Setting up a new phone from scratch is a tedious process, especially when you have to download and sign in to many apps, set up the phone’s settings, and arrange everything the way you like it. Luckily, Google has made things much easier when you switch from one Android phone to another, even if you no longer have your older device on hand. Here’s how to restore an Android phone from a Google backup.
QUICK ANSWER
You can restore a new or factory reset Android phone from a Google backup during the setup process. At theCopy apps and data step, tap Next, and selectCan't use old device. Sign in to the same Google account, tap on the listed backup, and select the apps and data you want to restore.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
- How to backup your data on your old Android phone
- How to restore your Android phone from a Google backup
How to backup your data on your old Android phone
You will have to first back up your data on your old Android phone before restoring it on a new device. There are plenty of ways to back up your device and apps you can use if you want to store your data on the cloud. The easiest option on an Android phone is to you use Google One.
Go to Settings > Google > Manage backup and enable Backup by Google One. Your phone will now automatically back up at regular intervals as long as you’re connected to a Wi-Fi network. You can also enable backups over mobile data. But if you’re ready to set up a new device and want to create a current backup, tap Backup now.
You’ll get 15GB of free data with your Google account to backup apps, app data photos, videos, messages, your call history, device settings, and Google account data. In theBackup details section, tap on Google account data to choose the Google apps you want to back up. If you need more data, Google One’s paid plans start at $1.99 per month ($19.99 annually) for 100GB of storage. We also have a list of other options to backup your Android phone.
The Google backup option is available on all Android devices. Some OEMs have their ownfeatures to make it easy to switch between two phones from the same brand. Samsung’s Backup and Restore is a popular example.
Furthermore, while Google’s backup covers a lot, some apps and games, like WhatsApp, have separate ways to safely upload their app information to Google Drive.
How to restore your Android phone from a Google backup
You can restore a Google backup on an Android phone when setting up a new device or after performing a factory reset. When you turn on the phone, follow these steps
- Tap Start and agree to any terms and conditions.
- Connect to a Wi-Fi network.
- At the step where you’re asked to Copy apps and data, tapNext,and selectCan’t use old device.
- Sign in to the same Google account from the previous phone.
- Now, the last available backup will show up on the screen.
- Select the backup, choose the apps and files you want to restore, and tap Restore.
That’s it! Your device should now automatically restore saved apps, contacts, and messages from Google’s servers. This may take a while, so we recommend plugging in and staying connected to a Wi-Fi network
FAQs
You won’t be able to restore your phone to an earlier date beyond when the last backup was created. Google only stores your most recent backup. If you’re facing a bug where you’ve lost your contact list, go to contacts.google.com, click the gear icon at the top right corner, and clickUndo changes. You can undo changes to your contact list going back 30 days.
Google assumes that the backup is created for the same or newer Android version. You cannot restore data from a Google backup if you’re transferring from a phone that runs Android 13 to one with Android 11.
That depends on how many apps and files you have. The phone will continue to restore your phone in the background while your apps and files are being downloaded.
