NOTE: For instructions on how you can back up app data, contacts, and media files on the Samsung Galaxy A8 (2016), you can visit this thread.

Restore Contacts from a Google Account:

  1. If needed, sign in with the Google account used for the initial backup
  2. Go to “Settings”
  3. Tap “Accounts” under “User and Backup”
  4. Select “Google” and tap your “email address” or “user name” at the top
  5. Ensure “Contacts” is checked and tap “Menu” > “Sync now”

Restore Contacts from Storage / SD Card:

  1. Make sure the microSD card containing the backup file is installed on your phone
  2. Open the apps drawer
  3. Launch “Settings”
  4. Tap “Applications” under “Device”
  5. Access “Contacts” and tap “Import”
  6. Select “SD Card” or “Storage” depending on the backup location
  7. Select to import a single vCard or multiple vCard files
  8. If needed, select the vCard you want to restore
  9. Select to restore the vCard on “Device storage” or to sync it with “Google”

Restore Media Files from an SD Card:

  1. Tap “Apps” on the home screen
  2. Launch “My Files”
  3. Tap “SD Card” under “Local storage”
  4. Tap “Menu” > “Edit” and check the boxes associated with the media files you want to restore
  5. Tap “More” > “Move”
  6. Select “Device storage” and tap “Create folder” or navigate to the desired target folder
  7. Tap “Move here” to restore the files

Restore Media Files from a Windows Computer:

  1. Connect the Samsung Galaxy A8 to your computer via USB
  2. Turn on “Media device (MTP)” / “File Transfer (MTP)” at the prompt or from the “Notification” area
  3. Launch the File Explorer on the computer
  4. Locate the media file backups on the computer and copy them
  5. Transfer the files on the phone storage, preferably in the “Media” directory or the folder they originate from
  6. Once the transfer is done, eject the phone storage via system tray and safely disconnect it from the USB port

Restore Media Files from a Mac Computer:

  1. Connect the Samsung Galaxy A8 to your Mac via USB
  2. Turn on “Media device (MTP)” / “File Transfer (MTP)” at the prompt or from the “Notification” area
  3. Launch Kies on the Mac
  4. Click the “Back up / restore” tab in Kies and access the “Restore” tab
  5. Tick the boxes associated with “Music”, “Photos” and other media file types you want to restore (or tap “Select all”)
  6. Click “Restore” and, if needed, follow any on-screen prompts that may follow
  7. Once the process is complete, eject the phone storage by dragging and dropping its virtual drive from the desktop and into the “Trash can”
  8. Safely disconnect the phone from the USB port



See More: Samsung Galaxy A8 (2016): Restore Contacts and Media Files