Android Marshmallow app backup and restore?

[rk235]

Has anyone tried the app backup and restore in marshmallow? Does it truly restore all the app data, user settings, widget locations and app icon folders/apps as it is backed up from device 1 to device 2?

 

[karolbe]

No, it does not. Just as it was 2001 and not 2015...

I have just tried (again) to restore my new Android 6.0 device and NO application data was restored, I had to manually setup all applications, even the Google ones.

 

[tonyr6]

No, it does not. Just as it was 2001 and not 2015...

I have just tried (again) to restore my new Android 6.0 device and NO application data was restored, I had to manually setup all applications, even the Google ones.

Thanks. I knew Google's new backup feature was a waste of time. What is the point of restoring the app without the app data. A big waste of time. I guess I won't bother getting any games now for Android. What is the point if I can't backup my game progress.

This is one thing I missed going from iOS to Android. iOS restores every bit of data. Just my music since I did not pay for match had to be restored. Too think Android is more open and I was shocked beyond believe that you can do so much more than iOS but a simple most important thing like backup requires a root hack. I nearly fainted.

 

[ptkelly]

I just did a factory restore. I then did the backup and restore. I had a choice of "earlier today" or "34 days ago". I picked 34 days ago since my battery problem started a few days ago. It restored all of my apps that I obtained through the Google Play app. I only have one widget--for the weather--and I wanted a different one from the one I used 34 days ago. It restored all of my passwords and my WiFi codes for home and for the coffee shops I visit. I got my contacts from Google. The other option was, I think, from another device.

All things considered it was a smooth operation and I'm back up and running and happy with it.

 

[AustinIllini]

Android 6.0 has a great auto backup system that no one is using (yet)

My Autobackups are currently Google Services (old system) and Android Central (new system)

 

[Crashdamage]

I haven't tried the auto backup/restore in 6.0 yet. I've heard some good things about it. I found even 5.1.1 did fairly good job.

Maybe those having problems need to check their setup?

 

[AustinIllini]

I haven't tried the auto backup/restore in 6.0 yet. I've heard some good things about it. I found even 5.1.1 did fairly good job.

Maybe those having problems need to check their setup?

I believe it's up to the developers for 3rd party apps to enable Auto Backup and restore on their apps.

 

[tonyr6]

I believe it's up to the developers for 3rd party apps to enable Auto Backup and restore on their apps.

Then it is a big waste of time. iOS was able to backup any app even ones that were for iOS3 and restore every bit of data. Even had audio apps that showed how much bandwidth I streamed and everything was restored even recordings.

I found even 5.1.1 did fairly good job.

No it did not. Only thing it restored was old wallpaper from months ago and the apps layout was bad with many apps I had to find and re-download again. At least switching to Nova Launcher I was able to restore the layout completely, see which apps were missing and hunt the Play Store to download them again. Still had to log into to every app and skip those annoying tutorials. Not one byte of app data from any app restored.

 

[AustinIllini]

Then it is a big waste of time. iOS was able to backup any app even ones that were for iOS3 and restore every bit of data.


No it did not. Only thing it restored was old wallpaper from months ago and the apps layout was bad with many apps I had to find and re-download again. At least switching to Nova Launcher I was able to restore the layout completely, see which apps were missing and hunt the Play Store to download them again. Still had to log into to every app and skip those annoying tutorials. Not one byte of app data from any app restored.

This is the same way iOS iCloud backups worked. The developer had to opt in. Android will catch up.

 

[Sumit Sangtani]

If u open the Google Drive app and go to Settings>Manage backups, u can see a list of all the apps that are backed up and when they were last backed up

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[ptkelly]

Tonyr6: "hanks. I knew Google's new backup feature was a waste of time. What is the point of restoring the app without the app data. A big waste of time. I guess I won't bother getting any games now for Android. What is the point if I can't backup my game progress."

What's the point in having an Android device. Stick with your Apple and you'll be happy. I'm happy with my Android and it's Backup and Restore. Oh, wait, for me it isn't a game machine.

