Pixel 9 introduces a brilliant new feature that you’ll only use once

Most people will find the process of setting up their new Pixel 9 phone extremely familiar. You’ll move all the data from your current phone directly to the Pixel 9 phone you preordered or restore your data from a recent backup.

That’s the process you must go through every time you upgrade phones. You’ll want to move all your messages, contacts, photos, and app data from one device to another. The only exception is buying a phone for the first time, in which case you’ll set the device up as a new handset. And, yes, if you can’t access your backups or lose your current phone, you’ll set up the new device as a brand-new handset.

But the Pixel 9 delivers a brilliant new data feature. The phones will let you copy specific data from your old phone without requiring a full restore from a backup. That means you won’t have to worry about losing data on your current device. Moreover, the new copy data feature will not replace any data on your Pixel 9 device. Instead, the software will simply merge the two features.

Google didn’t spend time during its AI-centric Pixel 9 event last week to detail the new copy data feature. But Android Authority found evidence of it during a hands-on session with the Pixel 9 phones.

The new copy data feature is available from a Back up or copy data menu in the Settings app on the Pixel 9 phones. Choose copy data, make sure the two devices are charged, and then you can transfer all sorts of information from one device to another.

The copy data feature lets you “copy photos, contacts, messages, and more” from your previous device. This is a handy feature for quickly moving specific information from one device to another.

The key detail here is access to your old device. If you routinely trade in old devices for brand-new ones, you won’t be able to use them. The same goes for scenarios where you wipe your old phone to pass it on to a family member or friend.

But if you own multiple phones, this feature will come in handy. I can think of various examples where I’d want to copy specific data. Maybe I deleted certain messages or contacts on the new phone. Or perhaps I deleted photos and videos by mistake. The old phone would have that data at the ready.

Also, one might speed up the setup process of the new Pixel 9 phone without restoring data from a backup. The new copy data feature would let you grab all the data you need from the old phone without wiping your device to restore data from a backup.

The copy data first appeared on Pixel 9 phones running Android 14. I expect to see this data management option on other Android phones in the future, including older Pixels. Samsung has a similar feature on its devices called Smart Switch.