What free non-root Android backup & restore solution do you recommend for general use?

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 2:47:28 PM4/20/20

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Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 3:32:43 PM4/20/20

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In response to what Arlen Holder <arlen...@anyexample.com> wrote :

> And a few more I'll summarize in a thread of its own as this is lengthy.

Drat. That article was sent too early as the review wasn't finished.
o In general, we 1st look for overlap amongst the various reviews...
[Note that I generated URLs by searching when they were omitted or dead.]

o *8 Best Android Backup Apps : Backup Everything without root*
<https://www.3nions.com/best-android-backup-apps-without-root/>

1. *Google Drive*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.docs>

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 4:55:54 PM4/20/20

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> o *10 best Android backup apps and other ways to backup Android!*

I forgot to put the URL to the January 4, 2020 Android Authority review...

o *10 best Android backup apps and other ways to backup Android!*

<https://www.androidauthority.com/best-android-backup-apps-and-other-ways-too-608014/>

In addition, here are additional methods for root & non-root backups...

o *How to create a full backup of your Android device without root*
<https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-create-a-full-backup-of-your-android-device-without-root/>
1. Install the Java Development Kit
<https://www.oracle.com/java/technologies/javase-downloads.html>
2. Install Android Studio (which includes the Android SDK)
<https://developer.android.com/studio>
3. Enable USB debugging (in Developer Options)
4. In Android Studio, install Google USB Driver
5. Create the backup (using adb which came with Android Studio)
adb devices
adb backup -apk -shared -all -f C:\Users\{yourname}\backup.ab
On the device, a new screen should appear. If you want to encrypt the
backup, enter a password -- otherwise, tap Back up my data.
6. Restoring the backup
adb restore C:\Users\{yourname}\backup.ab

o *How to Backup Android Device Completely* (Root & No-root)
<https://www.thecustomdroid.com/backup-android-device-guide/>
1. Contacts
2. SMS & Messages
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore>
3. Photos & Videos
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.apps.photos>
4. Applications and App Data (for non-rooted Android)
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup>
a. For WhatsApp and Instagram, Download the Helium app
b. Enable USB debugging on your Android.
c. Download & install the Helium Desktop Installer for your OS
<https://github.com/koush/support-wiki/wiki/Helium-Desktop-Installer-and-Android-App>
d. Install the drivers and reboot your PC before heading further.
e. Now run Helium Desktop application on the PC.
f. Launch the Helium app on your Android and follow instructions.
4. Applications and App Data (for rooted Android)
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.keramidas.TitaniumBackup>
5. Full ROM/Firmware Backup (aka Nandroid backups)
a. Using TWRP <https://www.xda-developers.com/how-to-install-twrp/>
b. Using FlashFire <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=eu.chainfire.flash>
6. All Other Files on the Storage
a. The best way is to manually back them up to your PC.

o *How to Back Up Android Devices without Root* [FULL BACKUP]
<https://www.technobuzz.net/backup-android-apps-data-to-pc/>
1. Back up Android apps settings on Google cloud
2. Back Up Your Photos With Google Photos
3. Use Google Account Sync To take Bacup of Contacts, App data, Play Music, Gmail, Calender etc
4. Locally Backup Android media files (Images, Videos, Songs) on your PC
5. Back Up Android SMS, Apps, Contacts using Super3 Backup [No URL]
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts>

More to come, as we're just getting started listing the available options.
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Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 5:14:50 PM4/20/20

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o *Complete backup Android to PC Without Root ĄV Adb backup*
<https://www.ru10android.com/backup-android-to-pc-no-root/>

That article provides links for not only Windows but also Linux & Mac.
<https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools.html>
o Download adb for Windows
<https://www.ru10android.com/sdm_downloads/sdm-adb-drivers-windows/>
o Download adb for Linux
<https://www.ru10android.com/sdm_downloads/sdm-install-adb-linux/>
o Download adb for Mac
<https://www.ru10android.com/sdm_downloads/sdm-install-adb-mac/>

The steps are the same though:
a. Enable USB debugging on Android
<https://www.ru10android.com/backup-android-to-pc-no-root/#enable-usb-debugging>
b. Connect your Android to your desktop over USB
c. adb.exe version
d. adb.exe devices
e. Make a full backup of your Android device:
adb.exe backup -f FullBackup.ab -apk -all
f. Restore that backup on your new Android device:
adb.exe restore FullBackup.ab

o *Backup Android Phone ĄV Everything you need to Know* 2018
<https://www.ru10android.com/backup-android-phone/>

