How to Transfer Apps From Old Android to New Android
After some time, you will need to upgrade from your old Android device to a newer device. This will require you to transfer some of your apps from the older device to the newer device. You may also want to get some apps from your friend’s Android device without having to download them from the app store. How do you do this?
There are several ways that you can transfer apps from one Android device to another. Some ways are simple and do not require you to have a third-party app while others depend on third-party apps. Both ways/methods allow you to transfer complete apps from one Android device to another. In a related article, we discussed how to transfer large files between two Android devices.
A point to note is that for you to send an app to another device, you must have extracted the APK file for that particular app. APK stands for Application Package. This is an executable file that allows you to install an app.
This piece highlights some of the ways that you can use to transfer apps from old Android devices to new Android devices.
How to Transfer Apps from One Android Device to Another Using Bluetooth
You can easily transfer apps from one Android device to another using the Bluetooth feature on both devices. You need to have an APK extractor app on the sender device to get the APK files for the specific apps you are sending.
To transfer an app via Bluetooth:
- Go to any Appstore and install an APK extractor. A commonly used APK extractor is APK Share.
- Launch the APK extractor on your sender device
- The APK extractor app will list all the installed apps on the device
- Tap on the apps that you wish to transfer and tap on the Share button that appears
- On the list of options that appear, tap Bluetooth. (Ensure that the Bluetooth feature of the receiving device is on)
- Establish a connection between the two devices and send the APK files.
Another app that works similarly to APK Share is Mi Drop
How to Transfer Apps from One Android Device to Another Via Wi-Fi Direct
You can also use the Wi-Fi Direct feature on your device to send apps from one Android device to another. For this method to work, you will need a third-party app to help you get the APK file.
- Go to any app store and download the ES File Explorer app on the sender device
- Launch the app and navigate to the Apps tab
- A list of all the apps on the device will be displayed. Tap on the apps that you wish to transfer
- Tap the share button on the bottom of the page and from the options that appear, tap Wi-Fi Direct.
- Turn on Wi-Fi Direct on the receiver device. Establish a connection between the two devices and send the APK files.
Transferring Apps Between Two Samsung Devices
If you wish to transfer apps between two Samsung devices, you can use the Samsung Smart Switch Mobile app. The app allows you to transfer files and Apps directly from one Samsung device to another.
Note: The Samsung Smart Switch Mobile app only works on Samsung devices and may not work on other devices.
