Transfer from old to new Android Smartphone

AnthonyL wrote:

I'm not clear which contacts are held in Sim and which are not. I have located the WhatsApp data folders but again what is not clear is can I just install WhatsApp on the new phone then locate and copy/overwrite with the old data folders?

You should be able to view SIM contacts via Settings, or I think also from your Contacts App. Look in the Contacts app on how to back them up or to EXPORT them to your other device or email them to your PC as an attachment or use a File Manager to move them via Bluetooth or your PC, again after backing them up or exporting them to your original device. Total Commander (free) or Solid Explorer (free for 2 weeks) or File Expert are all good File Managers with lots of features. Total Commander has a less intuitive interface but is a really small app, so minimal bloat or device work. Read the Help file for Total Commander as it has few on screen clues on how to do things. But it's great once you get used to it.

You can also transfer information via Bluetooth if you can pair both your devices. I don't know how old Samsung is & if it can do that. I transfer files a lot this way between phones or tablets. IMO, one of the best ways to do this is to use a good (free) file manager app, I use Total Commander (but it isn't the most intuitive but it has Help), or Asus File Manager from the Google Play Store or ????, anyway, you would pick your App & choose SHARE Via (Bluetooth) or copy or transfer, each app will have it's own terminology.

That sounds a good tip which I'll investigate, both phones do have Bluetooth.

OK so you're saying that the data is totally separate from the application unlike Windows where other settings inhibit simple copying across?

Yes data is usually in a separate folder & should be easily found & moved. Apps are different & MOST if any App FOLDERS cannot be dragged & dropped or copied from one device to another,, even if both have the same apps installed. What you need to do is to find the APK file for the app & THAT (which is THE APP & installer) can be copied or moved & then reinstalled on the new device. Again, Total Commander (& the other FMgrs), can do this. I ALWAYS back up an app withTotal Commander before I update apps from the Google Play Store & I also keep copies on my PC. Then for the app data, you would need to see if the app has a Backup menu option of it's data, then explore the App folders or the App Data folders to find that backup file, to move to & restore the file on the new device. If your app does not have a Backup command, then I guess it depends on your app, some app data files are easy to find or back up, some are not. I can't recall if I've done it without going via a backup.

Also, if you use an SD card in your new device which probably has Android OS v6+, then make sure that you know how to set it up correctly. DO NOT THINK that you can move apps to the SD card. This is no longer allowed in OS v6+ . Here is info on how to set up the SD card or Internal Storage properly.

Android OS v6+ SD Card Set Up Tips

Another can of worms. I'll have to investigate whether WhatsApp, Line etc allow their photos/videos to be kept on the SD card. Inherently I don't like the idea that the storage card becomes an integral part of the Android system eg what do you do if you need a bigger one? or the card goes faulty

It's no problem to keep MEDIA on the SD card as internal or external storage. I have my SD cards on devices set as external or portable storage & I can easily move photos, videos, music, text files, pdfs, books, etc. wherever & however I want, including removing the SD card. The difference for setting it up as Internal or Expanded Storage is that with the External Storage option the SD card can be removed & read by other devices but as Internal Expanded Storage, the SD card is encrypted & can ONLY be read by that device & Apps, so any moving of media or files MUST be done from the device or device apps, as the SD card is encrypted & cannot be read by other devices. Not a big deal if you say use Google or a good File Manager to back things up on a regular basis. However, media files, such as music, video, image files, text files, ARE NOT encrypted IF you plug in your device to a PC. The PC can still see those files to copy them. But I haven't played with that routine yet. I think Google / Android would have a revolution going if media files were not easily accessible, even with the internal storage option. But App data, is something else entirely. Anyway, setting up the SD card use either way, means that one should back up & store elsewhere data & media files, or if one has a good data plan or fast WiFi, then just set up automatic backups to one's Google Account, or OneDrive or DropBox. Many apps are offering that option.

Lots of good info on that site on Android phones, should solve your dilemma. But a good file manager & the bluetooth connection (you need to check the notification area to ALLOW EVERY file sent via bluetooth, so it can be a bit of a PITA for a lot of files) or use your PC's file manager & it's easy.

http://www.howtogeek.com/school/basic-android-guide/lesson1/ in the hope that I might understand how Android works in general.