Moving to a new Android phone: backup, transfer and what doesn't copy over
TUREFF• •0
A new Android phone can be set up to look almost exactly like the old one in under an hour, but only if you prepare before you start. The transfer tools are good, yet they quietly skip some things, and a few of those are painful to lose. This guide covers what to do on the old phone, how the transfer works and the checklist of items to sort out by hand.
Before you start: prepare the old phone
- Update the old phone and its apps. Transfer tools work best when both phones are on recent software.
- Check Google backup is switched on. It is usually under Settings, then Google or System, then Backup. Run a manual backup so the latest copy is in your account.
- Make sure Google Photos (or your photo app) has finished backing up, if you use one, so photos exist somewhere other than the phone.
- Charge both phones and keep the old one's screen lock PIN to hand; you will be asked for it.
- Write down anything you sign in to with a code from the phone, such as banking apps and two-factor authenticator apps. These are the items most likely to cause trouble later.
How the transfer works
Google's own guidance is to copy data during the new phone's first setup, ideally with a cable between the two phones, because the option may not be offered once setup is finished. When the new phone asks whether to copy apps and data, choose to use the old phone and follow the prompts. A wireless copy also works but is slower.
According to Google's help pages, a cable copy typically brings across:
- Apps from the Play Store and some app data
- Photos, videos and music stored in normal folders
- Contacts saved on the phone or SIM, text messages including picture messages, and call history
- Most settings and the wallpaper, depending on phone and Android version
If you have no old phone to hand, signing in with your Google account during setup lets you restore from the cloud backup instead. Samsung owners also have Smart Switch, which comes pre-installed on Galaxy phones and moves data by cable or wirelessly; between two Samsung phones it tends to carry more of the Samsung-specific settings.
What usually does not copy over
- Files in hidden folders and many downloads, such as PDFs, may be skipped. Copy anything important to a computer or cloud storage first.
- Apps not from the Play Store do not come across.
- Ringtones you added yourself.
- App data from apps that do not use Android backup. Games without a cloud save and some offline note apps fall into this group. Check each app you care about for its own export or sign-in sync.
- Banking and payment apps. Most require you to sign in again and re-verify, and contactless cards in wallet apps have to be added again.
- Authenticator apps. Some sync to an account if you turned that on; others are tied to the device. Move or re-enrol each two-factor code before you wipe the old phone.
- Messaging apps with their own backups. WhatsApp restores its chats from its own cloud backup after you sign in on the new phone, so run a fresh backup in WhatsApp's settings first. Signal and some others have their own transfer steps.
- eSIMs. Moving an eSIM may be offered during setup on some phones; otherwise your network operator will need to issue a new one.
After the transfer
- Open each important app and sign in while the old phone still works.
- Check photos, messages and contacts are all present before going further.
- Re-pair smartwatches, earbuds and car systems. A watch often needs to be reset and set up again with the new phone.
- Set up Find Hub and the screen lock on the new phone.
Retiring the old phone
Only when everything works on the new phone, remove your Google account from the old one, take out any SIM and memory card, and do a factory reset. Removing the account first helps avoid the reset protection lock that would stop the next owner using it.
What tripped you up the last time you changed phones? Share your tips in the comments.