Pick your mode
| Mode | Speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| USB-C cable, phone to phone | Fastest | 20 GB+, or a fragile Wi-Fi network |
| Wi-Fi direct | Medium | Quick top-ups, no cable handy |
| PC/Mac program | Depends on the port | Backups, or a broken screen on the old phone |
Cable mode (recommended)
- Install Smart Switch on both phones (it is preinstalled on Galaxy devices).
- Connect them with a USB-C to USB-C cable — or the appropriate OTG adapter for older phones.
- On the new Galaxy, choose Receive data, then Galaxy/Android or iPhone/iPad as the source.
- On the old phone, allow the connection and choose Send data.
- Select categories. Everything is ticked by default; untick what you do not want, especially large video folders.
- Start the transfer and keep both screens unlocked.
What it brings from an iPhone
Smart Switch reads an iPhone through its backup system. In practice you get contacts, calendar events, photos, videos, and some app suggestions. You do not get iMessage history, and SMS history is patchy at best.
What it brings from another Android
Contacts, call logs, SMS, photos, videos, music, documents, apps (as installers), and — on Galaxy-to-Galaxy — home-screen layout, Wi-Fi passwords and some settings. Cross-brand, the layout and settings parts drop away.
The settings it leaves behind
Even Galaxy to Galaxy, these almost never carry over:
- App login state for banking, authenticators and messengers.
- Work profiles and MDM enrolment.
- Some Samsung Pass and secure-folder contents.
- Notification channel preferences inside individual apps.
Budget twenty minutes after the transfer to log back into the apps that matter. Do it while the old phone is still on.
Troubleshooting
The phones do not see each other over cable — the cable is charge-only. Use the cable that came with the phone, or one rated for data.
Transfer stalls at "Preparing" — usually a locked screen or a battery-saver mode kicking in. Disable battery optimisation for Smart Switch on both devices.
Wi-Fi mode keeps dropping — Smart Switch's direct Wi-Fi is sensitive to other networks. Turn off mobile data and any VPN, and stay within a metre.
Photos duplicated — you restored from a Google backup and ran Smart Switch. Delete the target gallery and re-run one route only.