How to back up Samsung devices

Whether your phone has stopped working, is damaged, was lost, stolen, or you’re switching handsets, you’ll want to make sure all your data is safeguarded and ready for restoring. Samsung holds 19% of the smartphone manufacturer market share, second only to Apple, so we know many of you are trying to figure out how to back up Samsung phones.

Also: How to back up any Android phone

Editor’s note: We’ve put together these steps using a Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra running Android 12. Keep in mind some steps might differ depending on your phone and software version.

QUICK ANSWER

The simplest way to back up your Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet is to use your Samsung account. Go to Settings > Accounts and backup> Backup and restore > Back up data (under Samsung account), then select all the apps you want to back up and hit Next.

JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS

How to back up a Samsung phone with a Samsung account

Samsung has its own method for quickly backing up all your smartphone data. It can store call logs, alarms, calendars, apps, messages, home screen options, settings, and more. It covers pretty much everything you need, except for personal files, such as photos or songs. You’ll need other methods for that.

How to back up a Samsung phone using Samsung Cloud

• Open the Settings app.
• Go into Accounts and backup.
• Under Samsung Cloud, hit Back up data.
• Select what you want to back up and tap on Next.

How to restore a Samsung phone using Samsung Cloud

• Open the Settings app.
• Go into Accounts and backup.
• Under Samsung Cloud, hit Restore data.
• Your backup may include apps you do not have installed. If that’s the case, your phone will ask if you want to install those apps. Click Install when prompted to do so, or click Don’t install to bypass this option and restore without installing apps.
• Let the phone do its thing and select Done.

How to restore a Samsung phone using Find My Mobile

Here’s a neat feature that will help you back up your device if you’ve already lost it. Of course, you’ll need to have set up Find My Mobile first. Additionally, the device needs to be on and connected to data.

• Using any browser, sign in to your Samsung account.
• Let Find My Mobile find your device.
• You’ll get a bevy of options when the phone has been located. Click on Back up.
• Select what you want to back up and click on Back up.
• Agree to the terms and click on Back up again.

How to back up a Samsung phone with Google Drive

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Of course, you can always opt for Google, just in case you’re not sure if you’ll be returning to a Samsung phone. Backing up to your Google account is just as simple, and will give you the ability to restore using any other Android phone in the future.

• Open the Settings app.
• Go into Accounts and backup.
• Under Google Drive, hit Back up data.
• Toggle on Backup by Google One.
• Tap on Back up now.

You can restore your Google Drive backups during a smartphone setup.

How to back up a Samsung phone with a third-party app

Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Of course, the beauty of Android is that you aren’t limited to the official ways of doing anything. The Google Play Store is full of applications that can help you back up Samsung devices. Of course, we can’t give you step-by-step instructions for all apps, but we have a list of the best Android backup apps for you.

FAQs

Are there any limitations to Samsung Cloud backups?

Every Samsung account user gets 15GB of storage free. Most backup data counts toward your limit, except for essential apps like Contacts and Calendar, which are unlimited. Additionally, no file over 1GB will be backed up.

Are there any limitations to Google Drive backups?

Google Drive backups count toward your storage. This means the only limitation is how much space you have available on Google Drive. Every user gets 15GB for free.

Can I back up my phone manually?

Of course. You can always use any physical storage solution to manually transfer your files using a file manager.

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