This explains how to back up the phone using built-in native options.
1. Log into your Google Account on your Android phone
2. Enable Backup and reset using
o Settings > Backup & reset then tap Backup my data
That will back up the following:
a. Google Calendar settings
b. Wi-Fi networks & passwords
c. Chrome data
d. Contacts
e. Google play music
f. Home screen wallpapers
g. Gmail settings
h. Apps installed through Google Play (backed up on the Play Store app)
i. Display settings (Brightness & Sleep)
j. Language & Input settings
k. Date & Time
l. Third-party app settings & data (varies by app)
4. Cloud backup messages and logs
That will back up the following:
m. Backup email app data
n. Messages. Including text messages, Spam filters, Enhanced messaging content (chats, file names, thumbnail images)
o. Phone logs and call rejection list.
5. Cloud Backup media & pictures using Google+
6. To restore, using Google, just press "Sync all".
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Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 9:42:27 PM4/20/20

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There are so many "solutions" for Android backup, it's confusing.
o But they seem to fall into three main categories (so far anyway)...
A. Google backup (requires a google account for cloud storage)
B. adb backup (requires a desktop PC for HDD storage)
C. 3rd-party backup (individual backup & restore apps)
And...
D. Things that aren't really a full backup solution (lots of these exist)

I'm still reading articles to get the lay of the land ... for example...
o *Top 12 Apps to Backup Your Android Phone Without Root*
<https://www.getdroidtips.com/backup-android-phone-without-root/>
1. *App Backup & Share Pro*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.ruet_cse_1503050.ragib.appbackup.pro>
2. *Backup Your Mobile*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.backupyourmobile>
3. *Easy Backup - Contacts Export and Restore [No URL]
<https://apkpure.com/easy-backup-contacts-transfer-and-restore/com.simpler.backup>
4. *App Backup & Restore*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.usage.appbackup>
5. *Helium - App Sync and Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup>
6. *G Cloud Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genie9.gcloudbackup>

7. *Resilio Sync*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.resilio.sync>

Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 10:18:17 PM4/20/20

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Most of the methods in this post back up the app data.

o *How to backup and restore app data with or without root*
<https://www.androidpit.com/how-to-backup-and-restore-app-data-with-or-without-root>

1. *Google backup*
The article claims Google can now back up app data.
2. *Helium backup* (with or without root access)

Without root, you need to connect to a desktop
a. Make sure you have the desktop drivers for your Android device
b. Enable USB debugging on your Android device
c. Install the Helium Android app on your Android device
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup>
d. Install the Helium Desktop Installer on your desktop
<https://github.com/koush/support-wiki/wiki/Helium-Desktop-Installer-and-Android-App>
e. Start up Helium Desktop on your desktop
f. Start the Helium app on your Android device
g. Plug the USB cable in the phone to the desktop
h. Once your phone is detected, you can disconnect it from USB
i. On Android, select the apps you'd like to backup the data for
j. Save to internal memory, sdcard, or the cloud
(cloud restore requires the premium version)

With root, you do not need to connect to a desktop
a. Simply select the apps you want the data backed up for
3. *oandbackup* (foss, requires root)
Apparently this is the closest thing to rooted Helium on F-Droid.
<https://f-droid.org/packages/dk.jens.backup/>

o *Android Backup Without Root: The 4 Best Options For Your Device*
<https://www.technorms.com/39708/android-backup-4-best-options>
1. *Holo Backup* (see notes below)
<https://github.com/omegavesko/HoloBackup>
2. *Helium* (non-rooted Android needs a companion desktop app)
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup>
<https://github.com/koush/support-wiki/wiki/Helium-Desktop-Installer-and-Android-App>
3. *G Cloud Backup* (free up to 10GB)
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.genie9.gcloudbackup>
4. *Super Backup*
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts>

Note: *Holo Backup* (does not need root, needs Windows or Linux, USB or
Wi-Fi), Backs up phone data, apps, system apps, storage, SMS/MMS to Windows
& Linux using adb (formerly called (Simple ADB backup").
Currently deprecated.
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Arlen Holder

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Apr 20, 2020, 10:50:52 PM4/20/20

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The big kahuna is backing up the _data_ along with the apps.
o This post shows two different ways to accomplish that goal (not rooted).

