Question Getting an overview of an Android device

[Gabbee]

We have a number of Lenovo/Moto devices but my question should apply for most Android devices.
Is there an app which can save a snapshot of the current configuration (eg installed apps), to assist in recovery if the device is lost or is damaged?
I'm not particularly interested in automatic recovery, just sufficient info to know which apps to install on the replacement device.

 

[J Dubbs]

You could take screenshots of your app drawer and home screens and save them to your Google account I believe? Or you could go very simple and just take photos with another phone... doesn't get much easier then that

BTW Welcome!

 

[mustang7757]

Welcome to AC!
The easiest way is with your Google account and its back up but see you don't want automatic not sure why but otherwise try j dubbs way , any other apps available out there I'm not sure because I use the manufacturer like Google or Samsung cloud/PC storage

 

[Gabbee]

I do use Google Backup and it works fine for contacts, photos, videos. But it doesn't restore apps AFAIK. It says it backs up app data, but nothing about how or under what circumstances it restore said data. I've also heard that backup of app data is a bit flaky.
Taking screen shots sounds like a good fall-back plan, but I'd prefer an approach which gave me a bit more than the icon and name - even the publisher and version would be a big improvement.

 

[mustang7757]

I do use Google Backup and it works fine for contacts, photos, videos. But it doesn't restore apps AFAIK. It says it backs up app data, but nothing about how or under what circumstances it restore said data. I've also heard that backup of app data is a bit flaky.
Taking screen shots sounds like a good fall-back plan, but I'd prefer an approach which gave me a bit more than the icon and name - even the publisher and version would be a big improvement.

When you go to play Store sign into your account you should see installed apps and not installed also apps to sync with other devices

 

[joeldf]

Google can re-download whatever apps you had in a device, but not the app data. It just re-installs the apps previously installed straight from the Play Store.

The only way to restore any app specific data is if that app has its own way of saving it, either in a specific location that you can then copy and save to an external device or connected PC, or to an online account. That way you re-copy back to a device that's been reset or new device, or sign into the online account and restore from there.

Games are bad about this stuff. Most game status info is saved to an internal database that most of the time isn't accessible outside of the game. It's why a lot of games want you to create either an account with them, or login to your Facebook account. They will save your progress there. On a new device, just login to either of those kinds of accounts to restore your progress. Without such an account, that progress is lost.

 

[Gabbee]

Thanks muchly for the details. It's clear that I knew little about how this works.
Are all the apps from the source device installed on the target, or do you have some control over which apps are installed?
Also often an app is no longer available in Play Store. Are you notified that this is the case?

 

[mustang7757]

Thanks muchly for the details. It's clear that I knew little about how this works.
Are all the apps from the source device installed on the target, or do you have some control over which apps are installed?
Also often an app is no longer available in Play Store. Are you notified that this is the case?

Usually they are supposed to add back to new device but if they didn't during initial setup then you can look in play store for missing ones , as far as apps no longer available unfortunately they don't give notifications for that .

 

[Gabbee]

I just tried it on a reset tablet. As you said, it installed most of my apps but missed a couple. Where applic, I needed to login again and initialise most of the installed apps. Not a bad effort, tho.
In any case a test list of the installed apps with some details would still be useful, but I guess this isn't going to be available.
Thanks all for the help.

 

[mustang7757]

I just tried it on a reset tablet. As you said, it installed most of my apps but missed a couple. Where applic, I needed to login again and initialise most of the installed apps. Not a bad effort, tho.
In any case a test list of the installed apps with some details would still be useful, but I guess this isn't going to be available.
Thanks all for the help.

I've personally found my Samsung with it PC Smart switch backup or iPhone has the best back up available on a device.