So your phone has just been upgraded to Lollipop (5.0 or 5.1), Marshmallow (6.0) or some other build of Android from Samsung modified by your carrier and now your phone is running like a slug. You want to refresh the OS, but there is no comprehensive backup solution for Android like there are for iOS and Microsoft. What do you do?
To ensure that you have a complete backup of your phone, which will allow you to safely do a Factory Reset, you should create multiple backups:
WARNING: A Factory Reset will completely and irrevocably destroy all data on your phone. You will not be able to recover messages, photos, etc. from your phone after this point. Do not attempt a factory reset until you have performed the multiple Backup steps above.
Other ways to speed up your phone:
To ensure that you have a complete backup of your phone, which will allow you to safely do a Factory Reset, you should create multiple backups:
- Do a full backup with Samsung Smart Switch.
- Backup all your text messages with SMS Backup and Restore as the above apps don't always get a complete backup.
- Backup all your contacts with Export your Contacts as a VCF:
- Phone Settings -> Contacts -> Import/Export contacts -> Export to device storage -> Confirm export (as .vcf file)
- Manually backup your Photos, Videos, Wallpapers, and Music:
- Connect your phone to an open USB port on your PC.
- Unlock your phone and it will appear in My Computer.
- If you have a USB3 connection and cable, pull down Notification bar on the phone and click "Connected as a media device". Change this to "USB3 Media Device (MTP)". NOTE: USB3 mode will fall back to USB2 after 5 minutes of inactivity.
- Backup the DCIM, Movies, Music, Notifications, Ringtones, and any other folders you wish to have a backup of. If you have a microSD card with important data on it, then repeat this process for the "Card".
- Make screenshots or detailed notes of your Home Screens for icon and widget placement as they will not be preserved!
WARNING: A Factory Reset will completely and irrevocably destroy all data on your phone. You will not be able to recover messages, photos, etc. from your phone after this point. Do not attempt a factory reset until you have performed the multiple Backup steps above.
- Power down the phone.
- Press and hold Volume up, Home and Power buttons at the same time.
- After the phone vibrates once, release the Power button but keep pressing Home and Volume Up until you see Android System Recovery.
- Press Volume down until you highlight wipe cache partition.
- Press Power to select the option.
- Press Volume down until you highlight wipe data/factory reset.
- Press Power to select the option.
- Press Volume down until you highlight Yes -- delete all user data.
- Press Power to confirm the master reset.
- After factory reset, Reboot System Now will be selected. Press the Power key to reboot your device.
Other ways to speed up your phone:
- Switch from TouchWiz to a third-party alternative such as Nova Launcher or the official Google Now Launcher.
- Switch from the built-in messages app to a third-party alternative such as Textra.
- Switch from the Google Photos app to a third-party alternative such as QuickPic.
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