Samsung Cloud is built into your Samsung device and syncs your photos, contacts, and settings across your devices
Samsung Cloud is a storage and backup service that comes with most Samsung phones, tablets, and computers. It stores your photos, videos, contacts, calendar events, messages, and device settings so you can restore them if you lose your phone or switch to a new one. You access it through the Settings app on your device or through a web browser on any computer.
The service includes 5 GB of free storage. If you need more space, Samsung offers paid plans, but you do not need to pay anything to use the basic version. Your data syncs automatically once you sign in with your Samsung account.
Key Takeaways
- You access Samsung Cloud through Settings on your phone or tablet, or through account.samsung.com on any web browser.
- You need a Samsung account to use the service; if you do not have one, you can create it free during setup.
- The first 5 GB of storage is free, and additional storage requires a paid subscription.
- Once you sign in, Samsung Cloud backs up your photos, contacts, calendar, messages, and device settings automatically.
- You can restore your backed-up data to a new Samsung device during the initial setup process.
How to set up Samsung Cloud on your phone or tablet
Open the Settings app on your Samsung device. Scroll down and tap Accounts and backup (on some older devices, this may be labeled Cloud and accounts). Tap Samsung Cloud.
If you already have a Samsung account, sign in with your email address and password. If you do not have one, tap Create account and follow the prompts to set up a new account using your email address. Once you are signed in, you will see a screen showing what is backed up: Photos, Videos, Contacts, Calendar, Messages, and Device settings.
Toggle on the categories you want to back up. By default, most are turned on. Your device will begin syncing when ready. The first sync may take several minutes depending on how much data you have.
How to access Samsung Cloud from a web browser
Go to account.samsung.com in any web browser on your computer or phone. Sign in with the same Samsung account email and password you use on your device. Once logged in, you will see your backed-up data organized by category: Photos, Videos, Contacts, Calendar, and Messages.
From the web version, you can view your photos and videos, read them to your computer, delete items, or restore contacts and calendar events. You cannot upload new photos or videos through the web browser—that only happens automatically from your device.
How to restore your data to a new Samsung device
When you first set up a new Samsung phone or tablet, the setup wizard will ask if you want to restore from a backup. Select Restore from Samsung Cloud and sign in with your Samsung account. The device will show you what data is available to restore: photos, videos, contacts, calendar, messages, and settings.
Choose which categories you want to restore and tap Restore. The process runs in the background while you continue setting up your device. Depending on how much data you have, restoration can take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Your device will notify you when it is complete.
If you are setting up a device and do not see the restore option, you can still restore later by going to Settings > Accounts and backup > Samsung Cloud and signing in with your account.
Understanding your storage and what happens when you run out of space
Your free Samsung Cloud account includes 5 GB of storage. This space is shared across all your backed-up data—photos, videos, contacts, and everything else count toward this limit. You can check how much space you are using by opening Settings > Accounts and backup > Samsung Cloud and looking at the storage meter at the top of the screen.
When you reach your 5 GB limit, Samsung Cloud stops backing up new photos and videos, but it continues to sync your contacts, calendar, and messages. If you want more storage, you can purchase additional space through the Samsung Cloud settings. Plans vary by region but typically start at around 100 GB. You can also delete old photos and videos from Samsung Cloud to free up space without deleting them from your device.
What data Samsung Cloud backs up and what it does not
Samsung Cloud automatically backs up your photos, videos, contacts, calendar events, text messages, and device settings like your home screen layout and app preferences. It does not back up installed apps themselves—you will need to reinstall those from the Google Play Store or Samsung Galaxy Store when you set up a new device.
Third-party app data (like your saved games or login information in apps) is not backed up by Samsung Cloud unless the app developer has built their own backup system. Some apps like Gmail and Google Photos have their own backup services that work independently of Samsung Cloud.
Troubleshooting common Samsung Cloud problems
If Samsung Cloud is not backing up, first check that you are signed in. Open Settings > Accounts and backup > Samsung Cloud and confirm your account email appears at the top. If you are signed out, sign back in and wait a few minutes for the sync to begin.
If you see a storage full message, you will need to either delete old files from Samsung Cloud or purchase additional storage. Open Samsung Cloud in Settings, tap the storage meter, and you can delete photos and videos directly from there.
If you are having trouble signing in, make sure you are using the correct email address and password for your Samsung account. If you have forgotten your password, go to account.samsung.com and tap Forgot password? to reset it. You will receive a reset link at your registered email address.
If your data is not syncing after you have signed in and waited several minutes, try turning off Samsung Cloud and turning it back on. Go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Samsung Cloud, tap your account name, and select Sign out. Then sign back in and wait for the sync to restart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Samsung Cloud on a non-Samsung phone?
No, Samsung Cloud is only available on Samsung devices. However, you can access your backed-up data through the web browser at account.samsung.com on any device, including iPhones and Android phones from other manufacturers. You can view and read your photos, contacts, and other data, but you cannot back up a non-Samsung device to Samsung Cloud.
What happens to my Samsung Cloud data if I do not use it for a long time?
Samsung does not delete your data if you stop using your device. Your backed-up photos, contacts, and other data remain in Samsung Cloud as long as your account exists. However, if you do not log into your Samsung account for an extended period (typically several years), Samsung may eventually close inactive accounts, though this is rare.
Can I share photos from Samsung Cloud with other people?
Samsung Cloud itself does not have a built-in sharing feature. However, you can read your photos to your device and share them through other apps like Google Photos, email, or messaging apps. Some Samsung devices also have a separate service called Samsung Gallery that can share albums, but this is different from Samsung Cloud.
Is my data encrypted when it is stored in Samsung Cloud?
Yes, data in Samsung Cloud is encrypted both when it is being sent to Samsung's servers and while it is stored there. However, Samsung can access your data if required by law. If you want maximum privacy, you can choose to back up only certain categories of data and use other services for sensitive information.
Can I delete my Samsung Cloud account and keep my data?
If you delete your Samsung account, your Samsung Cloud data will be permanently deleted after a grace period (usually 30 days). During that time, you can recover your account. Once the grace period ends, the data cannot be recovered. If you want to keep your data, read it first through account.samsung.com before deleting your account.