 

[Sumit Sangtani]

Games can already backup ur progress if they are using google play games' cloud backup feature. Many games use it and i didn't loose any progress in games when i recently wiped my phone. But yes, some games with lazy or indifferent developers don't do that yet.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[LeoRex]

I believe it's up to the developers for 3rd party apps to enable Auto Backup and restore on their apps.

This.

Devs need to build the new backup method into their apps. As is, a lot gets restored and the process goes a lot smoother.

Once more devices get 6, you'll see more apps start using the system. Just give it some time.

 

[tonyr6]

I will.

 

[tardus]

LG Backup and Restore worked really good, in conjunction with Android Auto Backup. Let me explain. My G4 was running Marshmallow for a few weeks and I needed to do a factory reset due to poor battery life. So I backed up using LG Backup & restore. I then reset the phone, and let "Android Auto Backup" do its restore. Most settings weren't restored. I then restored a backup from LG Backup & restore and got everything back close to 100%. No need to re-enter passwords or app settings. Battery life improved somewhat. Still not nearly as good as Lolliopop.

 

[Spurred_On]

I've got "automatic restore" turned on in Google Drive, I've got "Back up my data" set to On, but nothing gets backed up. I've got 476 apps on my phone. Surely one of them should be listed as backed up in My Drive account. How did those of you who have gotten it to work get it to work for you? Am I missing something?

Also, I've got many apps "moved" to my SD drive using AppMgr III, or my system drive would be out of space. Will automatic restore copy those app settings and restore them as well?

 

[mxmarcus]

I've got "automatic restore" turned on in Google Drive, I've got "Back up my data" set to On, but nothing gets backed up. I've got 476 apps on my phone. Surely one of them should be listed as backed up in My Drive account. How did those of you who have gotten it to work get it to work for you? Am I missing something?

Also, I've got many apps "moved" to my SD drive using AppMgr III, or my system drive would be out of space. Will automatic restore copy those app settings and restore them as well?

I don't think you will be able to tell where Google stores the backup.
I use this process to restore my apps every time I change a phone. One thing I noticed is the settings never restore.
Once I get all the apps restored (use Wi-Fi), I redo the settings.
476 apps is a lot. My advice is to remove the ones you don't need anymore.

 

[LeoRex]

While the data is being stored in a hidden container in your Google Drive account. In there is several sets of data. First, is the list of your installed apps. These are simply installed direct from the Play Store on restore. Next is your system settings... stuff like Wifi hotspots and passwords, etc. Lastly is app data.... This is where the app developer has to get involved. Google will store up to 25MB of internal app data, per app, in your Google Drive account and it will not be counted towards your disk quota. BUT.... the app dev has to incorporate the API into their app.... which most have not yet.

You can see which apps store app data in the Google Drive app settings... but that's the extent.

 

[Spurred_On]

Thanks mxmarcus —

476 apps is a lot.

That's why I've moved a bunch of apps to the SD drive.

You can see which apps store app data in the Google Drive app settings... but that's the extent.

That's the problem, LeoRex, I don't see any apps listed. All I see in Manage backups is "No backup data available . . . TURN ON BACKUP MY DATA," which I have done repeatedly. When I go into Backup and reset, it shows Back up my data as On, Why, then can't I see any apps listed as being backed up?

What of apps I've "moved" to my SD drive via AppMgr III? Will their data and settings be stored in My Drive's hidden container as well? The SD drive is not set up as a system drive; it's a simple "external drive" where graphics and other data is stored, and where apps data is stored in a folder called Android, with two sub folders, Data and Media.

 

[LeoRex]

Why the app list is empty... that's a mystery. What phone? As far as I know, that's pretty much an On/Off sort of thing that doesn't require much of any additional setup work on your part.

As for your moved apps, I don't know... I don't fuss with a lot of phones that have SD cards, so I don't have a lot of experience with how the two will interact.