Back up media from your device

You can make copies of the data on your device for safekeeping.

Where your phone data is stored

The info on your phone is backed up in different places. If your backups are uploaded in Google, they're encrypted using your Google Account password. For some data, your phone's screen lock PIN, pattern, or password is also used for encryption.

Your backup will remain in your Google One account as long as you use your phone and connect to the internet.

Your backup data will be erased if:

  • You don't use your device for 57 days
  • You turn off Android backup

What gets saved by Android

The following data is backed up in your Android settings. You don't need to turn on Google One's backup to save this data.

  • App data
  • Call history
  • Contacts
  • Settings
  • SMS messages

What gets saved by Google One

  • Google Photos: Original quality photos and videos
  • Android Messages: Photos, videos, and audio files from your MMS messages

Why RCS messages don't get saved

Rich Communications Services (RCS) are a way for Android phones to send advanced messages like group chats, high-resolution photos, and audio/video messages. Whether you can send and back up RCS messages depends on the phone, carrier, and messaging app you use.

Turn on automatic backups

 You can set up your phone to automatically save backup copies of your files.

  1. On your Android phone, open the Google One app Google One.
  2. At the top, tap Settings and then Manage backup settings.
  3. Choose the backup settings you want.
    • If you get advice to install an app, update an app, or change your settings, follow the on-screen steps. Then, go back to the Google One app to finish.
    • You can back up copies of your files with cellular data. You can reduce the amount of data you use when you turn off backup with cellular data and use Wi-Fi instead.
  4. If asked, allow permissions.
  5. At the top left, tap Back Back.

Your Google One backup can take up to 24 hours. When your media is saved, "On" will be below the data types you selected.

Start a backup

After you have chosen your backup settings, your backup can start immediately.

  1. On your Android phone, open the Google One app Google One.
  2. Tap Settings and then Manage backup settings.
  3. Choose the backup settings that you want.
  4. Tap Backup now. 
    • You might need to tap Turn on first to get started.

Get your data onto a new phone

You can restore your backup data in the Google One app.

  1. If you haven't already, restore your backup on Android set up.
  2. On your new Android phone, open the Google One app Google One.
  3. At the top, tap Settings.
  4. Tap Restore from your backup.
  5. Next to the media you want to get back, tap Restore.
    • If you get advice to install an app, update an app, or change your settings, follow the on-screen steps.
    • Go back to the Google One app to finish.
  6. If asked, allow permissions.
  7. At the top left, tap Back Back.
Your Google One restoration can take up to 24 hours.

About multimedia files

If you have a Google One backup, you may be eligible to restore multimedia messages, photos, and videos using the Setup Wizard. You can restore the files if your device was launched to the public after October 2019. If so, when you choose to restore, you'll find these media files among the other data categories (like SMS, contacts, and settings)

If your device was launched to the public before October 2019, you can restore multimedia messages, photos, and videos using the Google One app.

What you need

Before starting, make sure you have the following:

  • An activated Google One membership.
  • Photos and messages already backed up with Google One.
  • A new device with an Android version equal or higher than the version on their old device.

Restore multimedia files on your phone

For some Android 9+ devices, the Setup Wizard directly triggers restoring data and files. Otherwise, follow these steps:

  1. When setting up a new Android phone, choose Restore from your backup. Then, follow the Android Setup/Restore Wizard steps to restore MMS messages and other files.
    • Tip: If you already turned on your phone and didn't restore it, you'll need to factory reset it. Then you can complete Android restore to restore your multimedia messages.

  2. Download the Google One app Google One app from the Play Store and open it.

  3. On the Google One Home tab, find the Restore available card.
  4. Tap Restore backups and then Restore (located next to the "Multimedia messages" option).

Android users can erase backup files in Google Drive to free up storage. When you do this:

  • The backup file will be permanently deleted.
  • If the automated backups setting is still on, new backups will still be created.
  • If you turn off Android backup, your enhanced backup and any files from your MMS messages will be deleted.
  1. On your Android phone or tablet, open the Drive app Google Drive.
  2. On the left, tap Menu Menu and then Backups.
  3. Tap the backup file you want to delete.
  4. You can now delete either your MMS files only or the entire backup:
    • MMS files only: To delete pictures and videos, tap MMS and then Delete.
    • Delete all files in the backup: At the top, tap More More and then Delete backup and then Delete.

Fix problems with backup or restore

You can't start the process to restore

If any Restore options are grayed out, or you receive an error message, extra steps may be needed. Some common solutions are:

Android logo Check that your Android operating system is updated. To restore your phone, it must be running Android 7.1.1 or higher.

Messages Logo Round Update Android Messages. If you were not using Android Messages as the default messaging app on your old device, some MMS pictures and videos may not restore.

Google Play Update Google Play services.

Once all software is updated and settings have been changed, tap Restore, next to "Multimedia messages."

Your MMS (multimedia) messages weren’t restored on your phone

MMS backups work best with the Android Messages app Android Messages Try to back up again after you set Android Messages as your default texting app.

  1. If you don’t have it, download Android Messages from the Play Store.
  2. On your Android device, open the Settings app Settings.
  3. Tap Apps & notifications and then Default apps.
    • If you don’t find this option, at the bottom, tap Advanced.
  4. Tap SMS app and then Messages.
You got an error when you backed up your phone

If one or more types of media won't back up, try the steps below. After each step, check if your backup has started working.

  1. Make sure your device is online. If you're using mobile data, try connecting to Wi-Fi for a better connection.
  2. Install or update the Google One app.
  3. Open the Google One app. If you're out of storage, do one of the following:
    1. Buy more storage
    2. Clear storage space
  4. In the Google One app, tap Settings and then Manage backup settings. If you find advice to update or install an app, follow the steps on the screen.
    • Note: If your device needs multiple updates, backing up your phone can take a few hours.

In the Google One app, at the top, tap Home.

If your media still won’t back up

You can run a backup manually:

Your new phone didn't restore everything

If one or more types of media are missing after restoring a Google One backup, try these steps:

  • Make sure your device is online. If you're using mobile data, try connecting to Wi-Fi for a better connection.
  • Install or update the Google One app.
  • Open your Android settings. Confirm that all of the following are true:
  • Your backup will remain as long as you use your device. If you last used your device more than 57 days ago, the backup is no longer available.
  • In the Google One app, tap Settings and then Restore from your backup. If you find advice to update or install an app, follow the steps on the screen.
    • Note: If your device needs multiple updates, backing up your phone can take a few hours.

Files that are restored during setup

Some data can only be restored while setting up your device, including app data, settings data, and basic messages. To restore this data, reset your device to factory settings, and then go through the Android setup process.

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