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Samsung: Restore a Backup from Samsung Cloud

After a factory reset or on a new Samsung phone, photos, contacts, and app data can be missing even though a backup exists in Samsung Cloud. This usually happens because the restore step was skipped during setup or the wrong backup was selected. The right backup needs to be picked manually before missing apps and files come back.

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Step 1 of 6: Tap on **Settings**

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Android 11 · One UI 3
Restore Backup from Samsung Cloud – One UI 3: step 1 – Tap on Settings
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Samsung

Restore Backup from Samsung Cloud auf Samsung

When a Samsung phone is reset or replaced, contacts, photos, and app data are not restored automatically. Samsung Cloud keeps the backup stored on the account, but it only gets applied once you pick it manually in the restore menu.

This matters most after a factory reset, a failed setup step, or when switching to a new Samsung device that was not linked to the old backup during the initial setup screen. If the wrong Samsung account is signed in, the correct backup will not show up in the list at all.

Where to find the restore option

Go to Tap on SettingsTap on Accounts and backupTap on Restore data. Open Open the Menu if more than one device backup is linked to the account, then Choose a Backup from the list.

Inside the backup, you can select which content comes back: contacts, photos, messages, or specific apps. Apps that are not currently installed on the device show up separately, and you decide whether to reinstall them from the backup or skip them.

Tap Select the Content and tap Restore to start the process. Larger backups with many photos or app data take longer, and the phone should stay connected to Wi-Fi until the transfer finishes.

If the backup list stays empty, the account signed in under Accounts and backup does not match the one used to create the backup, or no backup was ever completed on that device.

Frequently asked questions

This usually means a different Samsung account is signed in on the device. Check the account under Tap on SettingsTap on Accounts and backup and confirm it matches the account used when the backup was created.

Compatible devices

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Android 11 · One UI 3

No compatible devices are listed for this version.