Smartphone owners Samsung Galaxy often face confusion when looking for a place to backup data. The user interface of the shell One UI has undergone significant changes in recent years, which makes navigation not always intuitive. Many are looking for a separate “Cloud” application, but in modern versions of Android the ecosystem works differently, integrating directly into system settings.
The main difficulty is that the company Samsung has moved from using its own full-fledged storage for photos and videos to partnering with Microsoft OneDrive. At the same time, system settings, contacts and call logs can still be synchronized through the native service or Google Drive. Understanding this dual structure is critical for properly organizing (backing up) your personal data.
In this article we will look in detail at where exactly the cloud service settings are hidden in the menu of your device. We will look at both standard access paths through the Gallery application and deep system account settings. This guide will help you avoid losing photos and contacts when changing devices or accidentally resetting your settings.
Samsung Account System Settings
The first and most reliable place to check your sync status is the central account management hub. This is where it is determined what data will be sent to the company’s servers. To access this section, you need to open the main settings menu of your smartphone.
Click on the item Accounts and archiving at the very top of the list or find it through the settings search. Inside this section you will see the “Accounts” block. All connected services are displayed here, including Google, Samsung and third-party applications. Select the line with the name Samsung account.
After logging into your profile, a detailed synchronization menu will open. You will see a list of categories: Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Internet (bookmarks) and others. Next to each item there can be a check mark or a switch. Enabling these options means that data is automatically uploaded to a secure server space when there is a network connection.
Note the synchronization status at the bottom of the screen or in the top corner. If the time of the last update is indicated there, then the process is working correctly. Otherwise, the system may require re-authorization or indicate connection errors.
⚠️ Attention: Samsung Cloud functionality has been limited in some regions and on certain models. If you don't see an option to sync photos and videos in this menu, it means the feature has been moved to the OneDrive app.
Use the "Sync Now" feature in your account settings to force an update before selling your phone or sending it in for repair.
Access through the Gallery app and OneDrive
Since storing multimedia files is now closely linked to Microsoft products, the interface for accessing them has changed. Users no longer find a separate "Cloud" folder at the root of the file system as they previously did. Instead, integration occurs at the application level.
Open the standard application Gallery. At the bottom of the screen, find the Albums tab. Scroll down to the very bottom of the list. There you should see a special section that may be called “OneDrive” or “Cloud Albums.” By clicking on it, you will see photos that were uploaded to the Internet, but deleted from the internal memory of the phone to save space.
For this section to fully work, you need to install the application Microsoft OneDrive from the store Galaxy Store or Google Play. Once installed and logged into the same Samsung account used on the phone, the connection will be established automatically. The system will prompt you to enable the “Auto Upload” function, which will duplicate all new pictures to the cloud.
It is important to understand the difference between simple copying and synchronization. When synchronization is enabled, deleting a photo in the cloud will cause it to disappear on the phone as well. This behavior differs from a simple backup, where files are stored independently.
Using the Google Drive service
In addition to the manufacturer's ecosystem, every smartphone based on Android has deep integration with Google services. For many users, it Google Drive becomes the main place for storing documents and system backups. You can find it either through a separate application or through the settings.
In the phone settings menu, go to the section Google. All services of the search giant are managed here. Select "Backup". This window displays the status of the copy of your device: when it was last created and how much data it occupies.
Click on the button Start copying or “Create a backup copy” to forcefully save the current state of the system. This includes Wi-Fi passwords, call history, app settings, and SMS messages. This data is tied to your Google account and will be restored the first time you turn on the new phone after entering your login and password.
To store general-purpose files (documents, videos, archives), use the Google Drive application. It comes pre-installed on all certified devices. Files uploaded there are accessible from any device via a browser or application, regardless of the smartphone brand.
| Service | Data type | Free limit | Main purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung Cloud | Contacts, Notes, Settings | 5 GB (basic) | System synchronization |
| OneDrive | Photos, Videos, Files | 5 GB | Multimedia storage |
| Google Disk | Documents, OS backup | 15 GB | Universal storage |
| Google Photos | Photo, Video | Included in 15 GB | Gallery and photo search |
File management via “My Files”
Built-in file manager My Files (My Files) is a powerful tool for working with local storage and connected clouds. Many users do not know that this explorer can aggregate data from different sources in one window.
