Loosing or damaging your android smartphone can be a stressful time but we have affordable cover solutions that can help you repair or replace your device, but what happens to all your photos and data?
Our helpful guide will help you to backup whats important to you and should something happen to your smart device you wont loose all the precious memories and important information that was stored on it.
Backing up to Google
The simplest and easiest backup option is Google’s cloud service, which is built into Android.
1.
Go to Settings, Google, and choose Backup.
2.
You can see how much storage is available for the Google account you are signed into listed at the top.
3.
Below that, you will likely see an option that says Backup to Google Drive with a toggle next to it. (If you have Google One installed, it might say Backup to Google One.) Make sure it is toggled on.
4.
There is a Back up now button beneath. Tap it. Remember that backups can take several hours to complete if you haven’t backed up before. It’s best to leave your phone plugged into a charger and connected to Wi-Fi overnight.
5.
The section at the bottom shows details of your backup. Tap on Photos & Videos and make sure that Back up & sync is toggled on. You can also do this in the menu in the Google Photos app.
6.
At the bottom of the Backup details section, you can tap Google Account data (also accessible via Settings, Accounts, [Your Google Account], Account sync). This is where you can choose what to sync with your Google Account. The list of toggles that appears here differs based on the apps and services you use.
Managing Backups and Extra Storage
You can find your backups in the Google Drive app by tapping the menu at the top left and choosing Backups.
It can be a challenge to stay under Google Drive’s free 15 GB of storage, so you might consider signing up for a plan with Google One. You can get 100 GB for £1.59 per month or £15.99 annually, 200 GB for £2.49 per month or £24.99 annually, and 2 TB for £7.99 per month or £79.99 annually. You can share this storage with up to six family members.
The Google One app offers more insight and control for your backups, found on the Storage tab listed under Device Backup.
Backing Up to Your Windows PC
You might not want to pay for extra space, so let’s look at how to back up files directly to your computer before we dip into alternative backup services.
It is easy to back up files from your Android phone on a Windows PC. Here’s how:
1.
Plug your phone into a USB port on your desktop or laptop.
2.
Drag down the notification shade on your phone and look for a notification from Android System that says something like Charging this device via USB, Tap for more options and tap it.
3.
Look for an option that says File transfer and select it.
4.
A window should now pop up on your PC, or you can open Windows File Explorer and click your phone listed in the left pane under This PC.
5.
You can dig into folders and copy and paste any files you want to back up. This isn’t the most user-friendly layout, though. For example, your photos will probably be in a folder labeled DCIM, Camera.
Backing Up to Your Mac
If you want something like iTunes to manage this process or an app to manage a wireless backup from phone to PC, then you can find various premium options online, though we don’t recommend any of them. If you’re trying to send files from your Android phone to a PC, try using Microsoft’s free Your Phone app.
To back up files from your Android phone on a Mac is also pretty straightforward. Here’s how:
It is easy to back up files from your Android phone on a Windows PC. Here’s how:
2.
Plug your phone into a USB port on your Mac.
3.
An Android File Transfer window should open on your Mac, and you will see a list of folders and files on your phone.
4.
Dig in and copy and paste any files you want to back up. You may have to search to find the files you want. For example, your photos will be in a folder labeled DCIM, Camera.
Google Photos
Google Photos kind of counts as cloud storage. It automatically backs up and restores your photos to Google Drive. It requires actual Google Drive space (starting June 2021), but it’s a lightweight, hands-free, automatic method to do so.
The app also has a bunch of extra features, including the ability to view photos on your device, remove photos from your device if they’ve already been backed up, and it’ll automatically sort stuff into albums.
There are alternatives if you don’t want to use Google’s ecosystem. We also recommend Amazon Prime users check out Amazon Photos since that’s free. It’s still a great option but not as great as it was when it was free.
Price: Free (first 15GB of space) / Optional subscription prices vary