How to Back Up Samsung Phone to PC with Little Effort | New Guide

Sophie Green
2023-11-27
Home > Resources > Samsung Transfer (Backup) > How to Back Up Samsung Phone to PC with Little Effort | New Guide

Summary

Our smartphones serve as the digital vaults of our lives, ensuring the safety of the data they hold has become paramount. Among the myriad of devices available, Samsung phones stand out for their feature-rich capabilities. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into 10 methods to back up Samsung phone to PC. From utilizing specialized software to exploring the realm of cloud servers and other functional backup apps, we'll walk you through the step-by-step processes, ensuring your valuable data remains secure and accessible.

back up samsung phone to pc

Part 1: How to Back Up Samsung Phone on PC via Software

Wondering how to back up a Samsung phone to a PC? That's simple to finish because you will get help from professional and easy backup software. Thus, you can breezily access your backup files on your PC.

1.1 Using Samsung Smart Switch

Smart Switch, which replaced Samsung Kies, is a famous app that can be used to back up Samsung phones to PC, such as contacts, messages, photos, videos, calendar events, etc. Besides, it supports the Samsung devices with Android OS 4.3 or later. To access the Smart Switch application, you have to download and install it on your PC and mobile device.

Step-by-step guide on backing up your Samsung device to PC using Smart Switch:

  1. Launch the Smart Switch on PC.
  2. Connect your Samsung device to PC using a USB cable. Once the device is connected, ensure the "Media device" (MTP mode) option is selected.
  3. Once Smart Switch detects your Samsung, you can see 3 options on the primary interface. Select the "Backup" option, and tap "OK".
  4. Upon completion, you will be alerted and you can safely remove your Samsung device.

back up samsung phone to pc via smart switch

Pros:

- Free use and download of the software.

- Many kinds of data including settings and apps on the Samsung can be backed up.

Cons:

- Only compatible with Samsung devices.

Read more:

Full Guide on Best Alternative to Samsung Smart Switch

Practical Tutorial on Voicemail Recovery on Samsung Galaxy

1.2 Using Samsung Backup and Restore

Samsung Backup and Restore is a one-click program to back up and restore your Samsung phone. With the simplest operation, you can finish the backup on your PC. If needed, you can restore the backup files from the computer to the Samsung phone in 1 click as well.

Major features of Samsung Backup and Restore:

(1) Back up Samsung to PC in 1 click, including contacts, call logs, text messages, photos, videos, music, apps, and documents, which are all the main files on your Samsung phone.

(2) Restore the backup files from the PC to the same Samsung phone or other Samsung phones/tablets.

(3) Support connecting Samsung to the PC with a USB cable and Wi-Fi.

(4) You can freely select the Samsung data on the interface by category.

(5) Tick the option or not to clear data before restoring on your Samsung phone.

(6) Compatible with the almost all the Samsung mobile phones/tablets and many other Android phones/tablets, such as Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra/S23//S22 Ultra/S22/S21 Ultra/S21/S20/S10/S9/S8/S7/S6, Samsung Note 20/Note 10+/Note 10/Note 9/Note 8/Note 7, Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+/Tab A9/Tab S9 Ultra/Tab S9/Tab S8 Ultra/Tab S8+/Tab S8/Tab A8/A7/Tab S7/Tab S7 FE/Tab A 8.4, Sony Xperia series, HTC, LG, ZTE, Xiaomi, Huawei, Google, OnePlus, and more.

download windows version of samsung backup and restoredownload mac version of samsung backup and restore

Guide on how to back up Samsung phone to PC without Smart Switch:

Step 1. Download Samsung Backup and Restore software on the PC.

Please firstly download this Samsung backup program on the PC, and then install and launch it.

Step 2. Connect Samsung phone to the PC.

Click "Android Backup & Restore". Then connect your Samsung phone to the PC with a USB cable, and enable the USB debugging icon to turn on. The program will check your phone in no time.

back up samsung phone to pc in 1 click

Step 3. Back up Samsung to PC.

