If you own a Samsung device, setting up Samsung Account can help you in the event of an emergency, theft or loss. You will also be able to restore all your data to a replacement Samsung device.
I recommend getting both the Manufacturer specific account (in this case it is Samsung) and your Google account setup correctly.
Please see my other article on Setting up a Google Account called “Protect your Device with your Google Account”.
Setup your Samsung Account on your Samsung device. This will give you access to numerous Samsung Services including:
- Samsung Pay
- Bixby
- Samsung Cloud Storage
- Find my Mobile
- *Samsung Notes
- *Samsung Health
*Note: If you change or upgrade to a non Samsung device then your data stored in Samsung Notes and Samsung Health will be lost as these apps will not be compatible with your new device.
I now use these alternative apps:
-
- Microsoft One Note (requires a Microsoft Account)
- Sports Tracker Premium (premium maps and no adds)
Sport Tracker Premium costs £14.99 per year (in my region)
Create a Samsung Account
- Open Settings.
- Tap Cloud and accounts.
- Tap Accounts.
- Tap Add account.
- Tap Samsung account.
- Tap CREATE ACCOUNT.
- Enter your email and a password.
- Tap NEXT.
- Select terms and conditions, and tap AGREE.
Backup your Phone and Sync your Data
- Open Settings
- Tap Cloud and Accounts
- Tap Samsung Cloud
- Tap the 3 dots in the upper right corner
- Tap Settings
- Tap Sync Settings
- Select the items to be backed up
Use the same procedure for Auto backup settings
Find my Mobile
Visit the following Web Site from any device and login: https://findmymobile.samsung.com
Once you are logged in, a web page will show your devices with the location of the selected device on a zoomable map:
(The map has been distorted for privacy reasons)
Find My Mobile combines all the services into one to perform the following actions:
- Ring
- Lock and Lock Power Off
- Erase data
- Back up
- Retrieve calls/messages
- Unlock
- Extend battery life
- Set guardian
Google has a similar offering with 2 services: Find your Phone and Google Find My Device.
Please see my separate article on Google
There is one main difference – Samsung Find My Mobile can retrieve your call log from your phone. (When using the feature Retrieve calls/messages – only my call log was displayed and no messages).
Lock
Whether or not you have locked your phone, you can now do so. Set up a PIN number, enter a contact no as well as a message.
The following will now appear on lock screen of the lost phone:
The finder is still able to access the Emergency information (ICE contacts and personal medical information) by tapping EMERGENCY CALL. (See https://martinshelpdesk.com/ice).
Once retrieved the owner will have the ability to enter a PIN and unlock the phone.
Lock Power off
This disables the “Power off” function of the phone, so that it stays on and connected.
Back up
Backup gives you the opportunity to do a final back up (as long as the phone is still powered on and has an internet connection). The following items will be backed up:
| · Phone log· Messages
· Contacts (on phone) · Calendar (on phone) · Clock, Settings · Home Screen · Apps · Documents |
· Voice Recorder· Music
· Calendar · Contacts · Gallery · Memo · Samsung Internet · Samsung Notes |
These can then be restored to a new (Samsung) phone that has signed in with the same Samsung Account.
Note: The Contacts and Calendar items can be stored in various locations – specifically on your phone, in your Google Account or in your Samsung Account. It is best to keep everything in one place (i.e. your Google Account).
Retrieve calls/messages
Up to the last 50 calls are retrieved. (When I used this there were no retrieved messages)
Unlock
Provides you a remote unlock of your phone should you forget your unlock method. It will delete all stored unlock procedures on the phone. You will need your Samsung account password to confirm.
Set Guardian
Sets designated guardians to remotely perform the following:
- Locate your device
- Activate Emergency Mode
- Ring device
After agreeing, you then need click to Set guardian a second time and enter up to three new guardian’s Samsung account information with an access duration of “always” or set a “custom date range”.
Martin’s HelpDesk can help users get the best out of their phone. With a proper setup your phone can facilitate your everyday activities. We provide a custom setup to match your lifestyle including work, travel, sports and leisure.
I don’t get it, I already have all these features with a google account which works on all android phones made by any company over many years. Why would i possibly want to use a samsung account to do the same, but limits me just samsung phones. it serves no purpose whatsoever?
I agree with you but there are a few advantages using a Samsung account on a Samsung phone
With a lost phone:
1. Remote disable the power off
2. Retrieve calls and messages
Other Reasons
Some Samsung users stick with Samsung. So the following will be important for them now and for their future device.
1. Samsung Health is an excellent health tracking app with the ability to save and load cycling, running and walking routes.
