What Is Samsung Smart Switch? (All You Need To Know)

Moving to a new device becomes an intimidating task the longer you’ve had, the older one because of the amount of data you’d potentially have to leave behind.

Apps like Samsung Smart Switch are intended to allow users to make the transition smoothly, so they’re more likely to go for new devices. If you’re interested in finding out more, here’s what you should know!

What Is Samsung Smart Switch in 2024?

Samsung Smart Switch allows users to migrate most of their data over to a new device in 2024. It’s only available when moving to a Galaxy device, but it can transfer data from third-party brands and platforms, including iPhones. It works wirelessly and over USB to transfer items such as photos, videos, messages, contacts, call history, and device settings.

Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about Samsung Smart Switch, including how to use it, what you can move with it, and more!

Can I Put My SIM Card in the New Phone Before Smart Switch?

You can’t put your SIM card in the new phone before Smart Switch is finished transferring all the data over.

Because the transfer doesn’t involve any data that’s on the SIM card, e.g. contacts, you wouldn’t be missing out on anything.

Will Smart Switch Transfer All Data?

Smart Switch will transfer the following items:

Accounts
Calls and contacts
Messages
Apps
Home screen
Settings
Secure folder
Images
Videos
Audio
Documents and files

Some of the data that won’t be transferred via Smart Switch include:

Contacts saved to the SIM card, work email accounts, and social networks
Live wallpapers and themes
Calendar – you can’t transfer events from synced accounts
App data that’s saved in private storage

How Do I Get Samsung Smart Switch?

Samsung Smart Switch is preloaded on several Galaxy devices.

However, some of these devices, especially the budget models, don’t come with Smart Switch installed, so you’ll need to download it from the Galaxy or Play Store.

You can check if your device came with it by going to Settings and then “Accounts and backup.”

If you click one of the options under the “Smart Switch” tab and it asks you to download, then you don’t have it.

If you’re moving from a non-Samsung Android, it can also work, but you have a better chance if it’s from the following manufacturers:

HTC
LG
Sony
Lenovo
Huawei
Motorola
Pantech
Panasonic
Kyocera
NEC
Sharp
Fujitsu
Xiaomi
Vivo
Oppo
Blackberry Priv
Google Pixel
Gionee
Lava
Cherry Mobile
ZTE Nubia Z9

How Do You Use Samsung Smart Switch?

To use Samsung Smart Switch, you’ll need to ensure that you have the app installed on both the old and new devices.

When it’s set up on both, here’s how to move from Android or Samsung to Samsung:

Open the app on both devices
Select “Send data” on the old device or “Receive data” on the new one
Select the wireless option
Allow the connection
Wait for the device to read everything available for transfer, then go through the list and choose what you want to bring over
Hit the button marked “Transfer” when you’re ready
Choose whether you want to transfer your Google account
Wait for the process to reach 100%

You’ll need at least 500 MB of free storage for the process to complete successfully and you can lock the devices before it’s done.

In some instances, you don’t need to have Smart Switch on the older device, but we recommend having it just to make the process easier.

Even with the app on the new device, you can still use this method to transfer items from iPhones and Windows Phone models.

If you’re moving from an iPhone to a Samsung, here’s how to transfer using Smart Switch:

Connect the two phones using a lightning-to-USB cable because it makes the process easier than going wireless. Some Galaxy models will come with an OTG adapter if you don’t have the actual cable
Open Smart Switch on the new Samsung phone
Select the option to receive data
Select “iPhone/iPad”
Reconnect the cables if you’re asked, then go to the iPhone and give the device permission to connect
Wait for the new device to read for data to transfer, then select what you want from the list
Hit “Transfer” when you’re ready to start

As well, you can go through your iCloud backups if you can’t set up a wired connection as follows:

Make sure your iPhone’s most recent data is backed up to iCloud
Launch Smart Switch on the new phone and then select “Receive data”
Select “iPhone/iPad”
Tap “Get data from iCloud instead” at the bottom of the screen
Sign in to your Apple account and choose what data you want to transfer
Hit “Transfer” when you’re ready to start – you should be aware that going through iCloud is significantly slower than a wired connection

Does Samsung Smart Switch Transfer SD Card?

Samsung Smart Switch doesn’t transfer the SD card, but you can use it for the actual move by copying data to it and then restoring it on the new device.

Because the SD card is removable, it’s easy to get data from one device to another seamlessly.

However, most complex app data is housed in the internal storage, leaving the external storage for media and other standalone files.

Does Samsung Smart Switch Delete Data From Old Phone?

Samsung Smart Switch doesn’t delete the data from the old phone because it copies as opposed to moving.

This way, if something happens in the middle of making the transfer, you don’t have to worry about losing any data and can start over.

To know more, you can also read our posts on whether Apple uses Samsung screens, what is Samsung OneDrive, and what is Samsung Wearable.

Conclusion

Samsung Smart Switch allows users to transfer items such as pictures, videos, music, and settings to a new device. Aside from Android, it can also transfer data from iPhones, iPads, and Windows Phones.

You can transfer data either wirelessly or by connecting the two devices through their USB ports. For iPhones and iPads, you can also transfer data through iCloud, but the method would take longer.