Samsung to Samsung: moving to a new phone

Samsung Galaxy phones come with Smart Switch. It copies contacts, messages, photos, apps and settings from your old Galaxy to your new one.

Before you start

Put the two phones close together with Wi-Fi turned on.
Charge both phones, or keep them plugged in the whole time.
Be on your home Wi-Fi. Have your Wi-Fi password ready (it is often on the back of your router).
Know your passwords: the code that unlocks your old phone, and your Apple Account or Google Account password.
Keep your old phone. Don't reset it or hand it in until you have checked everything is on the new one.
Give yourself time. Allow about an hour. Moving lots of photos can take longer.

Step by step

On your new phone, when it asks during setup, choose to copy data from your old phone. If you have already set it up, open the Smart Switch app. (It is also in Settings › Accounts and backup, where it says Bring data from old device.)
On the new phone, tap Receive on this phone (older phones say Receive data), then choose Galaxy/Android.
On your old phone, open Smart Switch and tap Send from this phone (older phones say Send data).
Choose Wireless on both phones. (You can also join the phones with a USB-C cable instead.)
The old phone's camera opens. Use it to scan the square barcode (QR code) on the new phone.
On the new phone, tick what you want to copy, then tap Next (older phones say Transfer).
When it has finished, tap Done on the old phone. On the new phone, tap Next, then Done.

When it has finished

Check your photos, contacts and messages on the new phone.
Some apps look faded for a while. They will work once they have finished installing.
Samsung's menus can look slightly different on older phones. If you can't find a button, use the search in Settings and type Smart Switch.

Watch how it's done

Official video from Samsung UK. The video only loads from YouTube when you press play.

Shows the steps on screen with music. There is no talking. Pressing play loads YouTube in privacy-enhanced mode. YouTube may then store data on your device. Watch on YouTube instead.

Official help pages

More guides

iPhone to iPhoneAndroid to iPhoneiPhone to AndroidGoogle Pixel or other AndroidNew HONOR phoneNew OPPO phoneNew OnePlus phoneNew Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phoneNew Motorola phoneMoving your WhatsApp chatsKeep your contacts and photos safeBefore you trade in, sell or give away

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These guides are written by Norfolk Fibre Watch in plain English. The videos and links come straight from Apple, Google, Samsung and WhatsApp. We don't earn anything from this section. Menus can change after phone updates, so if your screen looks different, follow the official guide linked on each page.