How to transfer data from Android to Samsung: step-by-step guide

Moving to a new smartphone Samsung is always an exciting moment, but transferring data from an old one Android devices often turns into a headache. Contacts are scattered across different accounts, photos are lost in the clouds, and application settings have to be configured again. In practice, the process can be simplified to 5-10 minutes if you know the nuances of work Smart Switch, Google Account and alternative methods.

In this article we will look at 7 proven ways to transfer - from the official Software Samsung before manual copying via ADB. We will pay special attention to the problems that arise when moving from Xiaomi, Huawei or Google Pixel to Galaxy S24/S23/A54devices, and we will also explain why some data (for example, SMS or notes) may not be transferred automatically. If you need to save call history from the Xiaomi Phone application or setting up two-factor authentication in Telegramhere you will find solutions for these cases.

1. Smart Switch - official solution from Samsung

Samsung Smart Switch is a proprietary migration tool that supports the transfer of almost all types of data: contacts, messages, photos, videos, music, calendars, notes, and even some system settings. The application works both via cable and via Wi-Fi Direct, which is convenient if you don’t have a USB cable at hand.

To use Smart Switch, follow these steps:

• 📱 Install the application Smart Switch on both devices (old and new) from Google Play or Galaxy Store.
• 🔌 Connect the phones with a cable (recommended original USB-C from Samsung) or select wireless mode.
• 🔄 On the old phone, click “Send data”, on the new one - “Receive data”.
• ✅ Select the types of data to transfer and confirm the start of the process.

Important: if you are transferring data from a device Huawei (especially models without services Google), first export your contacts to a file .vcf via the app "Contacts". Smart Switch may not recognize the data storage format on Chinese firmware.

Download Smart Switch on both devices

Charge the phones to at least 50%

Connect to the same Wi-Fi network (for wireless mode)

Disable screen lock during transfer

Check the free space on the new Samsung (must be ≥ the amount of data being transferred)-->

⚠️ Attention: When transferring via Smart Switch some applications (for example, WhatsApp or bank clients) may require re-authorization. Check in advance for backup codes for two-factor authentication.

2. Transfer via Google Account (for contacts, calendars, photos)

If you actively use the services Google, most of the data is already synchronized with the cloud automatically. This method is suitable for transfer:

• 📇 Contacts (via Google Contacts)
• 📅 Calendars (Google Calendar)
• 📷 Photos and videos (Google Photos with original quality)
• 🎵 Music (if downloaded to YouTube Music)

To transfer data:

1. On your old phone, open Settings → Accounts → Google and make sure that synchronization is enabled for the desired categories.
2. On the new Samsung add the same Google Account to Settings → Accounts and archiving.
3. Wait for synchronization to complete (can take up to an hour with a large volume of photos).

Method limitations: SMS, call history and some application settings (for example, Telegram or Viber) are not synchronized via Google Account. They will require the use of Smart Switch or manual export.

3. Transfer via SD card or USB drive

If you have a microSDcard or USB drive with an adapter OTG, you can transfer files manually. This method is suitable for:

• 📸 Photos and videos (folders DCIM, Pictures)
• 🎵 Music and podcasts (folder Music)
• 📄 Documents (Download, Documents)
• 🎮 Game saves (if they are stored in /Android/data)

Instructions:

1. Paste SD card to the old device and copy the necessary folders.
2. Remove the card and insert it into the new one Samsung (or connect via OTG adapter, if you are using a flash drive).
3. Copy the files to the appropriate folders on the new phone.

For transfer applications this method is not suitable - Android does not allow installing .apkfiles directly from memory without manual confirmation (exception - if the "Unknown sources" option is enabled). However, you can save the list of installed applications through Google Play:

1. Open Google Play on your old phone.
2. Go to Profile → Manage applications and devices → Installed.
3. Click "Save list" and select "Send to..." (for example, by email).
4. On the new one Samsung open the list and install applications in a package.

⚠️ Attention: When copying a folder Android/data some applications (for example, games with local saves) may not recognize the transferred files. In this case, you will need to manually configure the paths in the application itself.

4. Wireless transfer via Local Transfer (Wi-Fi Direct)

If you do not have a cable or SD cards, you can use technology Wi-Fi Direct to directly transfer files between devices. This method works faster than Bluetooth, and does not require an Internet connection.

How to transfer data:

1. On both phones, enable Wi-Fi Direct in the settings (Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi → Wi-Fi Direct).
2. On your old phone, select files to send (for example, through "My files" on Samsung or "Files" on Xiaomi).
3. Click "Send" and select a new device from the list of available ones.
4. Confirm receipt on the new one Samsung.

The transfer speed depends on the phone model, but on average it is 10-20 MB/s (for comparison: Bluetooth 5.0 gives a maximum of 2 MB/s). This method is convenient for transferring large files, for example, video in resolution 4K.

Transfer method	Speed	Data types	Required conditions
Smart Switch (cable)	~50 MB/s	Contacts, SMS, photos, videos, applications, settings	Original USB cable, charge ≥30%
Smart Switch (Wi-Fi)	~15 MB/s	Contacts, photos, videos, music	One Wi-Fi network or Wi-Fi Direct
Google Account	Depends on the Internet	Contacts, calendars, photos (Google Photos), mail	Stable Internet connection
SD card/USB	~20 MB/s	Photos, videos, music, documents	OTG adapter or card slot
Wi-Fi Direct	~10-20 MB/s	Any files (except applications)	Wi-Fi Direct support on both devices

Smart Switch (cable)

Smart Switch (Wi-Fi)

Google Account

SD card or USB drive

Wi-Fi Direct

Another method-->

5. Transferring SMS and call history (manual export)

If Smart Switch has not transferred SMS or call history (a common problem when moving from Xiaomi or Realme), you can export them manually:

For SMS:

1. Install the application SMS Backup & Restore from Google Play.
2. Run a backup on your old phone (save the file to SD card or to the cloud).
3. Transfer the file to the new one Samsung and restore messages through the same application.

For call history:

1. Use the application Call Logs Backup & Restore.
2. Export the log to a file .xml or .csv.
3. Import the file on the new device.

Important: some manufacturers (for example Huawei) block access to call history for third-party applications. In this case, the only way out is to take screenshots of the call screen or use Smart Switch in the "Full copy" mode (requires root access on an old phone).

Why does Smart Switch not transfer some SMS?

On devices from Xiaomi, Realme and some other brands, messages can be stored in a proprietary format (non-standard for Android). Smart Switch only recognizes SMS in standard format, so transferring such messages requires manual export through third-party applications or format conversion.

6. Transferring data using ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods do not work, you can use Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to copy data directly. This method requires command line skills, but allows you to transfer even those files that are usually inaccessible.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your computer (download Platform Tools from the site Android Developers).
2. On your old phone enable USB Debugging (Settings → About phone → Build number - press 7 times, then return to Settings → System → For Developers).
3. Connect your phone to the PC and run the command to copy data:

   adb pull /sdcard/ /backup/old_phone/

   (this will copy all files from the internal memory to a folder backup on the computer).

4. Connect a new one Samsung and transfer the data back:

   adb push /backup/old_phone/ /sdcard/

Warning: this method copies all files, including system ones, which can lead to conflicts. It is not recommended to transfer folders /Android/data or /Android/obb without first clearing the application cache.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB may break some applications, especially if they are tied to unique device identifiers (for example, banking applications or DRM-protected games). Before transferring, make a backup copy of your important data.

7. Transferring data from phones without Google (Huawei, Honor)

Devices Huawei and Honor with firmware EMUI without services Google require a special approach. Here's what you need to do:

• 📱 Contacts: Export to a file .vcf via the Contacts application and import to Samsung.
• 📷 Photo/video: Use Huawei Cloud for temporary download, then download to your computer and transfer on Samsung.
• 💬 SMS: The application Huawei Backup creates a backup copy in a proprietary format. To transfer to Samsung first restore the SMS on another device Huawei (if any), then export via SMS Backup & Restore.
• 🎮 Applications: Save the list via AppGallery (export to .apk or mark in "My applications"), then install manually on Samsung.

If services are installed on Huawei Google (which is possible on older models), use standard synchronization methods via Google Account.

Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to transfer data from iPhone to Samsung?

Yes, but for this you need to use Smart Switch with a computer or adapter Lightning-to-USB-C. On iPhone install Smart Switch from App Store, connect to Samsung cable and follow the instructions. Please note that some data (for example, notes from Apple Notes) will not be transferred - they need to be exported separately.

Why does Smart Switch not see my old device?

The problem may be:

• Non-original USB cable (use the cable from Samsung).
• Outdated version Smart Switch (update on both phones).
• Disabled USB debugging (enable it in the settings for developers).
• Incompatibilities of firmware (on some Chinese devices you need to enable the "For Developers" mode and allow USB debugging).

If the problem persists, try wireless mode via Wi-Fi Direct.

How to transfer saves in games?

The method depends on the game:

• If the game supports Google Play Games or cloud saves, log in to the same account on the new phone.
• For offline games, copy the folders /Android/obb/[game_name] and /Android/data/[game_name] via ADB or a file manager.
• Some games (for example, Genshin Impact) are tied to your account - just log into the same account on the new device.

Important: if the game uses DRM protection (for example, Pokémon GO), transferring saves may block the account. In this case, contact game support.

What should I do if some contacts are missing after the transfer?

Check the following points:

1. Open Contact on new Samsung and click "More → Settings → Contacts to display." Make sure that all accounts are selected (Google, Samsung, SIM).
2. If the contacts were on SIM card, import them manually via Settings → Contacts → Import/Export.
3. Check the "Other Contacts" folder in Google Contacts —sometimes unrecognized entries go there.

If contacts disappear after use Smart Switch, try repeating the transfer by selecting the "Contacts Only" option.

You can Is it possible to transfer data without losing the quality of photos?

Yes, if you use:

• Smart Switch (transfers originals without compression).
• Google Photos in the "Original quality" mode (requires enough space in the cloud).
• Manual copying via SD card or ADB (files remain unchanged).

Avoid wireless transmission via Bluetooth or messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) - they compress photos.