Backing Up Your Android Device to Google Drive

1. Introduction to Android Device Backups

Referring to a data backup means making a copy of data at any given point in time that can be used as a basis for restoring the lost data at a later time. Within the context of this guide, the Android operating system forms the major part of the focus. This is because most of the data that is backed up by most users when Android device backups are being discussed is stored in the system as opposed to apps, app data, call logs, media library, and other such data. Even though Google has improved the backups made by Android devices, it still does not provide a means to back up all Android apps and app data to Google servers. Instead, users have to make use of additional services, services that Android provides through their developers to backup app and app data. However, this guide would discuss the backups only made available in the Android operating system.

Regardless of what data you have, it is crucial to make sure it is always kept safely. Mobile phones, particularly the smart Android devices, have taken up personal storage capabilities for a considerable amount of user data. They not only keep personal data but also sensitive information that must always be available at our disposal. However, these devices are prone to loss, damage, or other problems that may lead to irreversible data loss. The importance of data backups cannot be stated enough. This guide would detail how to backup your smart Android devices, mostly covering how backups can be carried out over the cloud using Google Drive. It shall also discuss how backups can be carried out using local data storage measures such as saving backups on expansion cards and internal storage.

2. Setting Up Google Drive for Android Backups

It's easy to perform a Google Drive backup. Mandatory account settings include the account to be used for the backup, additional backup options, and allowing the Android device to back up the files stored on it. Is the amount of data on the Android device manageable enough to perform automatic backups to Google Drive? What else do you back up and where? Backing up may be simple, but please feel free to leave your comments.

It's easy to perform a Google Drive backup, but backing up all of your files periodically is something you should never forget if you plan to factory reset your phone or change it because some of its components are no longer working. Based on feedback, we've heard that backing up texts and call history may not always work, so always make backups of them using the manufacturer's solution.

Enabling Messages backup will take you to the Messages app's backup settings in case it's not on yet. By default, no files are backed up. Activate Messages & Calls in order to start backing up your texts and Dials.

The automatic backup process begins as soon as the setting is turned on. We can see what files are set to back up (Apps, Call History, Contacts, Device Settings, Messages, and Photos & Videos) and look up the last data and time a backup was performed.

The backup process is automatic and starts as soon as the required backup settings are activated on the Android device. To back up everything, be sure the Google account associated with the phone is added under the Backup settings on Google Drive.

To start backing up your Android to Google Drive, install Google Drive if it's not already on your phone. Next, assign this account visibility in the Google Drive app if needed. Select the menu in the Drive app and head into Settings, from where you can toggle the account's visibility.

3. Backing Up Different Types of Data to Google Drive

If your phone breaks, if you are exchanging or replacing your phone due to physical loss, damage, or theft, your device manufacturer's MAC address changes or adds multiple accounts. If you want to manage the backup of your data, if you are transferring Google Accounts, doing a backup before getting the factory reset would be an essential practice. To back up your device using Google Drive, you will first need to set your phone so that it can perform your backups. There are different things you can actively back up on your device to Google Drive, namely your apps, contacts, call history, settings, photos, videos, calendar events, and SMS texts.

There are many reasons why you'd want to back up your Android phone using Google Drive. Losing your phone or getting it damaged puts all the data you have on it at risk. Google Drive is a free platform that offers a substantial amount of free storage (15GB) and an affordable premium plan (100GB/month or 1TB for $10/m) for larger storage space. When you create a backup, you can restore the entire backup you took when you purchased your device, or even switch to a new device. Furthermore, you can run an automatic backup of your device while using it. This guide is a comprehensive step-by-step to help you back up your entire device or parts of it to Google Drive. At the end of the guide, you should know what a backup entails and how to do a backup for different components on your device to Google Drive.

4. Restoring Data from Google Drive Backups

Media stored on your device, including photos, music, and downloaded files, can be found scattered across Google Photos and Google Drive. If you happen to have a microSD card, you might be able to transfer, backup, and restore data from it. Additional steps for Android 6 and Android 7 can be taken during setup. Note that Android's decryption setting must correspond to your backup for any data to be restored (settings besides encryption vary with device manufacturer). Access to Google Drive backups is easier to manage through the web interface that is prudent to use when doing a removal and restoration which is not Android powered.

Given that you’ve already created a Google Drive backup, when your device is first set up, restoring data is the best time for this. After choosing to restore the data, the phone should be plugged in while idle and connected to Wi-Fi. After that, the progress of the nearly complete restoration should be displayed. Downloaded apps are usually organized alphabetically and look like pending installations. Non-Google applications can be found in the Play Store, appearing as 'Installing' once Google's mandatory backup has registered your Google account (in Backup > App Data).

5. Best Practices for Regularly Backing Up Your Android Device

In Google Photos, go to "Settings," then "Back up & sync." You can back up all your photos and videos to Google in the original resolution. Or, save storage space and set the cloud backup to save compressed versions. Your backed-up photos are accessible from any connected device, and restoring them only takes a few steps. Google Photos syncs your photos through the cloud, but I recommend occasionally plugging in your phone to back up your media to your Google Photos gallery right away. The best practice is to connect to Wi-Fi to back up your photos daily with Google Photos and back up the app data for essential Google apps at the same time, but at least every week. Remember, short of being able to anticipate the future, Google backup is a free, easy way to protect your device while you can still do so.

Backing up your Android device to Google Drive is a useful way to ensure your important data and settings are protected should your Android device be lost or stolen. It is also practical to back up an app's data to Google Drive individually. This can be set up in the settings for each Google app.