Backing up your data
This is a preliminary guide in backing up your life's precious moments.
Last updated
This is a preliminary guide in backing up your life's precious moments.
Last updated
Installing a custom for the first time might be daunting. But with your data backed up, it's easier to mess up and repeat than worrying if you lost your important data.
Below are some options and services you can use, either one or some of them, in order to back up your precious memories.
Samsung Cloud backs up data for most apps, but might not back up data for your desired app. If possible, check with the app for a "backup and restore" option, use this alongside a different backup method, or use a different method of backing up your data entirely.
Using Samsung Cloud is as easy as "set up and leave it". Samsung Cloud Backups, if your device is already signed in to a Samsung Account, is enabled and configured by default to automatically upload messages, contacts, app data, and more.
Plus, you can restore your data directly from the setup flow when you set up Fresh for the first time, making your restore process even more seamless.
If you are not certain whether your data is automatically backed up, you can back up your data to Samsung Cloud manually.
Open the Settings app.
Find and select the Accounts and backup screen.
Tap Back up data under Samsung Cloud.
Select the data you will need to be backed up and tap Back up now. This will take some time depending on your internet connection.
Once the backup has finished, confirm if the data you have selected has successfully backed up. Click "OK" to continue.
Your data is now backed up to Samsung Cloud.
The Samsung Smart Switch app exports data for most apps, but might not back up data for your desired app. If possible, check with the app for a "backup and restore" option, use this alongside a different backup method, or use a different method of backing up your data entirely.
If you have a large-enough SD card or USB thumbdrive to (temporarily) back up your important data to, you can directly use the Samsung Smart Switch app to export your data to an external storage medium.
Plus, just like backing up using Samsung Cloud, you can restore your data directly from the setup flow when you set up Fresh for the first time.
If you are not certain whether your data is automatically backed up, you can back up your data to Samsung Cloud manually.
Open the Settings app.
Find and select the Accounts and backup screen.
Tap External storage transfer under Smart Switch. A dialog will prompt you to install the Smart Switch app, if not currently installed.
Select the storage you would like to export your data to.
Select whether you will export everything or just calls, contacts, and messages and tap Next. If you have selected the "Custom" option, select the type of data you need backing up and tap Back up. This will take some time.
Once the backup has finished, confirm if the data you have selected has successfully backed up. Click "OK" to continue.
Your data is now backed up to your selected external storage.
Samsung Smart Switch PC backs up data for selected Samsung apps only. If possible, check with the app for a "backup and restore" option, use this alongside a different backup method, or use a different method of backing up your data entirely.
Samsung's official Smart Switch software is the easiest way to back up your messages, contacts, and more to your PC. Its one-click backup and restore options make it easy to switch from your device's official One UI firmware to a custom one.
Download Samsung Smart Switch from the official Samsung website.
Some custom One UI firmware might not include the capability to back up data using Smart Switch PC. Check with the firmware developer if this feature is available.
After installing Smart Switch on your PC running Microsoft Windows(TM), plug your device to your PC using a USB cable.
From your Samsung device, tap "Allow" to allow your PC access to your data. You can now open the Smart Switch program at this point.
Smart Switch should now be able to detect your device. Click Backup and check the data you will need to be backed up.
Click "OK". The backup will take some time.
Once the backup has finished, confirm if the data you have selected has successfully backed up. Click "OK" to continue.
Your data is now backed up to your PC.
Google backs up data for most apps installed from the Google Play Store, but might not back up data for your desired app. If possible, check with the app for a "backup and restore" option, use this alongside a different backup method, or use a different method of backing up your data entirely.
Google offers a backup and restore service for all Android devices, and backs up call logs, messages, and contacts as well as app data. Like Samsung Cloud, this is enabled and configured automatically if your device is signed in to a Google Account.
Just like backing up using Samsung Cloud, you can restore your data directly from the setup flow when you set up Fresh for the first time.
If you are not certain whether your data is automatically backed up, you can back up your data to Google Drive manually.
Open the Settings app.
Find and select the Accounts and backup screen.
Tap Back up data under Google Drive.
Tap Back up now. This will take some time depending on your internet connection.
Once the backup has finished, confirm if the data you have selected has successfully backed up. Click "OK" to continue.
Your data is now backed up to Google Drive.
The Migrate app requires a device that already has root access enabled. This section is only useful for users from a different custom firmware or has already rooted their device.
Migrate is a free, very-comprehensive back up solution to your local data. With the ability to back up the entire data portion of an app, you'll be sure that nothing is lost when you restore your data using Migrate.
Get the Migrate app from the Google Play Store:
Open the Migrate app. If you have opened the app for the first time, accept root permissions.
Tap Backup and check the data you will need to be backed up. You can also back up contacts, messages, and call logs.
Tap Start backup. This will take some time.
Once the backup has finished, confirm if the data you have selected has successfully backed up.
Copy the backups from your Internal storage (Internal storage > Migrate) to an external storage or a PC.
Your data is now backed up using Migrate.
