The fastest way to sync between Samsung devices
Samsung devices sync through Samsung Account, which backs up contacts, calendar events, photos, and app data to Samsung's cloud servers. When you sign into the same Samsung Account on both your phone and tablet, those items appear on both devices automatically. This is the main method Samsung builds into its operating system.
The process takes about five minutes on each device. You need your Samsung Account email and password — if you do not have one, you can create it free on Samsung's website. After you sign in on both devices, syncing happens in the background whenever both are connected to Wi-Fi.
Samsung also offers SmartThings, which syncs device settings, app layouts, and notifications across your phone and tablet. This is optional but useful if you want your home screen to look the same on both devices.
Key Takeaways
- Sign into the same Samsung Account on both your phone and tablet to sync contacts, calendar, photos, and app data automatically.
- You can create a free Samsung Account on Samsung's website if you do not already have one.
- Syncing happens over Wi-Fi in the background after you sign in — you do not need to do anything else.
- SmartThings lets you sync your home screen layout and app organization between devices if you want them to match.
- Google Account syncing works alongside Samsung Account and handles Gmail, Google Photos, and Google Calendar separately.
Setting up Samsung Account sync on your phone
Open Settings on your phone and scroll down to find Accounts and backup. Tap Accounts, then Add account. Choose Samsung Account from the list. Enter your Samsung Account email and password, or tap Create account if you do not have one yet.
After you sign in, the phone asks which items to sync. Check the boxes next to Contacts, Calendar, Photos, and any other data you want backed up. Tap Sync now to start when ready, or let it sync automatically when the phone connects to Wi-Fi.
The first sync may take a few minutes if you have many photos or contacts. You can check progress by going back to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung Account and looking for a sync status message.
Setting up Samsung Account sync on your tablet
Follow the same steps on your tablet: Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Add account > Samsung Account. Use the exact same email and password you used on your phone. This is the critical step — if you use different Samsung Accounts on each device, they will not sync with each other.
Check the same sync boxes you selected on your phone. If you want your tablet to have the same contacts and calendar as your phone, make sure both devices are syncing those items. Tap Sync now to pull in data from your phone when ready.
Wait a few minutes for the first sync to complete. You should then see your phone's contacts and calendar events appear on your tablet. If nothing shows up after 10 minutes, go back to Settings and tap Sync now again.
Using SmartThings to match your home screens
SmartThings syncs your app layout, wallpaper, and notification settings so your phone and tablet look and feel the same. Open Settings on your phone, go to Accounts and backup, and look for SmartThings or Samsung Cloud. Tap it and turn on Backup.
On your tablet, go to the same location and turn on Restore. The tablet will read your phone's home screen layout and app arrangement. This does not copy every single app — it copies the order and placement of apps you have on both devices.
If you do not want your tablet to look exactly like your phone, you can skip SmartThings and arrange your apps differently on each device. Samsung Account syncing works independently and will still back up your contacts and calendar.
What syncs and what does not
Samsung Account syncs contacts, calendar events, photos, videos, voice memos, and some app data. It also backs up your phone's settings so you can restore them if you get a new device. Messages and call logs do not sync through Samsung Account — those stay on the device where they were created.
Apps themselves do not sync, but if you have the same app installed on both devices, the app's data often syncs. For example, if you have Spotify on both your phone and tablet and you are signed into the same Spotify account, your playlists and listening history appear on both. This happens because the app itself handles the syncing, not Samsung Account.
Google Account syncing works separately from Samsung Account. If you sign into the same Google Account on both devices, Gmail, Google Photos, Google Calendar, and Google Contacts sync across both. You can use both Samsung Account and Google Account at the same time — they do not interfere with each other.
Troubleshooting when sync is not working
If your tablet is not showing your phone's contacts or calendar after 15 minutes, first check that both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network. Syncing requires an internet connection. If both are on Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung Account and tap Sync now manually.
If that does not work, sign out of Samsung Account on both devices and sign back in. Go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung Account > Remove account. Then add the account again using the same email and password. This often fixes sync problems that happen after a software update.
If you still see nothing syncing after 20 minutes, check that you are using the same Samsung Account email on both devices. Open Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts on each device and look at which Samsung Account is listed. If they are different, remove the wrong one and add the correct account.
Syncing photos and videos between devices
Photos and videos sync through Samsung Account if you turn on Photos in your sync settings. However, Samsung also offers Samsung Gallery, which is a separate app that syncs photos across devices. If you use Samsung Gallery instead of the default Photos app, your pictures sync through that app's cloud storage.
You can also use Google Photos to sync photos across both devices. Sign into the same Google Account on both your phone and tablet, open Google Photos, and turn on Backup and sync. This backs up your photos to Google's servers and makes them available on both devices. Google Photos works alongside Samsung Account syncing — you do not have to choose one or the other.
If you have a lot of photos, the first sync may take several hours depending on your Wi-Fi speed. Let your devices stay plugged in and connected to Wi-Fi while the sync runs. You can check progress by opening the Photos or Gallery app and looking for a sync indicator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Samsung Account if I already have a Google Account?
No, but they serve different purposes. Google Account syncs Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Contacts, and Google Photos. Samsung Account syncs Samsung's own apps and services. You can use just Google Account if you prefer, but you will miss out on Samsung's backup features. Most people use both at the same time.
Will syncing use a lot of my data if I am not on Wi-Fi?
Samsung Account syncing is set to Wi-Fi only by default, so it will not use your phone's cellular data. If you want to sync over cellular, you can change this in Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung Account > Sync settings, but this can use data quickly if you have many photos or videos.
Can I sync my phone with multiple tablets?
Yes. Sign into the same Samsung Account on as many tablets as you want, and they will all sync with your phone. Any contact or calendar event you add to your phone appears on all your tablets. The same applies in reverse — changes on any tablet sync back to your phone.
What happens to synced data if I delete it from my phone?
Deleting a contact or calendar event from your phone also deletes it from your tablet and from Samsung's servers. If you delete something by accident, you may be able to recover it from Samsung Account's trash or backup, but this depends on how long ago you deleted it. Check Settings > Accounts and backup for a recovery option.
Can I sync text messages between my phone and tablet?
Samsung Account does not sync text messages. However, some third-party apps like Google Messages or Samsung's own Messages app can sync conversations if you sign into the same account on both devices. Check your messaging app's settings to see if it offers cloud syncing.