After connected, please tap on the "Backup" option. Then pick out the data types you want on the interface. Finally, click on the "Back Up" button to begin the backup of Samsung.

do samsung backup on pc

Pros:

- No ads.

- Back up Samsung data efficiently.

- Wi-Fi and USB connections are available.

Cons:

- Cannot view files in detail before the backup.

Further reading:

Want more Samsung backup apps? It will tell you 5 best Samsung backup apps.

Bought a new Sony Xperia smartphone? That's great! You can now move your Samsung data to the new Sony phone at once.

1.3 Using Samsung Messages Backup (Support Selecting Files)

If you prefer to select specific files before the backup, Samsung Messages Backup will be more suitable for you. This software scans and list detailed files on the interface for your selection. Furthermore, it enables you to edit your Samsung contacts, send and receive SMS, organize photos, and so on. With it, you can easily back up and manage your Samsung data.

download win version of samsung messages backupdownload mac version of samsung messages backup

The key features of Samsung Messages Backup:

(1) Back up and restore the whole Samsung phone data to the computer with one click.

(2) Allow you to selectively transfer files from Samsung to the computer.

(3) Preview the files before data transfer.

(4) Manage your Samsung files on PC/Mac conveniently.

(5) Take a Samsung screenshot on the computer directly.

(6) Support various files: contacts, call logs, SMS, music, photos, videos, documents, and apps.

(7) Support Android 4.0 or upper and most Samsung and other Android devices.

Here's how to back up S22 Ultra to PC selectively:

Step 1. Connect your Samsung device to PC.

Launch the Samsung Messages Backup software, choose "Android Assistant", and connect your Samsung Galaxy to the PC via a USB cable. You need to allow USB debugging on your Galaxy phone as prompted.

enable usb debugging on your samsung phone

Step 2. Make the program detect your Samsung phone.

Go with the on-screen prompts to make the program recognize your Samsung device. After that, you can see the main interface as below. All the detected files are sorted into different folders on the left panel.

samsung backup to pc with samsung messages backup

Step 3. Select files and start backup.

On the primary interface, please tap a category on the left panel. Then select the content that you desire. At last, click "Export" to save them to your PC.

selectively back up samsung to pc

Notes: With Samsung Messages Backup software, you can choose to back up a whole Samsung phone by 1 click to PC, or selectively back up your specific files in batches. To back up your Samsung Galaxy to PC with 1 click, you need to launch the Samsung Messages Backup and connect your Samsung device to the PC via a USB cable. Then go to the "Super Toolkit", choose the "Backup" option, then check the file types and select a local folder to save the backed up files.

Pros:

- Easily preview files.

- Fast data transferring.

- Clear interface.

- 100% clean and safe.

Cons:

- Require a license to back up data.

To back up your specific files in batches, you can read these articles for more guides:

#1. Transfer Contacts from Samsung Phone to Computer

#2. Transfer SMS from Samsung Galaxy to Computer

#3. Sync Samsung Photos to Computer

#4. Transfer Videos from Samsung to Computer

Part 2: How to Back Up Samsung Phone to PC via Cloud Servers

Cloud services are popular to back up mobile phone data. With them, you can view and access your Samsung data on your laptop by logging in to your account, which is efficient and convenient. However, if you want to save the files to your computer, it will require a stable network as well.

2.1 Using Samsung Cloud

As a built-in feature on Samsung device, Samsung Cloud is one of the easiest ways of backup. With it, you can achieve the backup directly on your phone. Once you log in with your Samsung account on your PC, you can download the backup files without effort.

Here are the steps:

  1. Open the Settings app on your Samsung phone, and click your Samsung account.
  2. Click "Samsung Cloud" and choose the data that you want to back up.
  3. Swipe the screen to the bottom and tap "Back up data". Then hit "Back up now" to start the process.
  4. After that, open a browser on your computer, and visit "https://support.samsungcloud.com/#/login".
  5. Sign in with your Samsung account, and you can see and save your backup files.

back up samsung phone to pc via samsung cloud

Pros:

- Back up Samsung data wirelessly.

