Changing a smartphone is always an exciting event, accompanied not only by the joy of a new gadget, but also by the fear of losing important information. Users often wonder how to drag all data from one phone to another Android without losing contacts, photos and application settings. Fortunately, the Google ecosystem and device manufacturers have provided many tools for seamless migration, making the process as automated as possible.
In this article, we will analyze in detail all the available methods: from using cloud services and cables to specialized utilities from brands like Samsung or Xiaomi. You will find out which method is suitable for your case, how long it will take and what nuances should be taken into account so as not to lose a single byte of information. Proper preparation ensures that your new smartphone will become an exact digital copy of the old one within a few minutes after turning it on.
Preparing devices for the migration process
Before starting any manipulations, it is critical to ensure the stability of both devices. Transferring large amounts of data, such as video archives or photo libraries, requires significant battery power. Make sure that both smartphones are charged at least 80%, or better yet, connect them to a power source throughout the entire process.
You also need to check the availability of free space on the target device. If you plan to transfer 64 GB of data and only 50 GB is available on your new phone, the procedure will be interrupted or fail. Free up space ahead of time by deleting unnecessary caches or duplicate files.
⚠️ Warning: Do not install system updates right before transferring your data if your battery is low. The firmware process in combination with active file transfer can lead to overheating and emergency shutdown of the device.
Another important step is account synchronization. Make sure that on your old phone you are signed in to your main phone Google account and synchronization of contacts and calendar is turned on. This will create an additional level of data protection in the cloud in case of failure during local copying.
☑️ Preparing for the transfer
Using the built-in Google setup wizard
The most universal and reliable method that works on any Android versions from 6.0 and higher have a built-in setup wizard. When you turn on your new smartphone for the first time, the system will automatically prompt you to copy applications and data from another device. This method uses a direct connection via Wi-Fi or cable.
The process begins by selecting a language and connecting to the network. When the system asks “Copy apps and data?”, select the “Next” option. You will be prompted to use your old phone to set up your new one. On your old device, you need to open Google settings or simply unlock the screen if a notification pops up.
You can use a USB-C to USB-C cable (or adapter) to connect devices, which will ensure maximum transfer speeds. If there is no cable, the devices will create a temporary Wi-Fi hotspot. Once the connection is established, you will see a list of data available for copying:
- 📱 Applications and their data (history, logins)
- 📸 Photos and videos from the gallery
- 📞 Contacts and SMS/MMS messages
- ⚙️ System settings (Wi-Fi passwords, wallpaper)
It is important to understand that transferring data via a wireless connection can take considerable time, especially if you have a lot of high-resolution photos. During this time, do not minimize the settings application and keep the devices close to each other.
Use the original cable that came with the new phone to connect the devices - third-party cables can only support charging, but not data transfer.
Transfer via Google One cloud service
If you are unable to connect the phones with a cable or they are in different places, cloud backup comes to the rescue. The service Google One allows you to create a complete copy of the system, which is then deployed on a new device when you log in to your account.
On your old phone, go to Settings → Google → Backup. Click the "Start Copy" or "Create Backup" button. Make sure the "Backup via Google One" switch is turned on. This copy will include application data, call history, contacts and device settings.
| Data type | Storage location | Recovery |
|---|---|---|
| Contact | Google Contacts | Instantly when you log into your account |
| Photo/Video | Google Photos | On request or in the background |
| Applications | Play Market | Automatic download |
| SMS/MMS | Google Drive (hidden) | Only during initial setup |
It is worth noting that photos and videos stored in Google Photosare not always included in the system backup, since they are synchronized separately. Check the sync status in the Google Photos app to ensure all media is uploaded to the cloud.
⚠️ Note: Google Drive's free plan only provides 15 GB of storage. If your backup exceeds this limit, the system will offer to buy a Google One subscription or skip part of the data.
What to do if the cloud is full?
If there is not enough space, you can temporarily delete old backups of other devices through the website drive.google.com in the "Backups" section to free up space for the current phone.
