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How to Back Up Your Android Phone's Data

Setting up automatic backup once means you never start from zero if you lose your phone or switch to a new one.

  1. Go to Settings > Google > Backup

    Open the Settings app, find the "Google" menu, and go to "Backup."

  2. Turn on the "Use backup" switch

    Turning this switch on starts automatically backing up this device's data to your Google account.

  3. Check which items get backed up

    You can see a list of exactly what is included -- app data, call history, contacts, text messages, device settings, and more.

  4. Tap "Back up now" for an immediate backup

    If you do not want to wait for the next scheduled automatic backup, tap this to run one right away.

  5. Why it is worth using

    If you lose your phone or switch to a new one, your previously backed-up apps, settings, and photos restore onto the new device, so you do not have to set everything up again from scratch.

Free storage has a limit, so keep an eye on it

Google account backups share the same free storage quota used by other Google services, so if that quota fills up, backups can pause -- clearing out unneeded files or upgrading storage keeps it running smoothly.

Not every app is covered by this backup

Standalone messaging apps you install yourself, such as WhatsApp, usually manage their own separate backup inside the app rather than relying on this system-level backup, so it is worth checking their in-app backup settings too.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if my Google account runs out of storage?

If the free storage quota (typically 15GB) is exceeded, backups can stop working -- clearing out files you no longer need or purchasing additional storage will get backups running again.

Do chats from a separate messaging app get backed up too?

No -- an individual app like a standalone messaging app manages its own chat backup separately, independent of this system-level Google account backup, so it needs to be backed up through that app's own settings.