- Access files on different devices with ease.

Cons:

- No network, no backup.

- Limit storage space.

2.2 Using Google Drive

If you add your Google Account to your Samsung phone, you can back up your phone data to Google Drive wirelessly. But you cannot access individual files even though you download the whole backup file from Google Drive to your PC.

Follow the steps below:

  1. Click "Accounts and backup" after navigating to Settings.
  2. Hit "Back up data" under "Google Drive". Then, input your account credentials if prompted.
  3. Tap "Back up now" to sync your files to Google Drive.
  4. Go to "https://www.google.com/drive/" on your PC, and sign in with the same account.
  5. Click "Storage" > "Backups" to download the backup file to your computer.

back up samsung phone to pc via google drive

Pros:

- There are 15GB of free cloud storage space.

- Back up your Samsung data automatically.

Cons:

- Cannot view individual backup files.

2.3 Using OneDrive

Samsung users cannot back up their Gallery data to Samsung Cloud, but they can use OneDrive to replace Samsung Cloud. Thus, if you want to back up your camera roll from Samsung to PC, choosing OneDrive will be a good idea.

Here's how:

  1. Open the Gallery app on your Samsung smartphone or tablet, and tap the "Menu" icon.
  2. Enable the "Sync with OneDrive". Then it will prompt you to sign in with your Microsoft account.
  3. Once done, visit the OneDrive web on your PC to download the photos and videos to a local folder.

samsung backup for pc using onedrive

Pros:

- Sync Samsung photos and videos effortlessly.

Cons:

- Cannot sync other files automatically.

Part 3: How to Back Up Samsung Phone to Computer in Other Ways

In this part, we'll explore three distinctive backup methods that diverge from conventional software and cloud servers. While these approaches offer unique advantages, it's important to note that they may not be as efficient as mainstream solutions.

3.1 Using SmartThings Find

How do I back up my entire Samsung phone to my computer if the phone lost? SmartThings Find, also named Samsung Find My Mobile, can back up your Samsung phone's data to Samsung Cloud and OneDrive even if you are unable to access your device. The premise is that you need to sign in with your Samsung account on your Galaxy phone/tablet.

Complete the Samsung Backup to PC via SmartThings Find:

  1. Open the "https://smartthingsfind.samsung.com/login" website on your PC, and tap "Sign in" to enter your Samsung account.
  2. Choose the Samsung device that you want to back up, and click "Back up" to choose your desired content.
  3. Click "Back up" again to proceed.
  4. After that, go to Samsung Cloud and OneDrive to download your backup files to your PC.

back up entire samsung phone via smartthings find

Pros:

- Back up a Samsung phone to a computer remotely.

Cons:

- Require you to download the backup files from different cloud serers.

3.2 Using AirDrod

AirDroid Personal can transfer your files from a mobile device to a computer via its webpage. You don't have to install AirDroid on your PC. But the web version doesn't have the backup feature, you can only selectively transfer files. By the way, the free account supports transferring a single file up to 30MB, and only 200MB quota every month.

Tutorial on how to back up a Samsung phone to a computer via AirDroid:

  1. Install AirDroid on your Samsung phone and PC.
  2. Sign in with your Google account or sign up for a new account.
  3. Tap the "Transfer" tab on your phone, and choose your PC.
  4. Click the "Attachment" > "Files" icon to send your data from Samsung.
  5. You will receive the data on your PC.

back up samsung phone to pc via airdroid

Pros:

- Back up Samsung files from Samsung to PC easily.

Cons:

- The free version doesn't allow users to transfer the files over 200MB monthly.

