How do I get Google drive to do any back ups on my week old S9+?

[Android Central Question]

I posted this in the Oreo forum but realized it would go better here...

So I have an s9+ on Verizon. I know Verizon screws us with disabling Samsung cloud backups in the hope you will over pay for their cloud, so I looked at Google drive.

I pay for the 100gb plan and set everything up in the app to back up my phone. However, Google Drive just won't back anything up except photos/videos(which is being done by Google Photos). It tells me my phone isn't backed up. I have "Back up my data" turned on and in the "Google Account" settings, I have "Back up to Google Drive" turned on but all categories except photos/videos like App data, call history and so on all always say "Waiting to Backup" and never actually does.

My phone is on wifi and has sat idle charging overnight for 4 days but nothing changes and no back ups. I have no idea how to get this phone backed up without using the Verizon junk.

I'm just getting back into Android(had a Note 4, before going to an iphone) so I'm a bit rusty.

 

[lucianus_luciferus]

Is your wifi set to turn off when your phone is idle?
Have you tried disabling the aod just in case?

 

[andrew_ackley]

I posted this in the Oreo forum but realized it would go better here...

So I have an s9+ on Verizon. I know Verizon screws us with disabling Samsung cloud backups in the hope you will over pay for their cloud, so I looked at Google drive.

I pay for the 100gb plan and set everything up in the app to back up my phone. However, Google Drive just won't back anything up except photos/videos(which is being done by Google Photos). It tells me my phone isn't backed up. I have "Back up my data" turned on and in the "Google Account" settings, I have "Back up to Google Drive" turned on but all categories except photos/videos like App data, call history and so on all always say "Waiting to Backup" and never actually does.

My phone is on wifi and has sat idle charging overnight for 4 days but nothing changes and no back ups. I have no idea how to get this phone backed up without using the Verizon junk.

I'm just getting back into Android(had a Note 4, before going to an iphone) so I'm a bit rusty.

Verizon has done this with the note 7, s8 and note 8 for sure. Just assuming they're going to keep doing it. So annoying. Just get a pixel or the unlocked model?

 

[Chuck_IV]

Is your wifi set to turn off when your phone is idle?
Have you tried disabling the aod just in case?

Yes(I am the OP but forgot to log in when I posted) I disabled the aod to save battery. But now that you mention it, I wonder if running in Mid power saving mode has something to do with it. I'll try turning that off tonight and see what happens.

On a side note, I was actually able to get Samsung cloud loaded and working on my S9+. I used the most recent apk from apkmirror and followed the instructions on a thread at XDA Developers.

It works well and I was able to back up my phone and I am letting Google Photos continue to backup my photos and videos.

 

[SebasCvdB]

Your Google account should automatically back everything up from the start. Check your sync settings under accounts and make sure all of them are on.

 

[Chuck_IV]

Ok it finally worked. I'm pretty sure the key was to turn OFF any power saving mode. I had it set to "Mid" power saving mode and it would not do any backups at all. I'm guessing it was because it would turn off wifi at some point to save power.

After I turned off any power saving mode and let it sit on the charger overnight, it finally did the backup.

Thanks everyone.

 

[torbach1]

Ok it finally worked. I'm pretty sure the key was to turn OFF any power saving mode. I had it set to "Mid" power saving mode and it would not do any backups at all. I'm guessing it was because it would turn off wifi at some point to save power.

After I turned off any power saving mode and let it sit on the charger overnight, it finally did the backup.

Thanks everyone.

Glad to hear that. Honestly, if Verizon was stopping me from using Google or Samsung's default backups which don't cost me anything, just to force me to use their backup, I'd find another network unless there really wasn't one with signal other than Verizon. I'm on T-Mobile, and their newer LTE bands, 12, and I think 6, have completely changed them from one of the worst coverage wise to right up there with Verizon. Their customer service is 100 times better than Verizon's was when I was with them (which admittedly was years ago).