• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Copy data from S3 to S4

W

wunay

Android Enthusiast
UK, Sim Free, PAYG, T-Mobile, not rooted.

I have had the S3 for just under twelve months and am considering obtaining the S4.
The S3 will leave my possession before I obtain the S4.
I wish to transfer my text messages from the S3 to the S4, where are these located on the S3?
I wish to copy all of my contacts from the S3 to the S4. These are currently held on the phone as opposed to the sim card.

What is the best way to accomplish the above as well as ensuring that none of my personal data is left on the S3?
 
For the contacts, make sure they are in the phones as Google contacts and not phone contacts. Then make sure you have Sync Contacts checked in settings>Accounts>Google. They will then get backed up on Google's server. When you log into your new phones they will download to the new phone.

For your text messages, use an app like SMS backup & restore from the Play store.
 
Thanks for prompt response.
"For the contacts, make sure they are in the phones as Google contacts and not phone contacts" How do you accomplish this and what is the difference??
 
Go to settings, accounts, select "Google", then your Google Account, and make sure "Contacts" is marked as selected. This will back up your contacts to Google, and once you get your new phone, on the first boot, it will ask you to provide your Google email address, just use the same one you used for the S3 and you'll get every contacts back automatically. This works with any Android phone, not only for Samsung Galaxy's.
 
Starting to get to grips with this in respect of the Contacts. I find that if I create a NEW contact on my phone I am able to ensure that it is a Google contact and then I have been able to so sync it to my Google account. The difficulty I am having is how to convert the existing PHONE contacts to GOOGLE contacts??
Any help appreciated.
 
The best way to convert them is going to be to export them as a CSV file. You can take this CSV file and import them into GMail from a PC. Then wipe all the contacts from your phone and reboot. Then go into Acounts>Google and sync your contacts. They will download into your phone as Google contacts.

Otherwise you will need to go into each contact one at a time and change them from phone to Google contact.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom