So the Galaxy S9 Android Pie beta program is kicking off today, and many of you will be rearing to jump in and start testing the new software and user interface. And we thought it would be a nice idea to remind our readers that going back from the Android Pie beta to Oreo will require a data wipe.
It's all fun and games until you have to reset your phone
Most folks interested in beta tests already know the risks going in. There will be plenty of bugs, possible battery drain issues, and some features from the initial betas may disappear by the time the final Pie update comes out. And should you want to get back to stable software, all the data on your phone will be reset. So before you install the Android Pie beta update, you should backup all your phone data through Samsung's Smart Switch program for Windows or Mac.
You can also use Smart Switch on your Galaxy S9 or S9+ and backup everything to an external USB drive using an OTG connector (instructions for this can be found in our Smart Switch guide). Of course, if your Galaxy S9 or S9+ is the only smartphone you own, it's best to steer clear of the beta program. Well, unless you don't mind running unstable software, in which case you have probably stopped reading this article already.
