If you own a Samsung phone or tablet, you might be curious about the Smart Switch app. In short, it’s a very convenient app that makes it easy to transfer files between your phone and other devices, so you should take a moment to understand how to use it, the different ways to connect, and what phones, tablets, and computers are compatible.
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What is Smart Switch and what is it used for?
The Samsung Smart Switch app can help you get your new Samsung phone set up with the photos, videos, many of the apps and app data from your old phone. There are some limitations, which we’ll cover below.
Smart Switch can also backup data from your Samsung phone to your computer. If you ever need to restore your Samsung phone, Smart Switch helps simplify that process, using the computer backup you created.
How to use Smart Switch
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Samsung Smart Switch offers multiple ways to connect to other devices to transfer data to your new phone. You can send files between mobile devices using Wi-Fi or via a USB data cable.
Wi-Fi has the potential to outpace a wired connection, but that isn’t always the case. If your Wi-Fi speed isn’t the quickest or your signal isn’t strong, a USB cable might be faster.
If you haven’t used Smart Switch before, you’ll see a list of requested permissions. SelectAllowto continue. If the app asks you to enable more permissions in the Settings app, follow those instructions to proceed.
Using Wi-Fi on Android devices
To transfer data between two Android phones or tablets, you need to have the Smart Switch app on both phones.
On newer Samsung phones, you can find Smart Switch in theAccounts and backupsection ofSettings. SelectBring data from old deviceto open the Smart Switch app.
On older Samsung models and other Android devices, you must install the Smart Switch app from the Play Store.
With the Smart Switch app open, choose which phone will send data and which will receive it. On your old phone, selectSend data, then tapWireless.
On the new phone, tapReceive data, chooseGalaxy/Androidas the source, then selectWireless.
Next, you choose what you want to transfer:Everything;Just accounts, calls, contacts, and messages; andCustom, which lets you choose from a list of data types.
If you upgrade between Samsung phones, you’re able to send all your messages, app data, photos, and more. Other Android devices could require a manual transfer of some information due to compatibility issues.
Using USB on Android devices
If your Wi-Fi speeds aren’t great, you can also transfer data from your old Android phone to your new Samsung phone with a USB cable.
The process is the same as the Wi-Fi method, except you selectCableinstead ofWireless. As above, you can send everything or select specific types of information to copy to your new device.
Switch from iPhone to Samsung
If your old phone is an iPhone and you want to transfer as much data as possible to your new Samsung Galaxy phone, Smart Switch can help.
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Smart Switch USB transfer
Download the Smart Switch app from theiPhone App Store, open it, and follow the on-screen instructions to transfer your files and some data to your new phone.
SelectSend datato transfer information from your iPhone. It’s best to use a USB or Lightning cable to directly connect to your new Samsung Galaxy phone since that copies the most data.
Since you’re using the Smart Switch app on both devices, it works the same as it does on Android. Allow and authenticate on both devices, then follow the Android USB instructions above to complete the transfer.
iCloud to Smart Switch
Backing up your iPhone to iCloud, then downloading files to your Samsung phone with Smart Switch could be faster than using a wired connection, but there are drawbacks.
You won’t get your text messages, iMessages, browser bookmarks, voice memos, and several other types of data. You can see what’s lacking in the FAQ ofSamsung’s Smart Switch support page.
The process is quite simple, however. From your old iPhone, open the Settings app, then select your Apple ID at the top. In iCloud settings, turn on iCloud backup.
When the backup is complete, open the Smart Switch app on your Samsung phone, tapReceive data, theniPhone/iPad, and chooseGet data from iCloud.
You must sign in with your Apple ID before selecting what you want to download to your new Samsung Galaxy phone.
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USB cable to Windows or Mac computers
If you need to back up your phone to a computer or restore your phone after something goes wrong, you may connect to a computer. That requires a wired connection.
Samsung makes a version of its Smart Switch app for Windows and macOS. You can find the download links onSamsung’s support page.
After opening the Smart Switch app on your computer, connect to your Samsung phone with a USB cable.
You can use a USB-C to USB-C or USB-C to USB-A cable as long as it’s capable of data transfer. If possible, use your computer’s USB 3.0 or newer ports since that will be much faster than sending files over USB 2.
SelectAllowon your phone to let the computer access your data.
On your computer, choose whether you want to create aBackuporRestorean earlier backup. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process.
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What phones work with Smart Switch?
Most recent phones, tablets, and computers work with Samsung Smart Switch, but a very old device might not run the app.
Compatible Android devices
Smart Switch supports any Android phone with Android 4.3 or later. Known as Android Jelly Bean, the final release was in 2013.
It’s unlikely your phone or tablet is older than that, but if it is, you’ll need anotherAndroid file backup method like Google Drive.
Compatible iOS and iPadOS devices
Any iPhone running iOS 5.0 or later can install and open Samsung Smart Switch.
Apple didn’t release iPadOS until 2019, long after iOS 5.0, so any iPad running iOS 5.0 or newer or any version of iPadOS will work with Smart Switch.
Compatible computers
Samsung Smart Switch can back up and restore files from Windows 10 or later. If your PC can’t connect, you might need to install theMicrosoft Media Feature Pack.
Mac computers running macOS 10.9 or later should work with Samsung Smart Switch.
Smart Switch simplifies new phone setup
With so many options for transferring data, the Samsung Smart Switch app greatly simplifies upgrading to a new Samsung Galaxy phone. If you’re moving between Samsung devices or another Android phone, most data will come across with no problems.
Samsung phones work well with most devices, but it’s a bit harder if you’re switching from an iPhone. The Smart Switch app goes a long way toward easing your transition, but you might need to work out some details on your own.
