How to Backup Your Android Phone: A [2024] Guide

Our phones are more than communication devices now; they hold valuable personal memories and professional files too! From personal photos with loved ones to reports with our company bosses—our smartphones have become crucial storage sites for us in many regards! For security reasons therefore especially as regards misplacement or system malfunctioning— making sure all our digital assets here remain intact becomes vital!

This article specifically outlines how different ways backups can be carried out on Android phones; simply pick what works best for you and never worry about data recovery again! Its so easy to back up your phone data using a variety of options, depending on the type of data and individual preferences. Below we’ll take you through some of the most commonly used and free methods for backing up your Android smartphone in [2024].

Remember, regardless of which service you choose, the most important thing is to create regular backups. This ensures that you won’t lose any crucial data and will be able to restore it if necessary. After all, it’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to preserving your digital data.

Why Backup is Essential

Backing up your phone data isn’t just a fancy tech practice. It’s a necessity. Our smartphones carry a range of data types such as photos, videos, messages, and payment details. The thought of losing these precious data can be unsettling. Besides, the chances of misplacing our devices or falling prey to cyber attacks are not entirely negligible. Here’s why you should regularly backup your data:

  • Protection against device loss or theft
  • Shielding from software malfunctions
  • Security against cyber threats
  • Prevention of accidental data deletion
  • Easy transition when switching to a new device

Ways to Backup Your Android Phone Data – Free – [2024]

How to Backup Your Android Phone (Non-rooted)

Manual Backup

For those who prefer having the most control over their backups, a manual backup might be the best option. This involves connecting your phone to your computer and using a file manager to copy your data. Here’s how you can manually backup your phone:

Manually Transfer Files to Your Computer: This method involves connecting your Android phone to your computer with a USB cable and manually copying files over:

  • Plug your Android phone into your computer using a USB cable.
  • On your Android phone, slide down the notification menu. You should see an Android System message saying “Charging this device via USB.” Tap on it.
  • Under “Use USB for,” select “File transfer / Android Auto.”
  • On your Windows PC, open “This PC” in your folders or explorer.
  • Look for your phone and double-click on it.
  • Look for the files you want to transfer. Highlight them, right-click on them, and select “Copy.”
  • Create a folder where you want to store your files and open it.
  • Right-click on any empty space and select “Paste.”​​
NOTE

If you’re a Mac user, you will need to download and install the Android File Transfer app first. After connecting your phone to your computer with a USB cable, open Android File Transfer, then drag the files you want to back up to a folder on your computer

Backup Using Third-Party Apps

Several third-party apps provide efficient and quick backup options. Some recommended ones include:

  • My Backup Pro: This app enables you to backup your data to your SD Card, USB drive, or cloud. It also allows you to schedule automatic backups. It can backup a variety of data types, including applications, photos, music, videos, contacts, and more.
  • Super Backup & Restore: With this app, you can backup applications, contacts, text messages, call history, bookmarks, and calendars to your SD Card, Gmail, or Google Drive. It also allows for easy app sharing and scheduling automatic updates.
  • App Backup & Restore: Known for its simplicity and popularity, this app provides comprehensive backup options for your Android device. It also offers functionalities like APK Extractor, Installer, Assistant, Sharer, and Editor.

Google Services

Google offers various services that you can use to back up different types of data:

Backing Up with Google One (How to Back Up using Google One and Restore Android data)

Google One is a versatile cloud storage service offering a plethora of features, one of which includes the ability to back up your Android phone. Here’s how you can backup your phone to Google One:

  • Install and open the Google One app on your Android device.
  • Tap on the ‘Backup’ tab.
  • Toggle on the ‘Back up to Google One’ switch.
  • Here, you can decide what data you want to be backed up to Google One, including device data, multimedia messages, and photos/videos in their original quality.
  • Tap on the ‘Back up now’ button.
  • You can easily access your data backed up via Google One through the app. Just select the ‘Storage’ tab at the top of the app’s screen. You can see how much free storage you have left, how much you’ve used, and for what. You can also find out when your last backup was and if you want to immediately do another, tap on ‘Back up now.’
  • To restore data from your last backup, tap on ‘Get backup,’ then choose what data you want to restore

Backing Up with Google Drive

Another reliable cloud storage service provided by Google is Google Drive. Similar to Google One, it offers the option to back up your Android phone. Here are the steps:

  • Open the Google Drive app on your Android device.
  • Tap on the ‘Settings’ icon (usually represented as a gear).
  • Scroll down and tap on ‘Backups.’
  • Toggle on the ‘Back up to Google Drive’ switch.
  • This will back up your app data, call history, contacts, settings, and SMS messages to Google Drive.
  • Just under the toggle, you’ll see the account to which your phone will automatically back up. If you have several Google accounts, and you have more free storage space in one of them, you may want to switch to that account.
  • Below that, you can check how long it’s been since the last backup. If you think it’s been too long, you can tap on ‘Back up now’ to manually start a backup​

Google Photos

This service automatically backs up every photo and video you take to the cloud. You need to ensure that Google Photos is set to back up your files automatically. Please be aware that uploading to Google Photos is no longer completely free. Starting June 1, 2021, any new photos and videos you have uploaded will count toward the free 15GB of storage that comes with every Google Account. You can pay for more storage if necessary.

YouTube Music

Google allows you to back up your music to the cloud and listen to it from any device using YouTube Music. You can upload up to 100,000 songs.

Backing Up with Samsung Cloud [For Samsung Phones]

For Samsung phone users, Samsung Cloud offers an efficient way to back up your phone. Below is the process to back up your phone using Samsung Cloud:

  1. Open the Settings app on your phone.
  2. Tap on “Accounts and backup”.
  3. Tap on “Backup and restore”.
  4. Tap on “Back up my data”.
  5. Toggle on the “Back up my data” switch.
  6. Select the data you want to backup.
  7. Tap on the “Back up now” button.

Other Cloud Services

There are many other cloud services besides Google that offer storage, such as Microsoft’s OneDrive and Amazon Photos. The process of using these apps is relatively simple. You just have to download them and follow the instructions during the setup process.

Which Backup Method is Right for You?

The best backup method will largely depend on your needs and preferences. If you’re looking for a simple and easy way to back up your phone, then Google One or Google Drive could be your best bet. For Samsung phone owners, Samsung Cloud is a convenient choice. However, if you seek the utmost control over your backups, then manual backup might be the best option for you.

Dibyashree Sharma
Dibyashree Sharma
Dibyashree Sharma graduated in Computer Science from NIT Rourkela. For the past eight years, she has been blogging about Android, which she is really passionate about. She has built a good reputation as a reliable source. Away from the digital sphere, Dibyashree enjoys playing tennis, a sport she is as passionate about as she is about technology.

Comments (2)

  1. Unfortunately your solution with Helium is badly out-dated.
    Clockworks has stopped development on Helium several years ago.

    Reply

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