Switch vs Restore from Samsung Backup

kbboykin

Well-known member
Jan 26, 2011
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I know people have posted about using Samsung Switch to set up their new phones, but I have not seen anyone talk about restoring from Samsung backup. I know it does not have pictures stored there anymore, but in my case I have GW4, GW3, and a GWA2 that I will be moving to my new phone and I'm not sure if Switch would carry over the data for these. Photos are not critical to me. I will back them up to Samsung so as not to lose setup and data. I'm at a crossroads about reconfiguring my new phone somewhat, but keeping all of my essential settings. I think I can do a custom restore from Samsung back, like you can on Switch. Thoughts?
 
Hey there. Nope, Switch does not carry over data from watches (BUT your data, if synced, is already stored in Health, for instance, and that does get carried over). Settings, apps, etc. for the watch need to be backed up and restored with your Samsung account. Switch only does things for the phone itself, and you have greater control over what you want to carry over/transfer.

I just did mine, used Switch for the phone, backed up the watch on the old phone (because it needs to be connected to a phone to do it), connected to the new phone (which resets the watch and wipes it entirely), restored from the Samsung account, and done.
 
Hey there. Nope, Switch does not carry over data from watches (BUT your data, if synced, is already stored in Health, for instance, and that does get carried over). Settings, apps, etc. for the watch need to be backed up and restored with your Samsung account. Switch only does things for the phone itself, and you have greater control over what you want to carry over/transfer.

I just did mine, used Switch for the phone, backed up the watch on the old phone, connected to the new phone, restored from the Samsung account, and done.

Thanks, was not really asking about the watches per se, but which one do people feels is best for customized transfer/restore of the phone and preserving ALL app data stored on the phone. I will be going from a Note 20 5G to a regular S22.
 
Thanks, was not really asking about the watches per se, but which one do people feels is best for customized transfer/restore of the phone and preserving ALL app data stored on the phone. I will be going from a Note 20 5G to a regular S22.
Restore from Samsung account in settings then accounts backup , also do from smart switch on PC if u made any back ups to restore
 
Restore from Samsung account in settings then accounts backup , also do from smart switch on PC if u made any back ups to restore

So you're saying: 1. restore from Samsung backup, 2. restore acounts backup?, then restore from PC Switch backup? in that order? Is that overkill? I don't want to use the old wallpapers from Note 20 5G, but want to keep all my settings from phone, ringtones, homescreens app groupings, sms, widgets. I have a lot of health apps with extensive data. I could restore from signing in to those, but just want to go from phone A to phone B an keep on trucking. LOL
 
So you're saying: 1. restore from Samsung backup, 2. restore acounts backup?, then restore from PC Switch backup? in that order? Is that overkill? I don't want to use the old wallpapers from Note 20 5G, but want to keep all my settings from phone, ringtones, homescreens app groupings, sms, widgets. I have a lot of health apps with extensive data. I could restore from signing in to those, but just want to go from phone A to phone B an keep on trucking. LOL

You could use either restores i choose both as sometimes i dont update smart switch on pc but Samsung back up restore under account on the device gets backed up daily, home settings restore will restore last wallpaper used no way around that just change it after restore and u can select what u want restored on pc or Samsung account
 
Bot options work, but Switch (from phone to phone) just have more customization options and way more data backed up (like you said, pictures, for instance). So I just do that. On my past two phones when I've done it (around 60GB of data, apps, settings, etc.) using a cable, it took about 15 to 20 minutes and I was done (if you use WiFi it'll take about an hour).
 
You could use either restores i choose both as sometimes i dont update smart switch on pc but Samsung back up restore under account on the device gets backed up daily, home settings restore will restore last wallpaper used no way around that just change it after restore and u can select what u want restored on pc or Samsung account

So i did a Samsung backup and am now ready to activate the new phone. I want to use the wallpaper from the S22 but keep my widgets, home screen apps/groups from my old phone. So which method is better. I have backed up to the PC AND Samsung. Once done, I will move my watches to the new phone.
 
Bot options work, but Switch (from phone to phone) just have more customization options and way more data backed up (like you said, pictures, for instance). So I just do that. On my past two phones when I've done it (around 60GB of data, apps, settings, etc.) using a cable, it took about 15 to 20 minutes and I was done (if you use WiFi it'll take about an hour).

See response to Mustang7757 above
 
So i did a Samsung backup and am now ready to activate the new phone. I want to use the wallpaper from the S22 but keep my widgets, home screen apps/groups from my old phone. So which method is better. I have backed up to the PC AND Samsung. Once done, I will move my watches to the new phone.
Best thing is restore all options then when completed just change your wallpaper back to s22
 
Dont have to erase can restore anytime but yeah on new phone choose restore
 
I ended up using Switch with the USB C cable from my Note 9 to s22 Ultra and it worked very well.

Most app passwords were saved so that saved a lot of time.

No duplications. Over 200 gb of data transferred in a half hour including all my picture albums and vids.