Do all apps auto-re-install after factory wipe?

[pcguys]

I read in a thread I started last night that if:

Settings | backup & reset | check "backup my data" and "automatic restore",

that all my apps with their settings will automatically be restored after the factory wipe.

Sorry for my redundancy, but this is soooo important, I thought it deserved a separate and focused threat.

If true, I'm embarrassed because I've been an avid android user for 2 years with my EVO 4G and never knew that. I would have hard reset that mess several times if it's really that easy.

Thanks for clarifying,

Mike

PS: Maybe my EVO didn't have that option, or if it did, maybe it wasn't checked because nothing auto-installed when I got my S3

PSS: I'm in the USA on ATT, if that matters,

 

[alan sh]

When I got my S III, I alread had an ICS tablet (HP Touchpad) with around 100 apps on it. They all installed quite happily on my S3 once I'd logged into my googlemail account.

So, I would say that it will re-install apps if you do a factory reset. But not necessarily because of the backup/restore - that's probably for the DATA, not the apps.

Does that help?

Alan

 

[jonathanm1978]

It also depends on what you do...if you do custom ROM and install a new ROM..then your device ID changes and Google's backups don't see this as a previously backed-up device..so it doesn't restore apps you downloaded. If you just do a wipe/factory reset, then you device ID stays the same, and it sees the device as one that's been previously backed-up and restores the apps downloaded to it (play.google.com shows devices on your account, and you can also go there and click "Install" on apps and they'll be sent to your device that you choose in the drop-down menu).

 

[pcguys]

WAIT! I had like 200 apps on my old EVO 4G.

I only want the 50 apps I've installed on my Galaxy S3.

How do I manage that?

I really don't want EVERY APP I'VE ever installed or purchased.

YIKES!

Mike

 

[jonathanm1978]

You won't get them all unless they are the same device ID. You will get the Google apps for that user, meaning the Gmail address you sign in with will be sent the apps that are Google-based. I could be wrong on this because I haven't tried it to verify, but I just went from an LG Optimus S to a Sammy Galaxy S3 just a couple weeks ago.. the optimus had apps I had downloaded and needed on my new galaxy S3, but I didn't need the apps I downloaded to an Acer A100 tablet that I bought and returned, or the Acer A200 that I also bought and returned, I only needed the apps that were in my optimus that I was disconnecting and getting rid of. When I signed into my same Google account(the same account for the 2 returned tablets and the current A500 tablet that I use, I only received the apps that were in my optimus only. I didn't receive any of the tablet apps even though it shares the same Google account, so apparently Google servers know the difference by device or something. But you should only get apps that were active on your phone(I didn't even get apps that I had down loaded and deleted with my optimus. Only apps that were currently on my phone when they did the actual IMEI swap)

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

 

[funkylogik]

nah as alan says, my s3 installed all the apps that were installed on my last device from a different manufacturer. maybe it is just an international s3 thing?

 

[jonathanm1978]

I should note that I can still go to the play store on my desktop and view all devices that I've ever signed in with, even though I returned the 2 Acer tablets and bought a 3rd Acer tablet that I still have(got the A100 first, didn't like, got the A200, didn't like the size, got the A500 which is a 10.1", and I kept it. But I had the other two tablets long enough to sign in and download apps, I returned them after 2 or 3 days with each one. )
Even still, when I got my new galaxy, the only apps I got in it from backup was the apps that were on my optimus, nothing else. Now it didn't restore account data or settings, like some things will restore WiFi passwords and restore access points you have logged into. I had to resign into my photobucket, dropbox, ymail, Twitter, Facebook, etc. But the apps were restored because those were on my optimus . Hope that isn't confusing you.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

 

[funkylogik]

...when i say "last device", it was my only other ICS device... if that makes a difference

 

[funkylogik]

I should note that I can still go to the play store on my desktop and view all devices that I've ever signed in with, even though I returned the 2 Acer tablets and bought a 3rd Acer tablet that I still have(got the A100 first, didn't like, got the A200, didn't like the size, got the A500 which is a 10.1", and I kept it. But I had the other two tablets long enough to sign in and download apps, I returned them after 2 or 3 days with each one. )

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

yeah same mate on the web play store. its handy if a phone gets stolen being able to push apps to it

 

[jonathanm1978]

Only thing is you can't execute an app remotely if someone steals your phone, unless it's like the app on mine from Sprint for the protection plan, there is a way I can remotely lock my phone for good if the app is present and has been run prior to being stolen. Contacts and such too, but that's not much help since Google keeps those for me. I like being able to disable it though, if some idiot decided to take it, they would have a expensive brick.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Android Central Forums

 

[funkylogik]

yeah theres an app by Lookout, Plan B that can be installed after theft and give u a chance. ive got a couple of tracker apps on the phone just coz id LOVE to catch a theif (the police are a waste of space around here)

 

[thechidz]

yeah I don't know what I did wrong. did a factory reset and logged in with my google account and samsung account and synced and all my apps are definitely not showing up, and when I go to my device list in google play my sgs3, which I had renamed from "unnamed device" to "sgs3" is now showing up as "unnamed device again and registered as of today feb 20th, This completely ing blows. I guess I'll be spending the rest of the night reloading apps and changing my screens back the way I had them before resetting. :smh:

 

[thechidz]

edit: it might be because I don't have my sim card in. That sucks I wonder if I put it in and sync everything will show up? not sure if I feel like pulling the sim card from my tab2 and throwing it in to see what happens or just reinstall everything manually

 

[Cody Hochart]

what would be the original ID for a droid charge? or could i google that, cause i bought my phone from a guy i know and it was "jailbroken" as its called, and i decided to factory recet the phone while it was still jailbroken, and when it turned back on there was no lockscreen, no music player, no flash player for youtube, no youtube app, and no google play store app, ive thought about going to verizon to see if they could fix it, ive been stressing about this for awhile

 

[GSDer]

Cody,
Just to confirm, you have a Verizon DROID Charge, and it's been "rooted" (that's what it's called for Android; for iOS it's referred to as "jailbroken")?
After a Factory Reset it's perfectly normal for some of the apps that you've listed (Flash Player; YouTube; perhaps the Music Player, depending on which one you're referring to) to be missing, and for the Lock Screen to be off (you just have to go in and re-enable it). I thought the Google Play Store was built into all stock ROMs, but you didn't state what ROM you're using, so if you're running an AOSP-based ROM you may need to reload the GAPPS package (it includes Google framework files that the AOSP ROM developers are not legally allowed to include). Once you get the Google Play Store running you can reinstall the apps that are missing.
You really need to look in the sub-forum for your phone/carrier for the best advice.

Sent from my rooted, debloated, deodexed Sinclair ZX-80 running CM -0.001 using Tapatalk 2

 

[Anna Fowler]

If I download the antivirus app now, will it protect it while it already has one? What do I do to recover the unsynced contacts to my phone after I wipe out the data/factory reset? Will I lose all my hidden photos and the app that they're in if I do the data/factory reset? HELP?!