New Mobile Phone advice: How to transfer everything from old phone.

Belenus

My wife has bought a new Samsung Galaxy A16 4G (Android 15) to replace a failing OPPO A74 (Android 13).

What is the best method to set up the new phone?

Use one of the direct transfer methods detailed on YouTube etc. Can you suggest the better methods?

Start from scratch. Download all apps etc. Transfer data such as photos via a laptop. Transfer phone contacts via Google account or something else?

Any good advice welcomed.

Thanks

Vitor

Suggest running Samsung Smart Switch on the new mobi, connecting the phones back-to-back using a high quailty USB-C cable. Smart Switch lets you choose what to pull over/reinstall - pics, apps, data etc. Smart Switch | Apps & Services | Samsung UK

Of course the Samsung has more features you'll want to consider working through than the old mobi.

Neil_Jones

Belenus said:

My wife has bought a new Samsung Galaxy A16 4G (Android 15) to replace a failing OPPO A74 (Android 13).

What is the best method to set up the new phone?

Use one of the direct transfer methods detailed on YouTube etc. Can you suggest the better methods?

Start from scratch. Download all apps etc. Transfer data such as photos via a laptop. Transfer phone contacts via Google account or something else?

Any good advice welcomed.

Thanks

If your old phone was set up correctly then you can just sign into your Google Account on he new phone:

If your contacts are in your Google Account they'll come down automatically.  There's nothing else to do.

Your photos should be being synced online , you'll find them at photos.google.com or you should be able to download them in Photos app

Text messages and call logs may be backed up by Google but this tends to be for the current phone so other solutions are available, again basically export a back-up to Drive and then reimport it on the new device after reinstalling the app.

For things like WhatsApp you create a backup to your Google Drive from the old phone, sign in on the new one, reinstall Whatsapp and restore the backup.

Other apps may follow a similar principle.

sausage_time

I have used both approaches in the past.  First, see if Google syncs up all you need.  Make sure all backups are turned on on the old phone and are up to date.   WhatsApp is different and you need to enable backup to Google manually.  Set up new phone with the Google account and see what syncs over.  Check contacts, text messages, call history, installed apps.  Anything missing you can use SmartSync on the new device as above.

ballyblack

Whatsapp has got easier. when you put in the SIM in the new phone & enter phone number it will detect the old phones messages. It will then prompt you to agree to take a copy to the new phone. Very simple. No back up required

sausage_time

ballyblack said:

Whatsapp has got easier. when you put in the SIM in the new phone & enter phone number it will detect the old phones messages. It will then prompt you to agree to take a copy to the new phone. Very simple. No back up required

That's good - was always a bit of a fiddle.

Belenus

Vitor said:

Suggest running Samsung Smart Switch on the new mobi, connecting the phones back-to-back using a high quailty USB-C cable. Smart Switch lets you choose what to pull over/reinstall - pics, apps, data etc. Smart Switch | Apps & Services | Samsung UK

Of course the Samsung has more features you'll want to consider working through than the old mobi.

Thanks Vitor. That is one of the options I found when I googled.

I will try that method. I don't have a USB C to USB C cable so I will use wireless.

Thanks everyone else for your comments. They are appreciated.

J_B

ballyblack said:

Whatsapp has got easier. when you put in the SIM in the new phone & enter phone number it will detect the old phones messages. It will then prompt you to agree to take a copy to the new phone. Very simple. No back up required

but, remember to ensure that your Whatsapp is fully backed up before you make the change!

Doshwaster

In most cases, just logging into your Google account should synchronise things between the two phones assume the old one was set to backup. In principle, losing a phone shouldn't be a problem show as everything is cloudy.

A number of apps (especially banking ones) will need setting up again as they are often tied to a specific handset for security