Got a New Android Phone? How to Move Everything Over Without Losing a Thing
Moving to a new Android phone? Here's how to copy apps, photos, texts and chats by cable or Wi-Fi, and what won't transfer on its own.
In this article
Fall Prime Day has a lot of people unboxing a new phone this week. The hardware is the easy part. Getting years of photos, texts, apps and logins across without leaving something important behind takes a little planning, and one detail trips people up every time: Google’s built-in copy tool only runs once, during setup.
Here’s how to get it right the first time.
Before you start: 10 minutes of prep
- Charge both phones. Google says a transfer can take anywhere from minutes to hours.
- Turn on Google backup on the old phone. Go to Settings > Google > All services > Backup, turn on Backup by Google One and tap Back up now. This is your safety net if the direct copy fails.
- Back up WhatsApp separately. Make a fresh chat backup inside WhatsApp so you can restore it on the new phone.
- Check your two-factor app. Open your authenticator and make sure your codes are synced to an account or exported. Do this before you wipe anything.
- Find your SIM tool, or have your carrier’s eSIM transfer instructions ready.
Option 1: Google’s copy tool (any Android to any Android)
Google’s method works on phones running Android 10 or later. It needs an internet connection, and Google recommends putting both phones on Wi-Fi.
- Turn on the new phone and tap Start.
- Connect to Wi-Fi, or activate mobile data with your SIM or eSIM.
- Tap Copy when the phone asks about apps and data.
- With a cable (Google’s recommended route): connect the phones with a USB cable that fits both, using an adapter if needed. On the old phone, sign in to your Google account if asked, choose what to copy and tap Copy. Wait until the old phone says copying is done.
- Without a cable: on the new phone tap No cable, then Next, and enter the old phone’s PIN. On the old phone, open the Google app, search “set up my device” and follow the prompts. Confirm the shapes and numbers match on both screens, pick your data and tap Copy.
This brings over Play Store apps and some of their data, photos and videos, music, contacts, SMS, MMS and RCS messages, call history, wallpaper and most settings.
Option 2: Samsung Smart Switch (moving to a Galaxy)
If your new phone is a Samsung, Smart Switch is the better tool. On the new phone choose Receive data; on the old one choose Send data. Pick Wireless, or connect the phones with a USB cable and approve the connection on the old phone. Select your data and start.
Smart Switch moves contacts, calendars, messages, memos, photos, videos, music, call logs and app data, and it can also back up the old phone to a PC if you want a copy off the device entirely. Keep both phones charged and connected until it finishes.
Option 3: Restore from a Google backup
Old phone broken, lost, or already reset? If backups were on, you can still restore. During setup on the new phone, choose to copy apps and data, then pick the option for when you can’t use your old phone. Google labels it “Cable doesn’t fit” or “No adapter?” on some screens. Sign in with the same Google account, choose the backup, select what to restore and tap Restore. Stay on Wi-Fi; it’s a big download.
Two warnings from Android Authority: a restore can fail if the new phone runs an older Android version than the one the backup came from, and Google may delete a backup if the device goes unused for 57 days. Google One storage starts with 15GB free, and paid plans begin at $1.99 a month for 100GB.
Which method should you use?
| Method | Best for | Connection | When it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google copy tool | Android 10+ to any Android phone | USB cable or Wi-Fi | Only during setup |
| Samsung Smart Switch | Any phone to a Galaxy | Wireless, USB cable or PC | During or after setup |
| Google One backup | When the old phone isn’t available | Internet, Wi-Fi recommended | During setup, from a saved backup |
What won’t come along on its own
Google’s own list of things its copy tool skips is longer than most people expect:
- Downloads, such as PDFs
- Media in hidden folders
- Apps installed from outside the Play Store
- Data from apps that don’t use Android backup
- Non-Google accounts, plus contacts or calendars synced to other services
- Ringtones and some settings
- DRM-protected music
Bluetooth earbuds, speakers and watches will need to be paired again. Games are the usual heartbreak: make sure your progress is linked to an account before the old phone gets wiped.
Don’t wipe the old phone yet
Keep it in a drawer for a week. On the new phone, open your banking app, authenticator, messaging apps and games, and sign in to each. Once everything checks out, factory reset the old phone and trade it in or sell it. Not before.
Sources: Google Android Help, Samsung Support, Android Authority, Android.com. Photo by Sun Lingyan on Unsplash.
Harish
I am the founder of androidcaptain.com, a tech graduate and writes which covers android, smartphones, apps, software, and the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence. I focus on breaking down new technologies, exploring useful features, and helping readers understand how their devices and software can work better for them.
