New phones - 'cloning' the old one

[Count Steer]

Some of you probably change phones as often as others change their underpants

So, if I get a new phone (no SIM) and put the SIM from the old one in the new one (assuming it's not an e-SIM), how do I make the new one look and behave like the old one? ie apps, accounts, phone book etc.

Last time I did it I had a SIM in each and just ran them in parallel, reloaded some of the apps from the store and manually entered my phone book (tidying it up as I went) then switched SIMs and cancelled the new number account.

I'm sure if I went into an O2 shop and bought a phone they'd just 'clone' stuff from the old one.

How do I do that?

[v8-powered]

Most phones have an app that does it all for you, Samsung certainly does.

[Count Steer]

Most phones have an app that does it all for you, Samsung certainly does.

I'll be going from Samsung to Samsung (which I wasn't last time) so that sounds perfect. (Couldn't see how they could do it if the SIM was removed from the old one so I assume Samsung has the info on what's installed on the old one).

Ah found it 'Smartswitch'. I'm going to need a double ended USB cable. Will have a rummage.

[v8-powered]

Samsung has an app called Smart Switch, probably already installed on your phone. It will guide you through and should copy over pretty much everything. If you want things like WhatsApp chat history, just make sure you've backed that up and it will copy that over too.

[v8-powered]

Most phones have an app that does it all for you, Samsung certainly does.

Ah found it 'Smartswitch'. I'm going to need a double ended USB cable. Will have a rummage.

Should give the option of over WiFi or Bluetooth too?

[Count Steer]

Most phones have an app that does it all for you, Samsung certainly does.

Ah found it 'Smartswitch'. I'm going to need a double ended USB cable. Will have a rummage.

Should give the option of over WiFi or Bluetooth too?

Haven't got the new phone yet. Main concern was all the apps that have security stuff like banking + all the Garmin smartwatch data and the links to stuff like the watch, Hive etc etc.

[v8-powered]

I change mine every 18 months' to 2 years and never had an issue with any data transfer - I have 3 different banking apps plus assorted over stuff. The banking may want to authenticate your new phone once transferred but all easily done.

Just create a backup on the old phone before you start but should be straightforward.

[Count Steer]

I change mine every 18 months' to 2 years and never had an issue with any data transfer - I have 3 different banking apps plus assorted over stuff. The banking may want to authenticate your new phone once transferred but all easily done.

Just create a backup on the old phone before you start but should be straightforward.

Cheers. I'll get ordering.

[Slenver]

how do I make the new one look and behave like the old one? ie apps, accounts, phone book etc.

What you do, granddad, is stop saving stuff to the SIM card like it's 1998

My SIM card has my mobile tariff on it. Everything else is in the cloud and works on any phone I buy, like off of normal people in the 21st century.

[Count Steer]

how do I make the new one look and behave like the old one? ie apps, accounts, phone book etc.

What you do, granddad, is stop saving stuff to the SIM card like it's 1998

My SIM card has my mobile tariff on it. Everything else is in the cloud and works on any phone I buy, like off of normal people in the 21st century.

Err...I don't save anything to the SIM but the last time I removed a SIM iirc the phone wouldn't even switch on. It's a while ago though so I may have misremembered. Not even sure what make it was but it's probably in with the others in the 'drawer of defunct technology'.

PS Shiny new phone is on its way.

[Slenver]

Err...I don't save anything to the SIM but the last time I removed a SIM iirc the phone wouldn't even switch on. It's a while ago though so I may have misremembered.

Seems a bit odd. I'm not familiar with Android but don't see why any modern phone would do that. Should be able to use the phone for everything, except make calls/SMS texts.

Certainly all contacts etc would normally be stored in the cloud - again, not sure exactly how it works on Android, but for iOS and Macs there's a single, shared 'iCloud' account where all such stuff (and photos/files/etc) is stored, so is just a matter of logging in to whatever new device and letting it sync.

PS Shiny new phone is on its way.

[Count Steer]

Err...I don't save anything to the SIM but the last time I removed a SIM iirc the phone wouldn't even switch on. It's a while ago though so I may have misremembered.

