Backing Up Mobile Phones to PC

cereberus · Jul 28, 2025

Steve C said:
For my Samsung S25 I backup the phone to the Samsung cloud and turn off Google backup. I'll try the PC Smartswitch Store app too but it has a user rating only 2.1.

I do not pay a lot of attention to user ratings. I (and @Edwin) can state categorically SmartSwitch is far superior and flexible than the "old fashioned" google backup.

You can backup to sd cards, usb drives, pcs, old phones etc. Restoring can be done to same or new device (noting only restriction really is you cannot restore from newer android version to earlier version for obvious reasons).

MisterEd · Jul 28, 2025

I use Acronis True Image to back up the following to my PC

Calendars
Contacts
Messages
Photos
Videos

That came in handy when my first Samsung S7 was stolen. I used Acronis True Image to restore the data to my replacement Samsung S7. When I bought a Samsung S21 phone I used Smart Switch to migrate the data from the Samsung S7 to it. Note that some apps on the Samsung S21 from the transfer were only placeholders. That is because they weren't compatible with the version of Android on it. I the had to find replacement apps that did work.

Acronis True Image (Desktop PC with Windows 11 Pro)

Acronis Mobile (Samsung S21 Phone with Android 15)

Ranett · Jul 30, 2025

Never thought about backing up my phone. Thanks for the information.

Smart switch worked just fine for me. Thanks again guys

garioch7 · Jul 30, 2025

@Ranett ,

A lot of people don't back up their phones, fewer than backup their computers.

If you are like most people, you have some important contact and other information, photos, etc., that you would not like to lose. Can you imagine time required to re-enter all of your Contacts and their information, and adjust all of your settings?

I backup my phone every Friday, along with my two computers. Using Smart Switch, it is also a breeze, when you purchase a new Samsung model, to transfer everything over in less than 30 minutes, programs and all.

Have a great day.

Regards,
Phil

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 30, 2025

garioch7 said:
@Ranett ,

A lot of people don't back up their phones, fewer than backup their computers.

If you are like most people, you have some important contact and other information, photos, etc., that you would not like to lose. Can you imagine time required to re-enter all of your Contacts and their information, and adjust all of your settings?

My contacts are saved by Google, and any other information or photos are already saved. I have the phone automatically upload to Dropbox any new photos, so I always have them if the phone suddenly went quiet.

Steve C · Jul 31, 2025

MisterEd said:
I use Acronis True Image to back up the following to my PC

Calendars

Contacts

Messages

Photos

Videos

That came in handy when my first Samsung S7 was stolen. I used Acronis True Image to restore the data to my replacement Samsung S7. When I bought a Samsung S21 phone I used Smart Switch to migrate the data from the Samsung S7 to it. Note that some apps on the Samsung S21 from the transfer were only placeholders. That is because they weren't compatible with the version of Android on it. I the had to find replacement apps that did work.

Acronis True Image (Desktop PC with Windows 11 Pro)

View attachment 140679

Acronis Mobile (Samsung S21 Phone with Android 15)

View attachment 140680

Can't do that using Reflect!

jimbo45 · Jul 31, 2025

Steve C said:
Can't do that using Reflect!

There's loads of other ways -- Google is pretty good --then it's on the cloud, the Link windows to phone Ms facility (in W11 DEV 25H2) works fine and Samsung itself if you have a samsung phone has a backup facility.

I'm still using a Samsung S21 phone - no intention of updating it yet for anewer model for a while -- still works perfectly with latest android version installing OK on it.

Why use paid software when there's better solutions around free. I've no objection to paid software (so long as it's not the dreaded subscription model) but it has to be better than what's available FREE in the public domain.

Cheers
jimbo

cereberus · Jul 31, 2025

jimbo45 said:
There's loads of other ways -- Google is pretty good --then it's on the cloud, the Link windows to phone Ms facility (in W11 DEV 25H2) works fine and Samsung itself if you have a samsung phone has a backup facility.

I'm still using a Samsung S21 phone - no intention of updating it yet for anewer model for a while -- still works perfectly with latest android version installing OK on it.

Why use paid software when there's better solutions around free. I've no objection to paid software (so long as it's not the dreaded subscription model) but it has to be better than what's available FREE in the public domain.

Cheers
jimbo

Samsung Smartswitch is so superior to Google.

