4 Ways to Back Up a Samsung Phone

Use Samsung Cloud, Find My Mobile, Samsung Smart Switch, Google Drive, or a third-party backup app

By Robert Earl Wells III
Published on March 9, 2023

Backing up your Samsung phone is something all responsible owners need to know how to do. Fortunately, there are a few options including Samsung's built-in cloud service, Samsung Smart Switch, and third-party apps.

Back Up With Samsung Cloud

What We Like

  • Quickest and easiest method.

  • Data is stored securely online, so it can be accessed from anywhere.

  • 15 GB of free storage.

What We Don't Like

  • Only available for some Samsung devices.

  • Doesn’t back up SD cards or third-party apps.

  • No way to access backup on non-Samsung devices.

Most Galaxy devices support Samsung's free backup service, Samsung Cloud. It backs up your settings, bookmarks, call logs, and even your home screen layout in addition to data from built-in apps like Calendar, Samsung Internet, Contacts, and Samsung Notes. Your personal files including photos, videos, and music are also backed up, but it doesn't save third-party app data or anything you have stored on your SD card.

The first 15 GB of storage is free, but you can pay for more if you need it. Since it's only available on Samsung devices, Samsung Cloud won't come in handy if you get a new phone from a different manufacturer. That's why it's a good idea to use multiple backup methods just in case.

Back Up With Samsung Smart Switch

What We Like

  • Compatible with non-Samsung devices.

  • Backups are stored locally rather than online.

  • Most secure method.

What We Don't Like

  • Not available for older Samsung devices.

  • No longer supports Outlook sync.

  • Requires a USB connection.

If your device doesn't support Samsung Cloud, or if you'd rather have a hard copy of your data than store it in the cloud, try Samsung Smart Switch. Smart Switch is designed to transfer data between Samsung devices, but you can use it to back up all of your data to your computer. After you download the companion app for Mac or Windows, use the Smart Switch app on your phone to connect your devices and facilitate the transfer.

Back Up With Find My Mobile

What We Like

  • Your don't need to be near your phone.

  • Works with any web browser.

  • Helpful if you lose your device.

What We Don't Like

  • Requires another device.

  • Your phone must have an internet connection.

  • Only useful if you set it up before losing your phone.

Samsung has a service called Find My Mobile that helps you locate and secure your device if you can't find it. If you set up Find My Mobile, it's possible to back up and factory reset your phone using a web browser on a separate device, so long as your phone is connected to the internet.

Go to the Find My Mobile website and sign in to your Samsung account. Choose your device on the left side of the screen, then select Back up to remotely save your phone data to Samsung Cloud.

Back Up With a Third-Party App

What We Like

  • Tons of free options.

  • Some apps allow you to access files on any device.

  • Helpful if you ever get a non-Samsung phone.

What We Don't Like

  • Security concerns with storing data online.

  • Cloud storage can come with a price.

  • Doesn't back up phone settings.

You can find dozens of phone backup apps for Android in the Play Store like G Cloud Backup. Some of them may offer features that Samsung Cloud and Smart Switch don't have, like the option to back up to an SD card.

If you have a Gmail account, then you have a Google Drive where you can store files and access them across all your devices. Other third-party cloud storage options include Dropbox and OneDrive. These services are ideal if you just want to back up or transfer specific personal files.

FAQ
  • How do I factory reset a Samsung phone?

    You can factory reset a Samsung device through Settings. Swipe down to open Quick Settings, and then go to Settings > General Management > Reset > Factory Data Reset.

  • When is the new Samsung phone coming out?

    Samsung releases new models throughout the year. The new S series models typically come out in January or February. F, M, and Z series devices often release in the spring or summer, but these release windows can vary.

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