If I do a factory reset, how much trouble would it be to return all the apps to where they were befo

[IMANUT46]

If I do a factory reset, how much trouble would it be to return all the apps to where they were before the factory reset.

 

[Tim1954]

Factory reset is arduous and irritating. You have to reload all your apps, log back into all your accounts, set up the settings the way you want them.. It's a royal pain in the butt!
Some apps may be backed up on the app servers, these may synch once you're logged back in... Any local (in device) settings will have to be done again...
Reset is an act of desperation only to be done when all else fails.

 

[SpookDroid]

Yup, unfortunately unless you use apps like TitaniumBackup (which also don't guarantee a full restore will be successful), if the app's content and settings aren't in a cloud service, you're pretty much done for. The days of just copy/pasting a folder with files and expecting the app to pick up where it left off are long gone (encryption, device-binding, etc. are key now).

That's the one thing (OK, maybe other than iMessage) I wish we had from iPhones.

 

[Javier P]

You can think of factory reset as buying a new phone. The troubles you will go through will depend on how many apps you have, which kind of apps and data you want to recover and how you manage backups. It's getting a bit less painful than before but still ...

 

[robinhelenehebert]

just back up with your Google account

 

[Almeuit]

Factory reset is arduous and irritating. You have to reload all your apps, log back into all your accounts, set up the settings the way you want them.. It's a royal pain in the butt!
Some apps may be backed up on the app servers, these may synch once you're logged back in... Any local (in device) settings will have to be done again...
Reset is an act of desperation only to be done when all else fails.

Password managers help with the logging back in pain .

 

[ptkelly]

just back up with your Google account

I don't find it that big a deal. My apps all come back, my contacts were there, my emails. Yes, I have to log into the websites I visit and that takes about ten minutes. My photos are back. For me, it's not that big a deal. I should mention I have no games and no social media on my phone.

 

[GSDer]

I'm in the 'it's not that big a deal' camp - it's actually a good opportunity to get rid of the crap that I seldom use but just don't get around to uninstalling.
You could try using Helium https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.koushikdutta.backup to backup/restore your apps and app data if the apps that you use don't have a cloud component. And if your messaging history is important to you I'd recommend SMS Backup & Restore Pro https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.riteshsahu.SMSBackupRestorePro (there's also a free version) - it saves both SMS/MMS and has never let me down. YMMV.

 

[Mike Dee]

If I do a factory reset, how much trouble would it be to return all the apps to where they were before the factory reset.

Even with the best of backups and restorations some apps may require some manual setup on your part. If you are backed up to Google it should fairly painless depending on your skill level.

 

[Tim1954]

Well yes, given the question, I assumed basic level skills and minimal familiarity with those sorts of actions...
But any case, you never get it all exactly as it was, you still need to tweak a bit...

 

[IMANUT46]

Thanks for all the input.

 

[mustang7757]

I usually have my apps log in and set up in about 15 to 20 minutes after phone boot up from factory reset and that's about 40 to 60 apps in total .

 

[robinhelenehebert]

I usually have my apps log in and set up in about 15 to 20 minutes after phone boot up from factory reset and that's about 40 to 60 apps in total .

Yep. It's pretty flawless.

 

[mustang7757]

Yep. It's pretty flawless.

Yeah I agree.

 

[Kizzy Catwoman]

Takes me a couple or three hours to set back up. I do save my folders to a flash drive and restore from that. But I developed a fault and so my last restore I set up as new but it still wasn't too painful as I backed up my launcher and restored that. It meant I knew where all my apps were going to live once they were all downloaded.

 

[SpookDroid]

No excuse. We need a 'one click and done' option like iPhones have. It's been over 11 freakin' years and we're still doing manual restores?! Even Smart Switch can only go so far.

 

[mustang7757]

No excuse. We need a 'one click and done' option like iPhones have. It's been over 11 freakin' years and we're still doing manual restores?! Even Smart Switch can only go so far.

I agree..

 

[Mike Dee]

No excuse. We need a 'one click and done' option like iPhones have. It's been over 11 freakin' years and we're still doing manual restores?! Even Smart Switch can only go so far.

My Pixel gets everything pretty much....some apps need passwords updated.... Smart Switch worked great when I went from the pixel to the S10 plus

 

[SpookDroid]

Sorry, but it doesn't. It downloads the apps again, yes. It restores SOME settings, yes. Extra files from each app (and if the app doesn't support cloud restoration, you're out of luck for any progress and saves and files). Offline music from apps like Spotify? No luck. Took pictures that aren't backed up to Photos? Better remember to manually select those for transfer from the old phone! Most apps will have to re-sign in and still won't have most settings/contents restored.

Again, I'm comparing to how an iPhone user can just select Backup, change phones, Restore, and have the exact same phone as they had before within an hour. No tinkering, no 'oh, but this one might need updating, and I need selecting these manually and check that these moved'. Just click, wait, done. MILES ahead of 'us'. Is that a deterrent for me to keep going Android? Absolutely not. Is it an annoyance that you can easily attest to by checking out the myriad of posts in these forums asking for the best way to back up and restore their phones (there shouldn't be a 'best way', there should be THE ONLY WAY that should be built into the OS, period)? Absofreakinlutely.

 

[Mike Dee]

Sorry, but it doesn't. It downloads the apps again, yes. It restores SOME settings, yes. Extra files from each app (and if the app doesn't support cloud restoration, you're out of luck for any progress and saves and files). Offline music from apps like Spotify? No luck. Took pictures that aren't backed up to Photos? Better remember to manually select those for transfer from the old phone! Most apps will have to re-sign in and still won't have most settings/contents restored.

Again, I'm comparing to how an iPhone user can just select Backup, change phones, Restore, and have the exact same phone as they had before within an hour. No tinkering, no 'oh, but this one might need updating, and I need selecting these manually and check that these moved'. Just click, wait, done. MILES ahead of 'us'. Is that a deterrent for me to keep going Android? Absolutely not. Is it an annoyance that you can easily attest to by checking out the myriad of posts in these forums asking for the best way to back up and restore their phones (there shouldn't be a 'best way', there should be THE ONLY WAY that should be built into the OS, period)? Absofreakinlutely.

I'm not missing a lot of the stuff you mentioned. When was the last time you had a Pixel and did a restoration from backup? By the way I have an iPhone too in case thou forgets. Anyway what does any of this have to do with the price of Bailey's...we are going off topic here.