You have multiple options when backing up your Android phone, from the official first-party methods to some well-known third-party alternatives. If you get one of the best Android budget phones, you'll want to back up your files from the old phone first. To keep this process as simple as possible, you might use a cloud-based solution with automatic backups that manage themselves. At the same time, you can also create local backups and manually store them offline somewhere for extra ease of mind. In this guide, we cover various examples of how to back up your Android phone.

Use Google One for online backups across all devices

If you're looking for a well-rounded backup cloud service for Android, Google One can simplify your life. Since Google is the official maintainer of Android, it makes sense to use a first-party option that works universally across most devices. Backing up your phone using Google One allows you to save your Google contacts, text messages, and a list of your installed apps from the Google Play Store. You also get automatic cloud backups after your device has been charging and idle for two hours over Wi-Fi — taking care of everything for you in the background.

Google offers all account holders 15GB of free cloud storage for photos, videos, and device backups. Increased storage options are available for a few dollars per month, so there's something for everyone. You can even create a Google backup on an Apple iPhone.

To get started creating online backups with Google One, do the following:

  1. Download and open the Google One app on your Android phone.
  2. Tap the Set up device backup button to begin.
  3. Tap Turn on to enable Google One backups.
  4. Tap Continue to grant the proper Google Photos permission. Tap Cancel if you don't plan to use Google Photos to save your photos and videos.
  5. Tap the Back up now button to begin backing up your phone to Google One.
  6. When the backup is finished, view more info under the Backup details section.

Save your photos and videos online with Google Photos

Google One integrates this part during its initial setup process, but you may not be interested in using Google One. Google Photos is a great standalone backup option if you're only concerned with saving your photos and videos.

To get started with the Google Photos online backup service feature, do the following:

  1. Download and open the Google Photos app on your Android phone.
  2. Tap the Turn on Backup button.
  3. Swipe through the intro page, then tap Done. Or tap Skip to move past the intro and onto the main app.

Any photos or videos you have automatically start backing up. You can check the status of your online backup by tapping your profile icon in the upper-right corner. You'll be good to go once it shows the Backup complete message. After that, all the content backed up to your Google account should appear on the main screen for viewing.

Use Google Drive to store everything online in one location

Google One allows for seamless and simple online backups. However, Google Photos only focuses on the photos and videos aspect of your backup data. What if you need more control over how and where your files get stored on the cloud? Google Drive is useful if you prefer to manually upload and save your backup files in an online archive accessible by a single location. The Google Drive Android app lets you easily upload any file, including videos. You can add new folders, organize your files how you like, and view them anytime from mobile or desktop.

Use Samsung Cloud for online backups if you're a Samsung owner

If you own a Samsung Galaxy phone, you also have a great option you can use to back up your data online. Samsung Cloud is a built-in app and feature that allows you to back up and restore your Samsung phone if it gets lost, broken, or after a factory reset. Your One UI system settings, saved Wi-Fi networks, and homescreen layouts are a few examples of what you can back up. The Samsung Cloud Backup app on Android is fast and easy to use while providing a seamless experience across all Samsung devices.

Sync your mobile and desktop experience with Microsoft OneDrive

You may have a Windows PC and an Android smartphone, but what if you wanted to sync your files between these two devices? Microsoft OneDrive is the official online storage solution used by Windows computers by default. And adding the app to your Android phone completes the missing piece of the puzzle.

Using OneDrive allows you to share, back up, and view your files on desktop and mobile. You can store photos, videos, or anything you want and secure all of them with your Microsoft account. You get 5GB of free cloud storage, but upgrading to a premium plan gives you more space.

Use Nearby Share to transfer files between your Android phone and Windows PC

Google now offers a new beta app for Windows called Nearby Share, allowing you to send files wirelessly between your Windows PC and Android phone. All you have to do from your computer is right-click or drag and drop files and then select where you want them to go. This differs from Microsoft's OneDrive since Nearby Share is designed to send files over a wireless connection to other devices using the Nearby Share feature. Some examples of compatible devices include your Android phone, Chromebook, or other Windows PCs with the Nearby Share app running.

