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How to Back Up and Restore a Samsung Phone Properly

Back up a Galaxy phone with Samsung Cloud, Google and Smart Switch, then restore to a new device — including what each method does and does not save.

By Guides written from official Android and Samsung documentation, with every source linked and every article dated4 min read

Short answer

Use Settings › Accounts and backup › Back up data for Samsung Cloud, confirm Google One backup is on, and use Smart Switch for a full transfer to a new phone. No single method covers everything, so use at least two.

No single backup covers everything. Covered by the usual backups: Settings and home screen layout, Contacts and calendar, Messages and call logs, App list and some app data, Samsung Notes. Covered by nothing — do these yourself: Secure Folder — back up separately, Two-factor authenticator apps — export first, WhatsApp — its own Drive backup, Signal — its own passphrase backup, Photos — OneDrive or Google Photos.
Use at least two, and know which one holds what.

No single backup method on a Galaxy phone covers everything. Use two, and know which one holds what — otherwise you discover the gap on the day you need it.

The three methods, and what each covers

Samsung CloudGoogleSmart Switch
Settings and layoutYesPartialYes
AppsList onlyList and some dataApps and data
PhotosNoVia Google PhotosYes
Messages and call logsYesPartialYes
ContactsYesYesYes
Samsung NotesYesNoYes
Secure FolderNoNoSeparate backup

The two entries in bold are the ones that cause real loss. Samsung Cloud does not back up photos — that moved to OneDrive. And Secure Folder is never included in a normal backup.

Samsung Cloud backup

Settings › Accounts and backup › Back up data.

Select what to include, then tap Back up now. Automatic backups normally run only when the phone is charging, on Wi-Fi and the screen has been off for a while — so a phone that is never plugged in overnight may not have backed up in months. Check the last backup date on this screen.

To restore: Settings › Accounts and backup › Restore data, or during the setup wizard on a new phone.

Full detail in our guide to accessing Samsung Cloud.

Google backup

Settings › Google › Backup — confirm Backup by Google One is on.

Covers app data, call history, contacts, settings and SMS. It is the backup that survives switching to a non-Samsung phone, which makes it the more portable of the two.

Google Photos is separate: open it, tap your profile picture, and confirm Backup is enabled. This is where your photos should be.

Smart Switch: the complete transfer

Smart Switch moves nearly everything to a new Galaxy, and is the right tool when replacing a phone.

Phone to phone (fastest):

  1. Install Smart Switch on both phones — it is preinstalled on most Galaxy devices.
  2. On the new phone choose Receive; on the old one choose Send.
  3. Connect by cable (USB-C to USB-C) or wirelessly.
  4. Select what to transfer and start.

A cable is substantially faster and more reliable than wireless for large photo libraries. Wireless is fine for a light transfer.

Backup to a computer:

  1. Install Smart Switch for PC or Mac.
  2. Connect the phone by cable and authorise it.
  3. Choose Back up.

This produces a full local backup on your computer, including photos. It is the only method here that gives you a copy you physically control — worth doing before a major repair, a factory reset or an OS upgrade.

Backup to an SD card, where your phone has a slot: Smart Switch › SD card › Back up.

Secure Folder must be backed up separately

Secure Folder is encrypted and deliberately excluded from every normal backup. Its contents are not in Samsung Cloud, not in Google's backup, and not in Smart Switch.

Secure Folder › ⋮ › Settings › Back up and restore.

If you factory reset without doing this, everything in Secure Folder is gone permanently. This is the single most common way people lose data on a Galaxy phone.

Things no backup covers

Plan for these separately:

  • Two-factor authentication apps. Google Authenticator and similar do not transfer with a normal backup. Export the accounts before wiping the phone, or you lose access to every account they protect.
  • WhatsApp. Uses its own backup — WhatsApp › Settings › Chats › Chat backup to Google Drive.
  • Signal. Requires its own backup with a passphrase you must record.
  • Banking and authenticator apps often refuse to restore and must be set up fresh.
  • Downloaded media in streaming apps.

The 2FA point deserves emphasis. Wiping a phone with an authenticator app on it, without exporting first, can lock you out of your email, which then locks you out of everything else.

Before a factory reset: a checklist

Before any factory reset. Step 1: Smart Switch backup to a computer — The most complete copy, and one you physically control. Step 2: Verify photos in a browser — Open Google Photos or OneDrive on a computer and look. Step 3: Back up Secure Folder separately — Secure Folder, Settings, Back up and restore. Step 4: Export your 2FA accounts — This is the step that locks people out if skipped. Step 5: Back up WhatsApp and Signal — Each uses its own separate system. Step 6: Remove Samsung and Google accounts — Clears Reactivation Lock and Factory Reset Protection.
Step 6 must come before step 7, or the phone is unusable for its next owner.
  1. Smart Switch backup to a computer — the most complete copy.
  2. Confirm Google Photos shows your recent photos, checked in a browser.
  3. Back up Secure Folder separately.
  4. Export 2FA accounts from your authenticator app.
  5. Back up WhatsApp and any other messenger with its own system.
  6. Remove your Samsung account and Google account — this clears Reactivation Lock and Factory Reset Protection. See deleting or removing a Samsung account.
  7. Then reset.

Step 6 before step 7 is the one people reverse, producing a phone the next owner cannot activate.

Restoring to a new phone

During setup you are offered:

  • Smart Switch from the old phone — the most complete option.
  • Samsung Cloud restore.
  • Google restore.

You can combine them: restore from Google during setup, then run Smart Switch afterwards for Samsung-specific data. Restoring later is also possible via Settings › Accounts and backup › Restore data.

In short

Use Google Photos for photos, Samsung Cloud for settings and messages, and Smart Switch to a computer before anything risky. Back up Secure Folder separately, and export your 2FA accounts before wiping any phone.

Frequently asked questions

How do I back up my Samsung phone?

Go to Settings › Accounts and backup › Back up data for Samsung Cloud, confirm Backup by Google One is on under Settings › Google › Backup, and use Smart Switch on a computer for a complete local copy including photos.

Does Samsung Cloud back up photos?

No. Photo backup moved to Microsoft OneDrive via Gallery sync, or you can use Google Photos. Samsung Cloud covers settings, contacts, messages, call logs and Samsung Notes.

Is Secure Folder included in a Samsung backup?

No. Secure Folder is encrypted and excluded from all normal backups. Back it up separately under Secure Folder › Settings › Back up and restore, or its contents are lost permanently in a factory reset.

What does Smart Switch transfer?

Nearly everything — apps and their data, photos, messages, call logs, contacts, settings and home screen layout. It works phone to phone by cable or wirelessly, or as a full backup to a computer or SD card.

Sources & further reading

Official documentation used while writing and checking this guide. Every link was verified at the last update.

  1. Back up photos & videosGoogle Photos Help
  2. Microsoft OneDrive help and learningMicrosoft
  3. Reset your Android device to factory settingsGoogle Android Help
  4. Samsung CloudSamsung
#backup#restore#smart switch#samsung cloud#new phone

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