o *How To Backup App Data On Your Android Device Without Root Access*
<https://trendblog.net/backup-app-data-android-without-root/>
a. Enable USB Debugging On Your Android Device
<https://trendblog.net/enable-disable-developer-options-android/>
b. Install "Android Universal ADB drivers" (UniversalAdbDriverSetup.msi)
<https://github.com/koush/support-wiki/wiki/Android-ADB-Drivers>
c. Install the Helium desktop app (CarbonSetup.msi) on your PC.
<https://github.com/koush/support-wiki/wiki/Helium-Desktop-Installer-and-Android-App>
d. On the desktop, click "Start ADB Server" to start the adb server.
e. On the desktop, click "Helium" to start the Helium desktop.
f. Connect the Android device to the PC via a USB cable.
g. Wiat for a message in Helium desktop that your device is recognized.
h. After that message, disconnect the Android device from the USB cable.
i. Open the Helium app on the Android device
j. Select the apps you want to back up the data for
k. Select the destination for the app data you're backing up
l. When done, copy the "carbon" folder on your sdcard to your PC.

Note: Free Helium backs up to internal storage, sdcard, or the cloud;
however you need premium to restore the app data from the cloud.

*How to fully backup and restore your Android device without root*
<https://9to5google.com/2017/11/04/how-to-backup-restore-android-device-data-android-basics/>

To back up your Android device to Windows:
a. Turn off your device Sleep Timer
Settings > Display > Sleep
b. Enable USB debugging on your Android device.
c. Download the Android Studio SDK
<https://developer.android.com/studio>
d. Plug in your Android device to the PC over USB
e. On the desktop, type "adb devices" to permit your Android device
f. On the desktop, type: adb backup -apk -shared -all -f
<filepath>/backup.ab
g. Allow encryption with a password, if desired
h. Tap on "Back up my data"

To restore your Android device from Windows:
a. Plug in the Android device over USB
b. adb devices
c. adb restore <filepath>/backup.ab
d. Enter the password if required
e. Tap on "Restore my data"

See also:
o How to install ADB and Fastboot
<https://www.androidpit.com/how-to-install-adb-and-fastboot#adb-what-is-it>
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Arlen Holder

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Apr 21, 2020, 1:53:12 PM4/21/20

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UPDATE:

> 5. *Helium - App Sync and Backup*
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup>

I tested Helium which worked reasonably well to back up apps and their
contents, but it doesn't back up the contents for all apps for unrooted
Android.

Still, Helium freeware worked well enough to back up apps and their
settings and data, so I wrote up a tutorial for others to test out & to be
up and running faster in my footsteps... (and to further improve)...
o *Tutorial: How to back up non-root Android apps and their data*
*over Wi-Fi using Helium freeware on Windows*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/ZUEJUrPrEog>

> 1. *Backup & Restore*
> <https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=mobi.infolife.appbackup>

This has been, for years, my favorite APK-backup tool.

It automatically saves all APKs from the moment you install them, including
all subversions so you can go back to older versions if desired.

> 3. *Resilio Sync* (Free)
> <https://downloads.tomsguide.com/Resilio-Sync,0301-73729.html>

This is a weird one which I'm still trying to figure out how it works, but
if it does NOT use the cloud, it has promise as it purports to use your own
LAN as your own personal cloud.

> 6. *SMS Backup & Restore* (Free)
> <https://downloads.tomsguide.com/SMS-Backup-Restore,0301-36311.html>

This I tested which works fine to back up call logs & SMS messages (but not
MMS, apparently???) to XML files which I then copied over to Windows.
o *What's a decent XML editor specifically for editing/viewing*
*SMS messages copied from Android to Windows?*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.text.xml/bNiXNvXiU4k>

> 10. *Super Backup* (Free; $1.99 paid version)
> <https://downloads.tomsguide.com/Super-Backup-SMS-Contacts,0301-53727.html>

Super Backup worked fine; but it has ads so I instead prefer SMS Backup &
Restore; but both do the same thing with respect to SMS & call logs.

If you're rooted, this app backs up more stuff; but I'm not rooted.
o As always, please improve our skills by testing out the software.
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Together we can accomplish far more than any one of us can alone.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 21, 2020, 10:24:36 PM4/21/20

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In response to what Arlen Holder <arlen...@anyexample.com> wrote :

> The big kahuna is backing up the _data_ along with the apps.