Seems a bit odd. I'm not familiar with Android but don't see why any modern phone would do that. Should be able to use the phone for everything, except make calls/SMS texts.

Certainly all contacts etc would normally be stored in the cloud - again, not sure exactly how it works on Android, but for iOS and Macs there's a single, shared 'iCloud' account where all such stuff (and photos/files/etc) is stored, so is just a matter of logging in to whatever new device and letting it sync.

PS Shiny new phone is on its way.

I'll have a rummage in the drawer. I was a bit surprised iirc (it may even be an old s/h Apple phone that I bought just for ICE as it seemed simpler to connect to my car when I got it...then found that Android Auto worked just fine.

I do keep a fair bit of stuff in the Google cloud and access it from phone/laptop/tablet and sync some things like Notes between my phone and the super-whizzy tablet. Main worry was having to dig around in box files to find log-in stuff that I haven't needed for a few years...or finding that some things throw a wobbly if you try and install controlling apps on more than one device (I know that the portable environment monitor would just sulk...but I've decommissioned it ).

Haven't gone wild with the new phone as I don't want anything much larger than the current S9 but I did a bit of research and came up with a new S22 with £270 off from a v reputable source. They seem to want to get rid of certain colours. Pink Gold was a bit too much but it'll be going in a flippy leather case anyway.

[Skub]

I used smart switch very recently,easy as. You can do it wirelessly or join the two phones with a lead. The lead is a little faster,I believe.

You've the option of bunging everything over,or choosing stuff you want to keep.

[MrLongbeard]

Certainly all contacts etc would normally be stored in the cloud - again, not sure exactly how it works on Android, but for iOS and Macs there's a single, shared 'iCloud' account where all such stuff (and photos/files/etc) is stored, so is just a matter of logging in to whatever new device and letting it sync.

It's the same for Android for contacts and photos which are automatically backed up, files I've got up to back up on demand rather than automatically, but I see no reason why it couldn't t be automatic.

[Count Steer]

I didn't pay for next day delivery so it'll probably be here/get commissioned at the weekend.

I also checked out what reduction I'd get if I gave them my old phone. £26 (I'll keep it as a back-up for - either of us).

[Felix]

Samsung has an app called Smart Switch, probably already installed on your phone. It will guide you through and should copy over pretty much everything. If you want things like WhatsApp chat history, just make sure you've backed that up and it will copy that over too.

Always bought Samsung and used smart switch. Bank app switch over was fine as was all other apps. Some may shop up as grey and unusable but after all the initial updates they work as normal. Only issue i had was some phone numbers never moved over even though i was using the same sim, so transfer all contacts to sim first if you are keeping your same sim.

[Greenman]

If your going samsung to samsung they normally provide a small usb c to usb c cable and it just automatically transfers all your account data across via a pre-installed app as has been already mentioned.

I have done this for my past 3 phones and it's an absolute doddle.

[Count Steer]

If your going samsung to samsung they normally provide a small usb c to usb c cable and it just automatically transfers all your account data across via a pre-installed app as has been already mentioned.

I have done this for my past 3 phones and it's an absolute doddle.

Yup, Samsung to Samsung.

It turned up today, with Royal Mail, so that's quite impressive. Currently running 41 app updates. I tried using the USB/USB cable but I think the socket on the old phone is v worn and it said 'nope' so I did the transfer over the wi-fi. (I've ordered a new, Samsung, wireless charger which will reduce wear and tear on the socket - my old one was a cheap job and it was pants). It all went smoothly but some of my settings ie file sharing got dropped and I had to jump through hoops to get the banking/financial apps logging in - but that's fair enough.

Funny thing is, after spending £££s and a couple of hours faffing....it now looks just like the old one. It's almost the same size too. At least the battery should behave.

[Count Steer]

Oh yeah, as expected, the 'awkward squad' were paired BlueTooth devices that had to be unpaired from the old device...ie the Garmin watch and a temperature logger. Haven't tried connecting in the cars yet....