Transfer apps between 2 Lumia 950 XLs?

[Windows Central Question]

I have a Lumia 950 XL with hardware problems and may get a new one. I store all apps, pics, etc on an SD card, not the main phone. Is there a way I can drop the new chip into another brand new 950 XL and not lose app data? Most of my apps do not support the cloud, so the data is stored with the apps themselves.

If there is no way to avoid data loss, can someone recommend a phone ecosystem that would prevent app data loss? I never want to go through this again.

Thanks.

 

[libra89]

I have a Lumia 950 XL with hardware problems and may get a new one. I store all apps, pics, etc on an SD card, not the main phone. Is there a way I can drop the new chip into another brand new 950 XL and not lose app data? Most of my apps do not support the cloud, so the data is stored with the apps themselves.

If there is no way to avoid data loss, can someone recommend a phone ecosystem that would prevent app data loss? I never want to go through this again.

Thanks.

I'm sorry but that is not possible. When you store apps on a SD card, they are only accessible temporarily so when you put it into another phone, the other phone can't read the data. As long as you signed into OneDrive at least once, your pictures should be available there already and they will still be on the SD card too so you can view and open with the new phone. Your text messages are in the cloud, so they will repopulate when you log into the other phone.

Your other things should be fine but the apps will not restore. If you really want to know what ecosystem does that, iOS does without a hitch.