Prep for Switch to S9+ from S6 Edge

[AspenQn]

It's been so long now since I've switched phones that I'm thinking about what I should back up in preparation for the switch. Will Smart Switch move everything over? Or should I also back up to my computer?

In the past I was concerned about keeping all of my text messages since everything else is in the cloud or on an email server. My photo and videos automatically backup to Dropbox so I feel pretty safe there.

I also keep hearing recurring stories about folks who think it is better to manually restore their apps to keep them "fresh" versus just signing into Google and letting it do it's thing. Any validity there? I think am going to go into Google apps this weekend and cull out anything I don't use or haven't used in awhile.

Thoughts and comments appreciated.

 

[SpookDroid]

Just download Smart Switch to your phone and presto! The app will do the rest when the new one arrives, just follow the on-screen instructions when you turn on your new device. It's that easy!

A few caveats: Usually not the case from Samsung to Samsung, but carrier versions might block MMS from being backed up (limits that to SMS). Also, app data that's not in the cloud will not transfer, so shame on those apps that don't use cloud saves/settings, but that's how it is. For those you just have to keep you can use 3rd party apps like Titanium Backup (just bear in mind that the app might be buggy after that transfer since you're going from an older version of Android to a much newer one).

Other than that, everything else should carry over easily (you'll get to choose what to keep and what to leave behind, too!).

As for the apps, I do believe it's better to start fresh (download and install from scratch) just to avoid any weird bugs from cached files or version differences. But again, most likely, your apps will ask to update after installation if they have a newer version available since the S9 has a newer OS version (and in your case, a MUCH newer version). Also, some apps, might no longer be available for newer OS versions, so check to see if all your apps moved.