Backup to Google - - how well does it work?

[doni49]

I've pre-ordered a GS7. Now I'm thinking about data backup options.

I've read that android phones can backup to Google servers. Should the need arise, how reliably can I restore from that backup?

Does it restore the apps I've installed as well as the data?

I plan to use an SD Card with adopted storage. Will the data from it be backed up too? And can it be restored easily?

What happens if I get a new phone? Can I restore to it?

 

[itguyjax8430]

I've read that android phones can backup to Google servers. Should the need arise, how reliably can I restore from that backup?

You can back up your Photos to the Google Photos app (which hopefully you already do automatically). You can use other back up apps to backup your text and phone logs and then upload those files to your Google Drive.

I plan to use an SD Card with adopted storage. Will the data from it be backed up too? And can it be restored easily?

The S7 does not have adoptable storage enabled by default. There is a workaround on how to enable it that is a little involved. Also the way adoptable storage works is once you have it enabled it formats that card to only work in the current phone you have it it. It WILL NOT work in any other device after that due to it being encrypted.

 

[hallux]

Does it restore the apps I've installed as well as the data?

That depends on the app, and if you've enabled the app data backup. The backup option in backup and reset has not (historically) backed up app data. That is possible now, but it's through the Google Drive app, and the developer needs to have elevated their app to the Marshmallow API level in order to make it available for backup that way.