UPDATE:

My first test of backing up an app along with its settings & data seems to
have worked, where I wrote up a tutorial for others to follow over here:

o *Tutorial: How to back up non-root Android apps and their data*
*over Wi-Fi using Helium freeware on Windows*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.mobile.android/ZUEJUrPrEog>

In addition, I'll be testing this short list of potential promising apps,
all of which appear to be free and, for the most part, they don't appear to
require root and don't use the cloud.
o SMS Backup & Restore, by SyncTech Pty Ltd
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore>
"backs up and restores your phone's SMS and MMS messages and call logs."

o JS Backup ĄV Restore & Migrate, by JOHOSPACE
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=jp.co.johospace.backup>
"Backup and restore contacts, call history, SMS, MMS text messages,
calendars, bookmarks, system settings, home shortcuts, alarms,
dictionaries, music playlists, images, songs and videos."

o Super Backup & Restore, by MobileIdea Studio
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.idea.backup.smscontacts>
"You can backup applications, contacts, text messages, call history,
bookmarks, calendars to your SD card, Gmail, or Google Drive"
(some functions require root)

This one is confusing as to whether it uses the cloud, or if it just sets
up a private cloud between your own machines (time testing will tell):
o Resilio Sync, by Resilio Inc.
<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.resilio.sync>
"Create your own private cloud. Connect devices and sync files securely
between your Mac, PC, NAS"

And this one "seems" too good to be true (and probably has a catch):

o SyncDroid, Free Android Sync Manager
<https://www.sync-droid.com/syncdroid-for-android.html>
"Free SyncDroid is an easy way to transfer call logs, SMS, contacts,
bookmarks and ohter items between your Android Phone and computer through
the USB cable."

I'll report back what I find out in the tests if it's of general use.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 21, 2020, 10:31:45 PM4/21/20

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In response to what Arlen Holder <arlen...@anyexample.com> wrote :

> Super Backup worked fine; but it has ads so I instead prefer SMS Backup &
> Restore; but both do the same thing with respect to SMS & call logs.

I'm still trying to figure out WHY the SMS/MMS XML logs are ten times
larger in one app than in the other, and why the call XML logs are twice as
large.

o *What's a decent XML editor specifically for editing/viewing*
*SMS messages copied from Android to Windows?*
<https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/comp.text.xml/bNiXNvXiU4k>

The interesting thing is that both apps were used to back up the SMS/MMS
but one app backed up ten times as many SMS "bits" as did the other app:
o SMS Backup & Restore SMS log = 384MB
o Super Backup SMS log = 335KB
<https://i.postimg.cc/dtDwkn3V/xml02.jpg>

That same app backed up only twice as many bits of the call log:
o SMS Backup & Restore call log = 64KB
o Super Backup call log = 23KB
<https://i.postimg.cc/MpdL7JLk/xml03.jpg>

I'm not yet sure why...
--
Bear in mind I never bothered to back up SMS/MMS and call logs this way
before, where my prior backup strategy was simply to choose an MMS app that
automatically saved all incoming photos to a folder, which I then backed up
along with the photos.

Arlen Holder

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Apr 22, 2020, 3:38:48 AM4/22/20

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In response to what Arlen Holder <arlen...@anyexample.com> wrote :

> The interesting thing is that both apps were used to back up the SMS/MMS
> but one app backed up ten times as many SMS "bits" as did the other app:
> o SMS Backup & Restore SMS log = 384MB
> o Super Backup SMS log = 335KB
> <https://i.postimg.cc/dtDwkn3V/xml02.jpg>

UPDATE:
<https://i.postimg.cc/wj0n4P9D/xml06.jpg>

As a test, I decided to restore the XML backup of my SMS/MMS texts, but to
use a _different_ SMS app to restore it to so I could see if the pictures
were also restored.

The restore procedure is interestingly unexpected:
1. On Android, I pressed the RESTORE button in "SMS Backup & Restore"
2. It asked to be set to the default SMS app temporarily.
3. It gave the option to "Restore pictures, media, & group messages (MMS)".
4. Once it finished, it said to choose the "real" SMS app as the default.
5. I installed a different (new) SMS app to make the default SMS app.
6. Once I set that to the default SMS app, the photos showed up inside it.
Voila!

Unless someone suggests a better SMS backup & restore program, my current
recommendation, moving forward, is to back up SMS/MMS using this freeware:
o *SMS Backup & Restore*, by SyncTech Pty Ltd

<https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestore>
"backs up and restores your phone's SMS and MMS messages and call logs."

Essentially, the steps are:
A. On Android, back up your SMS/MMS & call logs to two XML files.
B. Copy those two XML files to a safe place (e.g., to Windows).
C. On the new Android phone, restore those SMS/MMS messages & call logs.
<https://i.postimg.cc/wj0n4P9D/xml06.jpg>

Arlen Holder

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May 19, 2020, 6:27:46 PM5/19/20

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See also this similar backup thread opened today...
o best Google-free backup, non-rooted? Eli the Bearded
<https://groups.google.com/d/msg/comp.mobile.android/Sfx_Tik9OT8/nDyKIqgZAgAJ>