Google Backup saves your Android phone’s data to your Google account so you can restore it on a new phone. To turn it on, open Settings > Google > Backup (on some phones, Settings > System > Backup), turn on Backup by Google One, and tap Back up now. It saves app data, call history, contacts, device settings and text messages, and Google Photos backs up your photos and videos separately. When you set up a new Android phone and sign in, you can choose to restore from this backup.
Below is what Google Backup includes, how to check and manage it, how to restore it, and how it works on an iPhone.
Turn on Google Backup on Android
- Open Settings.
- Tap Google > Backup. On Samsung, go to Settings > Accounts and backup > Back up data under Google Drive.
- Turn on Backup by Google One and choose the Google account to use.
- Tap Back up now.
After that, your phone backs up automatically, usually when it’s charging, idle and on Wi-Fi.
What Google Backup saves
| Data | Backed up? |
|---|---|
| Apps and app data | Yes, for apps that support it |
| Contacts | Yes, through Google Contacts |
| Call history | Yes |
| SMS and MMS messages | Yes |
| Device settings (Wi-Fi networks, wallpaper and more) | Yes |
| Photos and videos | Yes, with Google Photos backup turned on |
| Files in Downloads and other folders | No, copy them to Google Drive yourself |
| Some app data, like chat histories | Depends on the app; WhatsApp, for example, has its own backup |
Turn on photo and video backup
- Open Google Photos and tap your profile picture.
- Tap Photos settings > Backup.
- Turn on Backup and choose a quality setting.
Check your backup
- On the phone, go back to Settings > Google > Backup to see when each item last backed up.
- On a computer, open Google Drive and click Storage, then Backups at the top right, to see your device backups.
- In the Google One app, open Storage to see how much space backups use.
Restore a backup on a new phone
- Turn on the new Android phone and start setup.
- When asked, choose to copy apps and data, and pick Back up from the cloud or A backup from an Android phone.
- Sign in with the same Google account.
- Choose the backup and the items to restore, then tap Restore.
Apps reinstall from the Play Store in the background, and some may ask you to sign in again.
Google Backup on iPhone
iPhones use iCloud for full backups. You can back up contacts, calendar and photos to Google with the Google One app: open it, tap Storage or Backup, and follow the prompts. This is handy if you plan to switch to Android.
Storage and limits
Backups count toward your Google account storage, which is shared with Gmail, Drive and Photos. Free accounts get 15 GB. Device backups can be deleted after a period of inactivity, so turn on backup again soon after you stop using an old phone if you want to keep it.
Related: delete a backup from Google Drive.
Related: view your SMS backup on Google Drive.
Frequently asked questions
Is Google Backup free?
Yes. It uses your Google storage. If you run out, you’ll need to free space or buy more with Google One.
Can I see the files inside my Android backup?
No. Backups are encrypted and can only be restored to a phone, not browsed in Drive.
Why isn’t my phone backing up?
Check that you have Wi-Fi, enough Google storage, and Backup by Google One turned on. Charge the phone and leave it idle, or tap Back up now.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.