3.3 Using USB Cable Manually

Backing up data by dragging and dropping is a fast and simple method you can use to back up your Samsung to PC. Files such as photos, music, videos, and document files can be directly backed up to your PC by plugging a USB cable that connects your PC to your Samsung device. Then you can copy the files manually to your hard drive.

Here's how:

  1. Enable USB debugging on your Samsung Galaxy.
  2. Using a USB cable, connect your Samsung device to the PC.
  3. Please go to "This PC", you can find your Samsung phone's name under the "Devices and drives".
  4. Double click your device.
  5. Go to the SD card or the phone memory that contains your wanted photos.
  6. Open the "DCIM" folder (you can find photos here) or the other folders that contain your wanted files.
  7. Drag the selected files and drop them to a desired location in the PC.

back up samsung galaxy to pc by dragging and dropping

Pros:

- You don't need to download any other third-party software.

Cons:

- Can not find your wanted files easily.

- It is time-wasting when transferring a good deal of files.

Learn more: Is it possible to recover deleted SMS from an Android phone? Yes, of course. This guide will tell you how to do it.

Part 4: FAQs on Backing Up Samsung Phone to PC

Q1: What are the benefits of local backup on PC?

Local backups on a PC offer several advantages, providing users with greater control, accessibility, and security over their data. Here are some benefits of using local backup on a PC:

A. Full Customization: Local backups allow users to choose exactly which files and folders to back up.

B. Quick Access: Backing up to a local PC allows for faster access to files compared to downloading them from a cloud service. Retrieving data is as simple as connecting the device to the PC.

C. Enhanced Security: Local backups are not dependent on internet connections, reducing the risk of data breaches.

D. No Storage Limitations: Local storage capacity is often only limited by the size of the backup device (external hard drive, SSD, etc.), providing ample space for large backups without additional costs.

Q2: What are the advantages of cloud-based backup options?

A. Remote Access: Cloud-based backups can be accessed from any location with an internet connection. This flexibility is especially valuable for users who need to retrieve files while on the go.

B. Hands-Free Operation: Cloud backup services often allow users to set up automatic and scheduled backups.

C. File Versioning: Many cloud backup solutions maintain versions of files, allowing users to restore previous versions in case of accidental changes or deletions. This feature is particularly useful for collaborative work.

D. Collaboration Tools: Cloud services often include collaboration features, enabling users to share files, collaborate in real-time, and provide controlled access to shared documents.

Q3: Can I selectively back up specific data on my Samsung device?

Yes, many backup methods allow you to choose which types of data you want to back up, providing flexibility in the process, such as using Samsung Messages Backup, Google Drive, AirDroid, etc. We have provided and explained them above.

Conclusion

It's significant to keep your Samsung data safe, so backing up Samsung phone to PC fits in exactly with your wish. After reading the guides in this article, you've mastered the backup tricks and skills. Samsung Backup and Restore can back up all files at once, and restore backups without any hassle. If you like to preview your files, Samsung Messages Backup can meet your needs. Plus, other backup tools, like Smart Switch, Google Drive, OneDrive, etc., are effective in backup. Whatever you choose, you can follow the guide that we provided to make it.

Related Articles

How Do I Back Up Photos on My Samsung Galaxy? [6 Ways in 2023]

How to Transfer Files Between Huawei and Computer? (2 Ways)

How to Print Out Text Messages from Android Phone? [4 Methods]

Switch to Galaxy S23/S22/S20/S10/S9/S9+: How to Transfer Data from Old Samsung to New Galaxy Device

How to Transfer Photos from Samsung to Samsung Galaxy S9/S9 Plus

How to Transfer Apps from Android to Another Android?

 
Sophie Green Chief Editor

Sophie Green, Chief Editor of Samsung-messages-backup website, has been focusing on the realm of Android Recovery, Android Transfer (Backup), Android Device Tips, Phone Clean, and Phone Transfer technologies. Recognized contributions on leading platforms attest to her esteemed expertise and reliability.