Backing Up Apps on Android: How to Save Apps (Overview)

How Does Backing Up Apps on Android Work?

What Android’s Google backup covers

Data	Covered by Google backup	Notes
Installed apps	Yes	Reinstalled from Google Play on a new phone
App data	Yes, for apps that support it	Some apps opt out or limit what they save
Contacts and call history	Yes	Contacts sync to your Google account
SMS and MMS	Yes	RCS through Google Messages
Device settings	Yes	Wi-Fi, display and more
Photos and videos	Through Google Photos	Turn on backup in the Photos app
Chat apps	Usually separate	Use each app’s own backup

When people switch phones, the most common surprise I see is an app that comes back empty. Ten years of phone moves have taught me to check each important app’s own backup first. This guide to backing up apps on Android shows how.

How to Turn On Android Backup

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Google, then All services.
3. Under Backup and restore, tap Backup.
4. Turn Backup on, so it runs automatically.
5. Tap Back up now to run a backup immediately.
6. Check the list of backed-up data on the same screen.

Menu names vary by phone maker. On some phones, look under Settings, System, Backup, or search Settings for “backup.” Google notes you can use up to 15 GB of storage at no charge.

Which Apps Need Their Own Backup?

When backing up apps on Android, remember that Google restores app data only for apps that support it. Many apps keep data on their own servers, and some store it locally with their own backup feature.

• WhatsApp: turn on chat backup to Google Drive inside the app’s settings.
• Authenticator apps: check each app’s export or cloud sync before resetting your phone.
• Games: many save progress to Google Play Games or the developer’s account.
• Banking apps: usually need you to sign in again rather than restore data.
• Offline notes or files: export them or move them to cloud storage.

How to Back Up Photos on Android

Photos are not part of the main device backup. Turn on backup inside Google Photos, and choose Original quality or Storage saver. Our guide on how to back up photos on Google walks through it.

Checklist Before Resetting Your Phone

1. Run Back up now and check the time it finished.
2. Confirm Google Photos shows “Backup complete.”
3. Back up WhatsApp and other chat apps inside each app.
4. Move authenticator codes or set up backup codes.
5. Copy any downloads or offline files to cloud storage or a computer.

Storage and Privacy

Device backups, photos, Gmail and Drive share your Google storage. If space runs out, backups stop. Our guide to Google Drive storage explains the quota.

Protect your Google account with two-step verification, because it holds your phone’s backup. For the overall device plan, read our device backup guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Android back up all my apps automatically?

When Backup is on, Android saves your list of apps and, for apps that support it, their data. On a new phone, apps reinstall from Google Play and supported data returns. Apps that do not use Android’s backup, or keep data elsewhere, may need their own backup or sign-in.

Why did an app lose its data after restoring?

The app may not support Android’s backup, or it may store data only on the device. Some apps intentionally exclude sensitive data. Check the app’s own backup or export options before resetting your phone, especially for chat, note and authenticator apps.

Does Android backup include WhatsApp chats?

WhatsApp manages its own chat backup. Open WhatsApp, go to Settings, then Chats, then Chat backup, and choose your Google account. Run a backup before switching phones. Restoring requires the same phone number and Google account on the new device.

How much storage does Android backup use?

Device backups usually use little space compared with photos. Google says you can back up within the 15 GB of free Google storage, which is shared with Gmail, Drive and Photos. Photo backups in Original quality take the most space.

Can I back up Android apps to my computer?

You can copy photos, downloads and files to a computer over USB. Full app data backups to a computer are limited on modern Android for security reasons. For most people, Google’s backup plus each app’s own backup is the reliable approach.