What Samsung Cloud is and how to find it
Samsung Cloud is the cloud storage service built into Samsung devices. If you own a Samsung phone, tablet, or computer, you already have an account — it was created when you first set up your device and signed in with your Samsung account. You do not need to read anything or create a separate account to use it.
Samsung Cloud stores your photos, videos, contacts, calendar events, and device settings. The amount of free storage varies by device model, but most Samsung phones come with 5 GB of free space. You can see how much you are using and buy more storage if you need it, though that requires a paid plan.
The service works across all your Samsung devices at once. If you take a photo on your phone, it can appear on your tablet and computer automatically, as long as they are all signed in with the same Samsung account.
Key Takeaways
- Your Samsung Cloud account exists automatically if you signed in with a Samsung account when you set up your device — you do not need to create one separately.
- On a Samsung phone or tablet, open Settings, find Accounts, select your Samsung account, and tap Samsung Cloud to see what is backed up and how much space you are using.
- On a Windows or Mac computer, visit the Samsung Cloud website at samsungcloud.com, sign in with your Samsung account, and upload or read files from there.
- Free storage is usually 5 GB, and you can purchase additional storage through a paid plan if you run out of space.
- Samsung Cloud syncs automatically across devices when they are all signed in with the same account, but you can turn syncing on or off for each type of data.
Accessing Samsung Cloud on a Samsung phone or tablet
Open the Settings app on your Samsung device. Scroll down and tap Accounts and backup (the exact wording varies slightly by model, but it will contain the word "Accounts"). Then tap Accounts, and you will see a list of accounts signed in on your device. Find and tap your Samsung account.
Once you are in your Samsung account settings, look for Samsung Cloud and tap it. This screen shows you what is currently backed up — typically photos, videos, contacts, calendar, and device settings. You will also see a bar showing how much of your free storage you are using. If the bar shows you are running low, you can tap it to see options for purchasing more space.
To turn syncing on or off for a specific type of data, toggle the switch next to it. For example, if you do not want your photos to sync to this device, turn off the Photos toggle. Changes take effect when ready, and your device will sync the next time it connects to the internet.
Accessing Samsung Cloud on a computer
On a Windows or Mac computer, open a web browser and go to samsungcloud.com. Click Sign in in the top right corner and enter the email address and password for your Samsung account — the same one you use on your phone or tablet.
Once you are signed in, you will see your backed-up data organized by type: Photos, Videos, Contacts, Calendar, and Notes. Click on any category to view the files inside. You can read individual files to your computer by clicking on them and selecting read, or you can select multiple files at once using the checkboxes.
To upload new files from your computer to Samsung Cloud, click the Upload button (usually in the top left or center of the page). Select the files you want to send to the cloud, and they will upload and become available on your other Samsung devices.
Understanding storage limits and paid plans
Most Samsung phones and tablets come with 5 GB of free storage in Samsung Cloud. This space is shared across all the data types — photos, videos, contacts, and everything else count toward the same total. You can check your current usage on your phone by going to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung account > Samsung Cloud, where a bar shows how much space you have used.
If you run out of free space, Samsung offers paid plans that give you more storage. These plans are optional — your account will not stop working if you reach the limit, but new files will not back up until you either delete old files or purchase additional space. Pricing and plan sizes vary by region and change over time, so check samsungcloud.com for current options in your area.
Paid plans are managed through your Samsung account settings. On your phone, go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung account > Samsung Cloud, and you will see an option to upgrade. On the website, the same option appears in your account menu.
Turning on automatic syncing across devices
Samsung Cloud syncs automatically by default, but only if all your devices are signed in with the same Samsung account and connected to the internet. When you take a photo on your phone, it will appear on your tablet and computer within a few minutes, depending on file size and internet speed.
If syncing is not happening, first check that you are signed in with the same Samsung account on all devices. Then make sure each device has internet access — Samsung Cloud does not sync over Bluetooth or when a device is offline. Once the device reconnects, syncing will resume.
You can also control which types of data sync by toggling them on and off in your Samsung account settings. For example, you might want photos to sync but not calendar events. Each device can have different sync settings, so you can choose what backs up on your phone versus your tablet.
What to do if you cannot sign in
If you see an error message when trying to access Samsung Cloud, the most common cause is that you are using the wrong email address or password. Make sure you are signing in with the Samsung account email — not your phone number or a different email address. If you have forgotten your password, go to samsungcloud.com, click Sign in, and then click the "Forgot password?" link to reset it.
If you are signed in on your phone but Samsung Cloud is not showing up in your account settings, your device may not have the latest software. Go to Settings > About phone > Software update and check for updates. After updating, go back to Settings > Accounts and backup > Accounts > Samsung account, and Samsung Cloud should appear.
If you are still having trouble, make sure your device has an active internet connection and that you have enough storage space on the device itself — Samsung Cloud cannot sync if your phone or tablet is almost full. Restart your device and try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I access Samsung Cloud on a non-Samsung phone or computer?
You can access your Samsung Cloud data through the website at samsungcloud.com on any computer with a web browser, but the automatic syncing feature only works on Samsung devices. On a non-Samsung phone, you would need to manually read files from the website.
What happens to my Samsung Cloud data if I switch to a different phone?
Your data stays in Samsung Cloud as long as your account exists. When you set up a new Samsung phone and sign in with the same Samsung account, you can choose to restore your photos, contacts, calendar, and settings from the cloud. If you switch to a non-Samsung phone, you can still read your files from samsungcloud.com.
Does Samsung Cloud back up my text messages and apps?
Samsung Cloud backs up contacts, calendar, notes, and device settings, but not text messages or installed apps. For text messages, you would need to use a separate backup service or export them manually. Apps are tied to your Google account on Android devices, so they restore through Google Play when you set up a new phone.
Can I delete files from Samsung Cloud without deleting them from my phone?
When you delete a file from Samsung Cloud through the website, it deletes from all your devices. If you want to remove a file from the cloud but keep it on your phone, you would need to turn off syncing for that data type, delete the file from the cloud, and then turn syncing back on.
Is Samsung Cloud the same as Google Drive or OneDrive?
Samsung Cloud is separate from Google Drive and OneDrive, though they all store files in the cloud. Samsung Cloud is built into Samsung devices and syncs automatically, while Google Drive and OneDrive are general-purpose services you can use on any device. You can use all three at the same time if you want.