Here are the easiest methods to easily transfer all your data from your old smartphone to the new one.
When you hold a new smartphone in your hands, the question quickly arises how to easily transfer all your data from the old device to the new one. The answer depends on whether you’re switching from an Android phone to an iPhone, or even between the two ecosystems. It’s of course easier to stay with the same brand – for example, switching from Samsung to Samsung or from iPhone to iPhone. Changing manufacturers – for example, from Samsung to Xiaomi – can make the transfer a little more complicated. And those switching from iPhone to Android should allow quite a bit of setup time.
What to keep in mind in general: Before you part with your old smartphone, make sure that all data stored on it is backed up. On Android, a backup can be created in the settings under “Google” and “Backup”, which is stored in the Google cloud. On an iPhone, a backup can be made in Settings, at the top under Apple ID in the iCloud menu. In this case, the backup is stored in iCloud. If you connect your iPhone to a Mac computer, you can also create a local backup on the computer. These full backups are necessary to be able to transfer data as easily as possible. For messaging apps, a current backup must also be created, for example for WhatsApp.
Also note down your credentials for banking apps and other apps needed to connect to sensitive services. Additionally, when setting up the new device, you should have your passwords handy, mainly the login data for your Google account or iCloud account. Wi-Fi password is also required.
Change from Android to Android
If you stay in the Android ecosystem, there are generally 4 ways to transfer content from the old phone to the new one:
1. Using a cable connection between the old and new devices
2. Using a Wi-Fi Connection
3. Using a Google Backup
4. Using special applications from manufacturers
Method 1: Using a cable connection : When you activate a new smartphone for the first time, you will be asked during the setup process how you want to copy your data to the new device. The quickest way is a direct cable connection between the old and new devices. Once the two phones are connected by cable, you may need to give some permissions on the old device. Then the Google account is transferred to the new smartphone. Then you can select the data you want to transfer to the new smartphone, and it is also possible to exclude certain data from the transfer. After confirmation, the selected data is transferred and the configuration process continues. When transferring via wired connection, Wi-Fi or Google cloud backup, the arrangement of different applications and widgets on the home screen is generally not preserved. You need to tidy up the home screen again.
Method 2: Using a Wi-Fi connection: Instead of connecting the two devices via cable, data can also be transferred via Wi-Fi. After choosing the wireless variant, you are prompted to enter “Set up my device” in the Google app on the old device. Then a wireless connection is established between the two devices and the Google account is transferred to the new device. Then you can choose again which data and applications should be transferred, and the transfer begins.
Method 3: Using a Google Backup : Extracting your data from Google cloud backup is particularly useful if you no longer have your old device or if it is broken. In this case, you indicate during the setup procedure that you no longer have your old phone. You log in with your Google account and select the backup you want to restore. Then you enter the PIN or unlock pattern of the old device. You then have the choice again of which data to restore.
Method 4: Using special applications from manufacturers: If you rely on manufacturers’ transfer apps to upgrade to a new smartphone, it’s an all-or-nothing game: either it works perfectly and even the home screen settings transfer, or it gets stuck and the transfer is not going really well. This works best if you switch between devices of the same brand using the manufacturer’s transfer app. In addition to all data and applications, all settings as well as the home screen layout must be transferred in this case. If you are switching between 2 different brands, the transfer application from one of the manufacturers may well give the desired result and transfer the data without any problems. However, it is also possible that the transfer applications are not or only partially compatible. In this case, you can always go back to one of the methods mentioned above. Here is an overview of the data transfer applications for different cell phone brands to download from the Play Store:
– Samsung: Samsung Smart Switch Mobile
– Vivo:EasyShare
– Xiaomi: Mi Mover
– Nokia: no own transfer app
– Motorola: no own transfer app
– Google: no own transfer app
It is less advisable to use external applications. They usually do not keep their promises, often perform only averagely and full functions are sometimes only available for a fee.
Switch from iPhone to Android
Moving from one ecosystem to another is quite tedious and involves considerable manual work. It might seem like Apple is making it as difficult as possible to transfer data from iPhone to Android. In this case, application transfer does not work at all. All apps need to be downloaded manually from the Play Store. The transfer applications from Samsung (Smart Switch) and Vivo (EasyShare) can certainly be installed on an iPhone, but they only work in a limited way. With an iPhone, you can only transfer contacts, calendar, pictures and videos to an Android device.
Switch from Android to iPhone
“Move to iOS” is one of the rare Android applications developed by Apple – downloadable from the Play Store (i.e. from your Android phone). For those switching from an Android phone to an iPhone, this makes the move a little easier. When setting up iPhone, choose to configure manually first, then select “Transfer data from Android device”. After entering the unique code into the “Move to iOS” app on the Android phone, the two devices connect wirelessly. You then choose the data to transfer to the iPhone. Besides photos, contacts and settings etc., you can also take apps with you. These apps will then be installed from the App Store – however, app content cannot be transferred.
From iPhone to iPhone
Anyone switching from an old iPhone to a new iPhone will complete the transfer without much difficulty in a short time. Here, Apple can take full advantage of the benefits of its closed ecosystem. If you have your old iPhone handy, simply turn on the new iPhone and the two devices will automatically connect. By following the intuitive setup procedure, all content is quickly transferred to the new Apple device. If the old iPhone is broken or lost, you can resort to an iCloud backup or a backup made on a Mac computer – provided a backup has been made before.