Here’s what you need to do to ensure that your apps will happily make the transition from one phone to another.
Backing up your apps and data
The simplest way to back up your apps and their relevant data is to employ the feature included within Android itself. Google states that so long as you use Google Drive as the save destination then the following will be included in your backup:
Google Contacts dataGoogle Calendar events and settingsWi-Fi networks and passwordsWallpapersGmail settingsAppsDisplay settings (brightness and sleep)Language and input settingsDate and timeSettings and data for apps not made by Google (varies by app)
To start the process, go to Settings > System > Advanced > Backup.
In here you’ll see the option to Back up to Google Drive.
Switch this on via the toggle button, then tap the Back up now button.
The process will take a few minutes, depending on how much data there is to backup. When it’s finished, you’ll see in the Active backups section a list of what was backed up and when. Remember, you’ll want to use Google Photos to back up your photos and videos, so be sure you’ve logged into that app, while documents and files should be placed in folders on Google Drive to ensure they are safe and sound. Read our How to move your photos to your new phone guide for more details.
How to restore an Android backup
This part of the process is mainly automatic, as when you set up a new device with your Google account, you’ll be asked to choose which backup to restore. If you find things are missing from your apps then you can try going to Settings > System > Advanced > Backup, then tapping on App data in the Active backups section.
If the Automatic restore option is not turned on, enable it and then you can try uninstalling the app. Then reinstall it by going to the Google Play store, finding it and tapping the Install button, then the backup should be restored when you open the app once more. Martyn has been involved with tech ever since the arrival of his ZX Spectrum back in the early 80s. He covers iOS, Android, Windows and macOS, writing tutorials, buying guides and reviews for Macworld and its sister site Tech Advisor.