An animation to show how the Nearby Share feature works between an Android phone and a Windows PC
Source: Google

Connect your Android phone with your Mac computer for local backups

If you own a Mac computer and an Android phone, your options for creating backups or transferring files are more limited. Google has a handy tool to help you link these two devices seamlessly. The Android File Transfer app lets you connect your Android phone to your Mac computer with a USB cable. Once you download the app, you only need to connect your phone and transfer your files. It's that easy. Android File Transfer is the way to go when you want to back up your Android phone to your Mac computer.

Screenshot of the Android file transfer on macOS

Create local NANDroid backups in a custom recovery environment

When backing up and restoring an Android phone, advanced users have counted on one specific method since the early days of Android. By tapping into a custom recovery environment, such as TWRP, you can create full system image backups of your device. In this case, a NANDroid backup allows you to virtually clone your entire system and restore it precisely how you left it, and all app data is included. It doesn't require root access. However, you'll need an unlocked bootloader, a device with TWRP support, and a little know-how to make it happen.

NANDroid backups can make your life a breeze as long as you can get through the initial learning curve and prerequisites. Once you do, you only need to focus on saving your downloaded media files elsewhere, such as photos or videos. Regarding which Android devices would typically get TWRP support, you can expect many Google Pixel, OnePlus, and Exynos variant Samsung Galaxy phones to be on that list. For example, the Pixel 5, OnePlus 9 Pro, and Galaxy S23 Ultra have access to TWRP, thanks to the dedicated developer community.

Try some of the third-party backup alternatives instead

If one of these methods didn't strike your fancy, take your pick from our favorite third-party backup tools.

Swift Backup

This is one of the most useful third-party apps you can find when backing up and restoring your Android device. Swift Backup allows you to perform batch actions with just a few quick taps. You can pick the apps you want to save, press a button, and it takes care of the rest for you. It has a slight setup curve since it relies on the Shizuku service to work, which gives you higher-level system privileges. The good news is that you don't need root access to benefit from many of its best features.

You can also back up your SMS messages, phone call logs, and homescreen wallpapers in one go. Once the app is set up to your liking, create an automatic schedule to keep your device data backed up as much as you want. It manages everything for you in the background, helping simplify the entire backup process. We extensively tested Swift Backup and highly recommend it for offline and cloud-based solutions. You can learn more about Swift Backup and its different features, giving you an in-depth preview of what to expect beforehand.

Dropbox

Much like Google Drive, Dropbox allows you to upload any file you want to an online storage location, keeping them safe and secure. For example, you can save your photos or videos, music, and especially the backups of your Android phone. Once uploaded, your files are conveniently kept in one place where you can organize them how you like. You can also share those files when you want to. You get 2GB of free storage with a Dropbox Basic account but can upgrade to Dropbox Plus if you need more space.

Do a manual backup using a computer external storage device

If you'd prefer not to rely on cloud-based online backups, back up your Android phone manually and keep the files offline. This increases security and ease of mind since you can physically access and lock your files. Manually backing up an Android phone and storing your data this way isn't for everyone. Still, it has its uses if you don't want to rely on third-party options. You can even use Google Takeout to manually back up all the data on your entire Google account to an offline location.

Once you physically connect your Android phone to a computer with a USB cable, you can transfer the files directly to your internal storage. That might include music, photos, documents, and your Google account data. Alternatively, you can purchase a dedicated external storage device for your Android backup needs. And if you want to back up your apps and device settings, use one of the previous offline methods, such as Swift Backup. After you do that, you can drag and drop those files onto your computer or external storage device for safekeeping.

Backing up your Android phone is now a simple process

Backing up the data from an old phone to a new phone on Android hasn't always been so simple, but you now have more options than before. You can use first-party methods from Google and Microsoft or rely on third-party apps, including Swift Backup or Dropbox. Other backup services can help you back up your Android phone, but we only highlighted the common ones. Which one you use on your device depends on your needs, so there is no correct answer here. Go with what works best for you.

If you're looking for additional methods to back up and send files from your Android phone, there are more ways to transfer files from your Android to your PC or Mac. We cover multiple examples, from Bluetooth and FTP servers to various useful third-party apps.