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Android Primer #2: SyncDroid – the easiest free way to back up and move your stuff from an old Android phone to a new one [Freeware]

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Transferring or upgrading from one phone to another can be a real nightmare, especially if you’ve collected a lot of personal files and data on the old phone, which you would like to transfer easily across to the new model. It’s easy to transfer your Google account information, just make sure you do a Backup and Restore function from the phone Settings first, but for things like SMS messages, contacts, photos and your call history etc, it’s really difficult.

Which is why I was so pleased to find SyncDroid, which is a free backup and restore system which uses your Windows computer as the transfer mechanism. The result is you can transfer everything over from one phone to another in a matter of minutes, which is actually awesome.

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What’s really nice about this system is the fact that it’s so easy to use. Download the free Windows program from the site, and then plug your old phone into a USB cable connected to your laptop or desktop computer. Make sure that all the necessary drivers install nicely then fire up the software and press the Connect button.

Within a few seconds the software will connect with the phone, and show you a reading of what’s stored on it. Note: you may be asked to switch on USB debugging via Developer mode in Settings, which is pretty straightforward.

Check out our video below to see how to use the SyncDroid software.

Once you see the phone displayed, you can hit the Backup button, and select which elements you want to archive. You get a choice of everything from text messages and call logs, to videos, audio files, contacts and more. One suggestion is not to select the Browser bookmarks, because that can apparently break the backup, and so we discovered. But with that not selected, everything worked fine.

In a matter of minutes all your stuff will be backed up to your PC. Unfortunately we don’t know exactly where on the hard disk it is, because the program doesn’t tell us, or let us even change the folder, which is a small letdown.

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To restore your data, just unplug the old phone, plug in the new handset and go through the same procedure, but this time select the Restore menu item. You will be given a choice of what you want to restore, and then press the Restore button. Job done! It’s incredibly easy and very fast, and works like a charm.

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If you use it alongside the free AndroAppLink app which we told you about last year, which lets you move all your apps across from one phone to another, you will be up and running with your new handset in no time at all, and with all your apps and data completely intact. Marvelous, blooming marvelous!

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2 Comments

  • Hello Nigel ,

    I always enjoy your reviews …

    Here is something I find Much Better For Android Phones …

    Give it a try it does it all … everything including apps ..

    http://www.moborobo.com/

    It even has a Wifi option … But the complete backup requires the USB cable …

    Keep up the Good Work ..

    Michael T.

    • Thanks Michael, we did actually cover Moborobo back in 2013. Maybe you got it from us? :)

      But you’re right, it’s definitely pretty cool. Forgot about it (so many options, so little time). :)

      Cheers.

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