored on your device.

Thanks to One UI 5, Samsung makes it easy for people using its handsets to backup and restore their data seamlessly. The manufacturer offers the choice of using its cloud, a physical backup, or Google Drive, allowing users to pick whichever method works best for them to backup and restore their data safely.

Back up using Samsung's apps

A simple method to backup your phone is to use your Samsung account, which you may have created or used when setting up your phone for the first time. Since this is the manufacturer's backup solution, it stores many of your settings, including wallpapers, alarms, call logs, calendars, messages, and apps. However, this option won't upload your files, such as your photos, videos, and documents, so save these independently or use the Smart Switch method, which is explained below.

Samsung Cloud

Backing up your data to Samsung's cloud ensures it can be easily restored to another Galaxy device in a few minutes without having to manually retrieve or reset your personal settings.

To backup your data, follow these steps:

1. Open your phone's settings.
2. Tap Accounts and backup.
3. In the Samsung Cloud section, tap Back up Data.
4. Tap next to each item you want to back up.
5. Tap Back up now to start the process.
6. Wait until your phone backs up.
7. Once it's finished, tap Done at the bottom of the screen.

Smart Switch

Another simple method to back up your data is to use Smart Switch, which lets you transfer your phone's content to another Galaxy device or an external storage device. This is the most complete option, as it saves all your settings and data, including the pictures and files stored on your phone.

The first method below is commonly used when switching to a new handset but is also a great way to keep your data safe on a spare phone you might have at home. The process works wirelessly or with a cable, so you're covered regardless of the method you prefer to use.

1. Download and install the Smart Switch app from the Play Store on both phones.
2. Tap Send data on the phone you'd like to back up. Tap Receive data on the target device.
3. Select the transfer method you'd like to use, such as Cable or Wireless.
4. Wait while your phones find each other. You may have to allow the connection to continue the process.
5. On the target phone, select the data you'd like to import and tap Next to begin the process.
6. You may have to confirm a few steps on both phones and enter your Google credentials on the target phone.

Alternatively, you can save your data to an external device, such as a USB flash drive or a MicroSD card. The steps are straightforward and only take a few minutes:

1. Insert or connect an external drive.
2. Open your phone's settings.
3. Tap Accounts and backup.
4. In the Smart Switch section, tap External storage transfer.
5. Select the device you'd like to back up your data on.
6. Pick the data you'd like to back up and tap Next to start the process.
7. To restore data from an external storage device, repeat steps 1 through 4 and select the backup you'd like to restore under Restore from external storage.

Find My Mobile

In addition to initiating a backup process from your handset, Samsung offers the ability to do the backup from another device using a web browser. This method is convenient if you lose your device, provided it's still on with an active data connection, in addition to having enabled Find My Mobile before starting the process.

1. Using a web browser, navigate to Find My Mobile.
2. Sign in with your Samsung Account.
3. Give it a few seconds to locate your phone.
4. If you have several devices linked to your Samsung account, pick the one you'd like to back up from the list on the left side of the screen.
5. Under your device's status, tap the Backup icon.
   
   
6. Select the data you'd like to safeguard and select the Backup button.
7. The backup process takes a few minutes to complete. Once it's over, the Back up button will read Close, so you can close the window.

Restoring your backup

If you saved your data to the cloud, you need to know how to recover it and restore it on your Samsung handset. The process is simple if your data is stored on your Samsung Cloud, which applies to the first two methods above.

1. Open your phone's settings.
2. Tap Accounts and backup.
3. In the Samsung Cloud section, tap Restore Data.
4. Select the backup you'd like to restore.
5. Confirm what data you'd like to bring back on your device.
6. Tap Restore to start the process.

Back up using Google Drive

This option is worth considering if you'd rather save your data on Google's servers. You should use it if you plan to use a different brand for your next phone, as you can restore the data on any Android device.

1. Open your phone's settings.
2. Tap Accounts and backup.
3. In the Google Drive section, tap Back up data.
4. If this is your first time using Google Drive as a backup method, tap Turn on.
5. Tap Back up now to start the process.

Back it all up!

Backing up your phone is the safest way to ensure your data and settings are safe in case something happens to your device. Using an external SD card with Smart Switch is an excellent method to store your data offline and restore it in just a few minutes.

Online backup methods are also very reliable to safeguard your data, but may not be as thorough as using an SD card, as your files are not backed up, so you'll have to use another solution like Google Photos to keep them safe. And we have lots of tips and tricks to help you use Google Photos.