How to Switch Android Phones Without Losing Data [Comprehensive Guide]

Summary

"I bought a new Android phone yesterday, and now I want to switch to this new phone. So much data is stored on my old Android phone, so how can I switch Android phones easily?"

We've found many users asked such questions on Reddit, and other online communities. Even though there have been some posts and solutions online, many of them are outdated and inefficient. Therefore, we updated this guide about how to switch Android phones, and the following are the latest solutions.

Part 1: What Should I Do Before Switching Android Phones?

Before you even think about powering on your new device, there are several crucial steps you should take to ensure a seamless data transfer and protect your information.

1. Back Up Your Data: This is by far the most important step. Most Android phones automatically back up to your Google Account, but it's wise to perform a manual check and force a new backup: Go to Settings > Google > Backup (or System > Backup on some phones), and ensure Back up to Google One is turned on.

2. Charge Both Phones: Ensure both your old and new phones have sufficient battery life (at least 50% or more) to complete the data transfer without interruption.

3. Update Apps and OS: Make sure all your essential apps and your current Android operating system on your old phone are updated to their latest versions. This can prevent compatibility issues when transferring to a new device, especially if the new phone runs a newer Android version.

4. Remove SIM Card and SD Card: Don't forget to carefully remove your SIM card from your old phone if you plan to use it in your new device. If your old phone has an SD card, remove it and insert it into your new phone (if supported) or transfer its contents.

Part 2: How to Switch Android Phones with Google Account During Setup?

The easiest and most common way to transfer your data to a new Android phone is by using your Google Account during the initial setup process. As long as you have backed up your data to your Google Account, you can restore the backup data to your new phone with Wi-Fi or mobile data.

Here's how to change a phone by restoring data with Google backup:

Step 1: Make sure you have backed up your data on the old Android phone to Google Drive. Next, turn on your new Android device for the first time.

Step 2: You'll be guided through initial setup steps like selecting your language, connecting to Wi-Fi, and accepting terms and conditions. When prompted, sign in with the same Google Account that you used on your old phone and where your backups are stored.

Step 3: The setup wizard will detect a backup associated with your Google Account. You'll see a screen like "Copy Apps & Data". Click "Next".

Step 4: You'll typically see a list of devices backed up to your Google Account. Choose your old phone from the list to restore from its most recent backup.

Step 5: Select the content you want to restore, and click "Restore" at the bottom to import the backup data to your new Android phone.

Part 3: How Can I Switch My Phone to Another Phone in 1 Click?

How can you quickly switch to a new Android phone? In addition to using your Google Account, you can use a one-stop data transfer tool - Samsung Data Transfer. It can copy almost all files to your new Android phone at the same time, including contacts, SMS, apps, music, photos, etc. To some extent, It is the easiest way to swap Android phones. Also, it can transfer data from iOS to Android without trouble.

With this Android transfer software, you can:

- Move photos, videos, documents, call logs, contacts, text messages, and more from Android to Android with original quality and formats.

- Transfer your data between Android devices with USB or Wi-Fi.

- Freely select file types on the interface before copying data.

- Swiftly move data from iOS to Android and vice versa.

- Move data between iOS devices without effort.

Moreover, it is highly compatible with Android OS 6.0 and later, including the latest Android 16. You can use it for many Android devices, like Samsung, OnePlus, Motorola, Honor, Tecno, TCL, Vivo, OPPO, etc.

Download this Android data transfer software.

Guide on changing Android phones with simple clicks:

Step 1: Please install the data migration software on your computer, and launch it on the desktop.

Step 2: Use USB cables to connect your Android phones to the computer, and enable the USB debugging mode on both smartphones. You will see the connected interface. Now, ensure your new Android phone is the "Destination" device, or click "Flip".

Step 3: Once connected, please select the data types you want on the panel, and click the "Start Copy" icon to begin transferring your data. After you finish, you can view the data on your new Android phone.

Part 4: How to Switch to Another Phone via Smart Switch (For Samsung)?

Samsung's Smart Switch is a proprietary tool designed specifically for transferring data to new Samsung Galaxy devices, either from another Samsung phone, an iPhone, or even other Android phones. It's renowned for its comprehensive data transfer capabilities. However, it only works when the receiver is a Samsung Galaxy device.

Here's how to switch to a new Samsung Android phone via Smart Switch:

Step 1: Smart Switch is often pre-installed. If not, you can download it from the Galaxy Store or Google Play Store on both Android phones. Place both phones close to each other.

Step 2: On your receiver, click "Receive data" > "Galaxy/Android" > "Cable" or "Wireless". If you want a stable connection, please choose "Cable", and use a USB-C to USB-C cable or a USB-A to USB-C cable with an OTG adapter to connect both your mobile devices.

Step 3: Click "Send data" > "Cable" on your old phone. Once the connection is done, you will see the options for file types on the screen.

Step 4: Select your desired data and click "Transfer". Then you will get your data from the old phone to your new Android phone.

Part 5: How to Switch One Phone to Another Using a Cable Manually?

For a more hands-on approach, or if you only need to transfer specific files like photos, videos, and documents, you can manually move data using a USB cable and a computer. This method doesn't transfer app data, messages, or call logs automatically.

Here's how:

Step 1: Use a USB cable to connect your old Android phone to your PC or Mac. On your phone, pull down the notification shade and tap on the USB connection notification. Select "File transfer/Android Auto".

Step 2: Click "This PC" and double-click your Android device. Then navigate to folders like "DCIM" (for photos/videos), "Downloads", "Documents", or any other folders where your personal files are stored.

Step 3: Copy these files to a temporary folder on your computer's hard drive.

Step 4: Safely eject your old phone, then connect your new Android phone to the computer using its USB cable. Just like before, select "File transfer/Android Auto" from the USB notification on your new phone.

Step 5: Open the new phone's internal storage on your computer. Drag and drop or copy-paste the files from the temporary folder on your computer to the corresponding folders on your new phone

Part 6: FAQs About Switching to New Android Phone

Q1: Should I activate my new Android phone before transferring data?

Yes, you should activate your new Android phone before transferring data, and here's why:

1. Activation ensures the phone is connected to your mobile network and the internet, which are both often required for the transfer process.
2. Activating the phone lets you log into your Google account, which is necessary if you're using Google's transfer tools.
3. If you use a data transfer tool like Samsung Data Transfer, it cannot detect or recognize your device if you don't activate it or complete the setup.

Q2: Do I put my SIM card in a new Android phone before transferring data?

Yes, you generally put your SIM card into your new Android phone during the initial setup process, and this usually happens before or in conjunction with the data transfer. Your new phone will likely need a network connection (either Wi-Fi or cellular) to complete its initial setup, including connecting to Google services and downloading updates. Inserting the SIM card provides that a cellular connection from the start.

Q3: How do I transfer everything to my new Android phone?

You can transfer almost everything to your new Android phone with your Google Account or Samsung Data Transfer. However, no tool can transfer incompatible data, settings, or system apps from one phone to another. Therefore, you can transfer almost everything but not absolutely everything.

Conclusion

You have learned all the methods on how to switch Android phones from the previous sections. So, it is time to transfer data to your new phone. If you want to make it in 1 click, please try this Android file transfer software - Samsung Data Transfer. It can move different kinds of data types at once. Additionally, we would be grateful if you could share other practical transfer methods with us in the comments section.

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Sophie Green Chief Editor

Sophie Green, Chief Editor of Samsung-messages-backup website, has been focusing on the realm of Android Recovery, Android Transfer (Backup), Android Device Tips, Phone Clean, and Phone Transfer technologies. Recognized contributions on leading platforms attest to her esteemed expertise and reliability.