To use Google could, you need to buy extra cloudspace.

With Samsung Smartswitch, you can back up to usb drives, SD cards, pcs etc.
I backup to pc, and backup folder is symlinked to Onedrive so gets backed in two places.

As you have a Samsung, why not try SmartSwitch?

As an aside, Samsung apparently have 20% of Android market globally. I guess these figures are influenced by large Chinese/Indian populations with models like Xiaomei and Huawei..

In UK, Samsung are definitely the strong android market leader - normalising figures removing Iphones, Samsung have over 70% of the Android Market. Hard to be precise as figures do not add to 100%. I assume difference is for other models that are not android based.

It is my perception that a lot of people with minimal requirements often buy non Samsungs as they are usually much cheaper (excepting Google Pixel phones).

jimbo45 · Jul 31, 2025

cereberus said:
Samsung Smartswitch is so superior to Google.

To use Google could, you need to buy extra cloudspace.

With Samsung Smartswitch, you can back up to usb drives, SD cards, pcs etc.
I backup to pc, and backup folder is symlinked to Onedrive so gets backed in two places.

As you have a Samsung, why not try SmartSwitch?

As an aside, Samsung apparently have 20% of Android market globally. I guess these figures are influenced by large Chinese/Indian populations with models like Xiaomei and Huawei..

In UK, Samsung are definitely the strong android market leader - normalising figures removing Iphones, Samsung have over 70% of the Android Market. Hard to be precise as figures do not add to 100%. I assume difference is for other models that are not android based.

It is my perception that a lot of people with minimal requirements often buy non Samsungs as they are usually much cheaper (excepting Google Pixel phones).

View attachment 140953

Works extremely well for Samsungs -- even the S21 - in spite of numerous "prompts" to upgrade to a newer phone (not by Samsung it must be said but usually by the ISP / phone service provider)-- if the one I have does what I want, still runs latest android plus security and the apps I run on it all work why should I spend around €1000 on buying a new one !!!!.

O.T - but if you DO upgrade / get a new one - it's best if you can to pay up front rather than accept the providers "upgrade plans" -- interest is usually much higher than if you can get the money as a loan from a bank or with a reasonable credit card !!!!.

Cheers
jimbo

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 31, 2025

MisterEd said:
I use Acronis True Image to back up the following to my PC

Calendars

Contacts

Messages

Photos

Videos

Didn't know that was a thing, but an interesting option.

trevo · Jul 31, 2025

cereberus said:
To use Google could, you need to buy extra cloudspace.

Google gives 15GB of free cloud storage, which is more than enough for a lot of people.

100 GB is 2 bucks a month.

cereberus · Jul 31, 2025

trevo said:
Google gives 15GB of free cloud storage, which is more than enough for a lot of people.

100 GB is 2 bucks a month.

Well Samsung are gradually removing SD cards, so storing data locally requires usb storage which is less convenient than SD cards as usb slot is also used mostly for charging.

Internal memory is typically 64GB or more.

15GB will not go far these days.

My Samsung has 256 GB storage, so I could need over 200GB cloudspace but costs significantly increase (£8 per month). I have several TB of pc hard drive space (old hdds, newer SSDs).

To me Google Backup is the least flexible not offering local backup alternatives.

Edwin · Jul 31, 2025

My Galaxy A35 has 1128GB of storage so cloud storage/backup is out of the question!

cereberus · Jul 31, 2025

Edwin said:
My Galaxy A35 has 1128GB of storage so cloud storage/backup is out of the question!

View attachment 141009

Is 1128GB storage a Canadian option

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 31, 2025

cereberus said:
Is 1128GB storage a Canadian option

The Galaxy A35 is the low cost series of phones from Samsung, however they do include a micro-SD slot.

cereberus · Jul 31, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
The Galaxy A35 is the low cost series of phones from Samsung, however they do include a micro-SD slot.

Whoosh joke went over your head

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 31, 2025

It wasn't that funny.

cereberus · Jul 31, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
It wasn't that funny.

If you say so.

TraderGary · Jul 31, 2025

cereberus said:
If you say so.

I think one would have to know whether Edwin is a Canadian. Which begs the question, is he?

Edwin · Jul 31, 2025

TraderGary said:
I think one would have to know whether Edwin is a Canadian. Which begs the question, is he?

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