Samsung Smart Switch is Samsung's app for moving photos, contacts, messages, files and even device settings from an old phone or tablet to a new Galaxy. You can transfer from Android or iOS over Wi-Fi, with a USB cable or through a PC or Mac, and Samsung's support pages say your old phone must run Android 4.3 or iOS 4.2.1 or later.
Here's the catch. Smart Switch has to stay open for the whole transfer. Samsung says that if the app is closed it may stop transferring and you'll have to start again. The Wi-Fi method has its own surprise: the two phones connect using high-frequency audio played from the old phone's speaker into the new phone's microphone, so they need to be around 20cm apart, uncovered and in a quiet room.
Smart Switch requirements
Samsung's support pages give slightly different minimums depending on the method, so here they are side by side, as of October 2026:
| What you're doing | What Samsung lists |
|---|---|
| Using Smart Switch at all | Android 4.3 or iOS 4.2.1 or later |
| Compatible Android phones | Android OS 4.4 or above with at least 1.5 GB of memory |
| Galaxy devices | Recent Galaxy phones and tablets, from Galaxy S2 |
| Wired transfer from an iPhone or iPad | iOS 5.0 or above, the iOS device cable (Lightning or 30 pin) and a USB connector |
| Importing from iCloud | iOS 4.2.1 or higher and an Apple ID |
| PC or Mac transfer using iTunes | The Smart Switch PC or Mac software |
Other Android brands on Samsung's list include Google, Xiaomi, OPPO, Vivo, Motorola, Sony, Huawei, LG and many more. You'll find the app on Google Play, or you can install the Smart Switch software on a Windows PC or Mac, which also lets you back up your old phone to the computer first.
What Smart Switch transfers
Samsung lists contacts, photos, music, videos, messages, notes and calendar, and says Smart Switch can move all your data including device settings, so you pick up where you left off. It works between phones, between tablets, and between a tablet and a phone.
From an iPhone, it's designed to bring over photos, videos, contacts, messages, apps and settings. Two things don't come across. Passwords and Apple Keychain data aren't transferred, and Apple-owned apps such as Apple Music can't be transferred, though you can download them again on Android. Sort your passwords out before you switch.
Wi-Fi or cable
| Wi-Fi | USB cable | |
|---|---|---|
| How it connects | High-frequency audio from the old phone's speaker to the new phone's microphone | A cable between the two phones |
| What to watch | Keep the phones around 20cm apart, speakers and microphones uncovered, in a quiet area | Don't move or pick up the phone, because the USB connection must stay active |
| Samsung's advice | On a non-Samsung phone that keeps disconnecting, turn off Wi-Fi initialize and Disconnect low Wi-Fi signal in Advanced Wi-Fi settings | Use your phone's original cable and the Smart Switch adapter that came with your new phone, or a cable that supports MTP |
If one method keeps failing, Samsung's advice is simply to try another. That's worth remembering before you lose an evening to a stalled wireless transfer.
Moving from an iPhone to a Galaxy with a cable
- Turn on the new Galaxy, pick your language, tap Next, read the terms and tap Next again.
- Tap iPhone or iPad, choose a Wi-Fi network, set your Google account and the SIM you want to use.
- Tap Next, read the apps and data transfer agreements, tap Agree, then Allow for the Smart Switch permissions.
- Tap Cable, then Next, and connect the two with a Lightning-to-USB-C or USB-C-to-USB-C cable.
- On the iPhone, tap Trust when the Trust this computer alert appears, then tap Next on the Galaxy.
- Choose the data you want, tap Transfer and leave the cable connected until it finishes.
Two warnings from Samsung's steps. If you select Don't copy or Skip, nothing is copied and you only get the pre-installed apps. And you can continue without signing in to Google, though signing in logs you into all Google services at once. When it's done, tap Done, then Home, and create or sign in to a Samsung account.
Messages, iCloud and WhatsApp
If you want all your texts from the iPhone, Samsung recommends turning off iMessage first. You can also import from iCloud: tap Import from iCloud, sign in to your Apple account, then select and transfer your iCloud data, and Smart Switch can download Android apps that match your iOS apps.
For WhatsApp, Samsung recommends backing up to iCloud Drive first. On the iPhone, open Settings, your profile, iCloud, Saved to iCloud and switch on WhatsApp. Then in WhatsApp, go to Settings, Chats, Chat backup and tap Back up now. If you're going the other way, here's how to move WhatsApp from Android to iPhone.
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Common Smart Switch snags
Samsung's Smart Switch FAQ covers the snags that come up during a move: whether the content on your old phone will be removed, why transferred pictures land in a different order, what to do when it says there's not enough space available, why videos from an iPhone won't play, and what to do when the connection keeps dropping. If one of those hits you mid-transfer, that FAQ is where Samsung answers it. For dropping connections, the fixes in the table above are Samsung's first steps.
My verdict on Samsung Smart Switch
It's the easiest way onto a Galaxy, and the cable route is the one I'd pick: fewer moving parts than audio pairing across a room. Keep the app open, keep the phones still, move your passwords yourself, and back up WhatsApp before you start. Still deciding whether to switch at all? My take on Samsung vs iPhone should help.
Frequently asked questions
What phones work with Samsung Smart Switch?
Samsung says your phone must run Android 4.3 or iOS 4.2.1 or later, and its compatibility page lists Android OS 4.4 or above with at least 1.5 GB of memory.
Does Smart Switch transfer passwords from an iPhone?
No. Passwords and Apple Keychain data aren't transferred via Smart Switch.
Why does Smart Switch keep stopping?
The app needs to stay open during the transfer. If it's closed, it may stop and you'll have to repeat the process. If one method fails, try another.
How close do phones need to be for a Smart Switch Wi-Fi transfer?
Around 20cm apart, with speakers and microphones uncovered, in a quiet area.
Can I use Smart Switch without a Google account?
Yes. You can continue without signing in to your Google account, though signing in logs you into all Google services.