2. Samsung Notes can be viewed between a Samsung tablet and Samsung phone. It also works well with the S-Pen.
So when a Samsung user upgrades to another Samsung Device, signs in with a Samsung Account all their data is intact from their previous device,
I could not install Samsung Notes or Samsung Health onto my new non-Samsung phone. This meant I have lost my health tracking information and all my Samsung Notes.
However I have added various workarounds so you are not tied into the Samsung system. Being tied in limits your choice when you upgrade.
Not all Samsung devices are phones. Some are just tablets, like for an elderly parent or a child. In those cases, the Samsung account really is just a duplicate of the Google account used to log onto the tablet, and in a way it creates additional possible security issues. I have no use for the Samsung account info like Health, or Notes, or any of the other things that keep popping up. It’s gets to be a bit frustrating how Samsung keeps trying on this.
Thanks I did not know all this.
I keep putting in a password and everytime I look on the interet it is stuck on my screen to reset my password and I cant use my internet at all because of that I have reset my password 4 times now so am thinking of getting rid of samsung account
Martin On my Samsung
above my pass word.
My last name is first and
first name is first, it’s
crossed up. THANKS.
I need to know whether you are referring to the lock screen login or elsewhere? Please check your login details for the account in your password manager. For example, if you use Google Chrome for storing passwords you will find this in Chrome, click the three dots at the top right, Settings, Passwords. Here you can edit/change or delete the login credentials for saved sites.
There are other “benefits” too e.g. updating all the built-in Samsung apps like gallery, phone, camera, notes etc using the Galaxy Store. Can’t update all your installed apps without logging-in to a Samsung account. Also, you cannot enable hiya service for caller ID and spam protection. I am sure they’ve purposefully locked out other aspects of the experience too but because of the galaxy store I was pretty much forced to create a Samsung account.
Hi,
Thanks for writing this in-depth review.I read your website.
In fact, I found the information I was looking for in your article. It’s really helpful.
I have benefited from reading your article.
Thank you very much
what-is-samsung-experience-service/
Hello how can i get a account ID plz that’s my first with Samsung ź2 so i do not understand about ID
To get a Samsung account and ID, use an internet browser and visit https://account.samsung.com/, on that page click “Create account”. Then use the account information on your device (Samsung phone or tablet). On your phone or tablet, go to Settings>Accounts and backup>Accounts>Add account>Samsung account.
(The navigation in the Settings and the setting category names may differ on your device) but the idea is to then add a Samsung account on your device if one is not already setup. Once this is done you can then reread the blog to see what the benefits are and how they can be used.
But woe unto you if for some reason you aren’t able to get access to your mobile number for two-step verification, then you’ll end up in a cyclic argument with Samsung. I’ve been at it for more than 3 weeks. My advice, set up Google, ignore Samsung
Hi Martin,
thanks for all the information. I have a strange question. I bought a second hand Samsung from a legitimate company that provides a guarantee on their second hand phones. However, when I took it back to upgrade after a three days, the store tech had trouble accessing my phone because there was a Samsung account set up on it. The thing is, that was not me.
So that got me wondering. If someone set up a Samsung account on my phone could they retrieve all my messages and emails and location. or any other info for that matter. Could this be a type of hacking or scam?
If this is a ridiculously silly question, feel free not to publish it!!
Thanks in advance for your help,
Martin
Having someone else’s Samsung account on your phone does not provide that user remote access to your phone and the email that is on it.
If the account owner logged into their account then they would be able to track the phone’s location as well as retrieve the text messages. I, however, could not get the retrieve messages to work on my Samsung device.
The safest thing to do is remove the account and add your own Samsung Account and password. If you are still unsure then reset the device back to factory condition.
It is possible that at some point between the sale of the phone to you and the technician performing the update that someone could have set up a Samsung account on your device – if your device had no security set up on it or that person knew your security details. (By security I mean an unlock PIN, Password or Pattern).
Anyway I hope that your device has now been updated with your own Samsung Account and that only you know the password.
Hello, Martin, I just got a Samsung phone and it asks me to create a new account or Sign up with Google. Is one way better than the other? What does it mean if I sign up with Google? It asks for a bunch of access to my Google data, but how safe is it to allow that? What is it going to do with that? Is it better just to create a separwt username/password in Samsung separately? Thank you!
Yes I would just create a separate Samsung account login using your regular email address and a different password. This Samsung account is used by your phone to enable backup of your Samsung data. You can set up what gets backed up here in your Samsung account settings on your phone. I would suggest that you back up Samsung Health data. The health data would then be available on other devices with Samsung Health installed or if you ever replace your phone. Your Google account should take care of the other backups.