Launch the application My files. On the main screen, under "Storage" or "Browse", you will see the internal memory and SD card. If you have configured your accounts correctly, icons of connected cloud services will also appear here. This allows you to copy files from the cloud to the phone memory and back without having to open separate applications.
To add new storage, scroll down the list and press the button Add cloud storage. The system will offer a list of supported services: Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, Google Drive and others. Select the one you need, log in, and the folder will appear in the general list.
This is especially convenient for freeing up space. You can sort files by size, select heavy videos, and move them to the cloud right from the File Explorer interface. After successful downloading, the originals can be deleted from the phone.
☑️ Checking the cloud connection
Setting up automatic synchronization
Manually uploading files is inconvenient and often leads to important data remaining unprotected. A key advantage of modern smartphones is the ability to configure automatic download rules. This eliminates the need for the user to constantly monitor the process.
In the application settings Gallery (three dots in the corner → Settings) find the “Synchronization with OneDrive” item. Make sure the switch is active. Here you can choose the quality of the uploaded photos: original or compressed version. Compression saves traffic and space in the cloud, but reduces the detail of images.
For Google Photos the process is similar. Open the app, tap your profile avatar, and select Photo Settings → Startup. You can set it to download only over Wi-Fi to avoid using up mobile data, or allow data transfer over a cellular network.
It's also worth checking the settings for specific applications. For example, messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram have their own settings for backing up media files, which are often disabled by default to save space.
⚠️ Attention: Automatic synchronization actively consumes battery power and Internet traffic. If you have an unlimited tariff and access to charging, this is not a problem. Otherwise, set it to download only when connected to Wi-Fi.
What to do if synchronization is stuck?
If the sync icon spins endlessly, try clearing the cache of the application responsible for downloading (for example, Gallery or Google Photos). Go to Settings → Applications, find the one you need, select Memory → Clear cache. The data will not be deleted.
Freeing up space and restoring data
The main practical benefit of using cloud technologies on Samsung is the ability to free up gigabytes of internal memory without losing information. When all files are securely stored on the server, you can safely delete them from the device.
Use the “Free up space” function, which is often found in gallery applications. It analyzes photos that are already in the cloud and suggests deleting their local copies. Only thumbnails remain on the phone for viewing, and full versions are downloaded from the Internet by clicking.
If the phone is lost or broken, data is restored through the initial setup procedure. When you turn on the new device, the system will offer to restore data from a backup copy. Select the Samsung or Google account you used previously.
The process may take from 15 minutes to several hours depending on the amount of data and Internet speed. Contacts, notes and system settings will be restored first. Photos and heavy files can be downloaded in the background after you start using the phone.
Regularly checking the synchronization status (at least once a month) ensures that your data is actually saved and not accumulated in the download queue.
Why do photos disappear from the gallery after turning on the cloud?
This happens if you have enabled the storage optimization feature. In this mode, the original photos are stored only in the cloud, and their reduced copies remain on the phone to save space. When viewed, they are downloaded in full quality. To return the originals to memory, you need to disable synchronization and select the “Download originals” option.
Can you use two cloud storages at the same time?
Yes, you can use Samsung Cloud (for contacts and settings) and Google Drive (for files and photos) at the same time. They do not conflict with each other, since they store data of different types or duplicate them for reliability. The main thing is not to get confused where exactly the required file is.
What will happen to the data in the cloud if I reset the phone to factory settings?
Data in the cloud (Samsung Cloud, OneDrive, Google Drive) is stored on remote servers and does not depend on the state of your phone. Resetting the settings will only delete information from the device's internal memory. After logging into your account again, all data will be returned to the phone.
How to increase the amount of cloud storage on Samsung?
The free plan is usually limited to 5-15 GB. To increase space, you must subscribe. For Samsung Cloud/OneDrive, this is done through the Samsung account settings (Cloud section). For Google Drive - through the Google One application. Tariffs are paid monthly or annually.