Branded utilities from manufacturers smartphones
Large vendors such as Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei and Realme are developing their own migration tools, which are often faster and more accurate than standard Android tools. These apps are optimized for specific hardware and allow you to transfer even specific interface settings.
For example, Samsung owners should use the application Smart Switch. It allows you to transfer data not only from Android, but also from iOS. The application is intended for Xiaomi Mi Mover, and for Huawei - Phone Clone. The principle of their operation is similar: you need to install the application on both phones (or find it in the pre-installed ones), select the “Sender” and “Recipient” roles, and then scan the QR code.
The advantage of proprietary utilities is the ability to transfer desktop data, alarm clocks and even Wi-Fi passwords in encrypted form, which is sometimes not available to the standard Google wizard. In addition, they often know how to clone applications that do not support official backup.
However, there is a nuance: such apps work best when moving within the same ecosystem (for example, from Samsung to Samsung). When transferring cross-platform (from Xiaomi to Samsung), the functionality may be limited to only basic media files and contacts.
Manual transfer of files via a computer or cable
Sometimes automatic methods fail or do not transfer everything. In such cases, the good old manual method remains the most reliable option for heavy files. You can connect the old phone to the computer via a USB cable, select the File Transfer (MTP) mode and copy the folders DCIM, Download, Documents to the hard drive.
Then connect the new phone and transfer the data from the computer to the appropriate directories. This method is ideal for transferring huge video archives, since the transfer speed over USB 3.0 is much higher than over Wi-Fi Direct.
For those who prefer to do without a computer, there is a method of directly connecting two phones with a USB-OTG cable. Connect the devices with a cable, and on the new phone in the setup wizard, select “Use cable.” The system will automatically recognize the storage of the old device and offer to copy the files.
⚠️ Attention: When manually copying via a computer, file permissions may be reset. Some applications may not see the transferred files until you allow access through the system file manager.
Manual transfer via PC is the only guaranteed way to preserve the folder structure and files that are ignored by cloud services due to format or size.
Transferring data from instant messengers and banking applications
Deserve special attention messengers and financial applications. For security reasons, banking apps (SberBank, Tinkoff, Alpha) never transfer authorization data. You will have to re-enter your login and password and confirm login via SMS or push notification on your old device.
With instant messengers the situation is more complicated. To WhatsApp you need to create a local or cloud backup of chats in advance in the settings of the application itself (Chats → Chat backup). When installing WhatsApp on a new phone, the system will detect a copy and offer to restore the chat history.
In the case of Telegram everything is simpler: the correspondence history is stored on the messenger servers. Simply enter your phone number and all chats will appear automatically. However, secret chats are never transferred - this is a feature of their encryption.
Do not forget about two-factor authentication. If you use authenticator applications (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator), export codes in advance through the “Account Transfer” function inside these applications, otherwise you may lose access to your services.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Will passwords from sites saved in the browser be transferred?
Yes, if you used the Chrome browser and logged into your Google account with synchronization enabled. All saved passwords, bookmarks and history will automatically be transferred to the new phone after logging into your account.
What to do if the transfer is stuck at 99%?
Do not panic and do not turn off your phones immediately. Wait 10-15 minutes. If there is no progress, a specific application may be frozen. In this case, you will have to interrupt the process, restart both devices and try again, excluding the problematic application from the selection.
Is it possible to transfer data if the screen of the old phone is broken?
It is difficult, but possible. If the sensor partially works, try connecting a USB mouse via an OTG adapter. If the screen is completely black, but the phone turns on, the only help will be removing the memory card (if the data is there) or connecting to a PC if USB debugging mode was previously enabled.
Will the information be deleted from the old phone after the transfer?
No, the copying process does not delete the data from the source. The old phone will remain in the same condition. However, after successfully transferring and testing the operation of the new device, it is recommended to reset the old phone to factory settings before selling or disposing of it.