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How do YOU restore your apps and settings?

I am currently using titanium backup which I'm assuming most of you do as well, however its a quite tedious process restoring all my apps, it asks me individually to install every app which takes a very long time depending on how many apps you are restoring.
With the developing section constantly streaming new updates and roms, how does one keep up with the restoring? I must be missing something here, do you guys all have to install your restored apps one by one?
There must be a simpler way right? I know that if you dont do a full wipe that your apps and settings stay but i find myself switching roms alot which do require full wipes.

If your rooted and buy titanium it will reinstall your apps without going one by one.
Sent from my HTC Sensation using xda premium

runderekrun said:
If your rooted and buy titanium it will reinstall your apps without going one by one.
Sent from my HTC Sensation using xda premium
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Thanks for the quick response, I did not know that I will get the paid version asap!

I have had Titanium Pro for a couple years. When you backup apps do you just choose non system apps?
Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using xda premium

I've been using Titanium and as a complete system that backs up settings for apps as well as the app itself, it's pretty awesome.
However there are times (like immediately after flashing a new rom) when you have nothing extra installed but a file manager and you want to install just the app of something from your sdcard without having to re-download from Google Play. For this, I have used and app available on Google Play called "Android Assistant" that has a reasonably simple back up that will backup just the apks of installed apps. It installs it in a directory "AndroidAssistant_appbackup" in the root directory of the sdcard. Using a File Manager you can easily go into there and install backed up apps.
If you use Titanium, you seem to have to use Titanium itself to restore stuff.

Titanium Backup Pro and SMS Backup and Restore do the trick for me. They are both very quick processes, so once you get the hang of it youll have no hesitations in switching ROMs constantly. Flash ROM, let it boot, go through the setup real quick, connect your google/email/facebook and whatnot, restore apps from TB, and restore texts, all takes less than 10 minutes.
Sent from my Sensation 4G using XDA

whats the simplest option for non rooted phones to back up the entire phone/data ? are there any apps that will create a full image that you can restore at a later date ?

chriskinetic said:
whats the simplest option for non rooted phones to back up the entire phone/data ? are there any apps that will create a full image that you can restore at a later date ?
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You are looking for clockwork mode, backup and restore - but unless you are prepared to root this isn't possible. Why would anyone want to stay rooted? Stock ROM is really, really poor.

I back up my apps using this tool...
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1448239
It's free and downloadable right from XDA.
It makes a single flashable zip file with all of your downloaded apps in it. (I don't think it backs up system apps)
When you install a new ROM you simply flash the zip and boom...all your apps are back.
The drawback is that it doesn't save app data. For that I use Titanium free version. Reinstalling data takes about 2 seconds per app instead of 30 seconds per app to reinstall the entire thing.
The whole process of putting apps and data back into a new ROM takes about 10-15 minutes.

I prefer Mybackup Pro, backs up apps and their data, sms & mms. Call log, settings and even how your homescreen setup. Been using it for about a year now and it's awesome.
Google Play Link

Is there a way to backup apps' data on non-rooted system?
Every application witch I saw backups only .apks, none of them saves application's data, I don't even know if it's possible?

WereWolf_PL said:
Is there a way to backup apps' data on non-rooted system?
Every application witch I saw backups only .apks, none of them saves application's data, I don't even know if it's possible?
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Many apps have a built in back up system that will let you do this.
For example, Go Launcher lets you back up your Go Launcher settings to a file it stores on the SD Card.
If you have to do a factory reset at some point and need to reinstall Go Launcher from scratch you can install it then simply restore your saved settings. Works like a charm. I'd say about 10% of the apps I use have this feature.
However, if you're talking about being able to back up every app and all its data and restore it....then no. You can't do that when not rooted.
Now if you don't want to root because you like your stock set up the way it is, you should know that you can root your phone without changing anything about the stock interface. You'll just have the ability to do more complete back ups, modifications to settings etc.
(Though fair warning, if you do root it, you won't stop with just doing backups. You'll get carried away like the rest of us and start tweaking EVERYTHING. But that's cool too.)

chrisrj28 said:
I prefer Mybackup Pro, backs up apps and their data, sms & mms. Call log, settings and even how your homescreen setup. Been using it for about a year now and it's awesome.
Google Play Link
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just what im looking for , thank you

Skipjacks said:
Many apps have a built in back up system that will let you do this.
For example, Go Launcher lets you back up your Go Launcher settings to a file it stores on the SD Card.
If you have to do a factory reset at some point and need to reinstall Go Launcher from scratch you can install it then simply restore your saved settings. Works like a charm. I'd say about 10% of the apps I use have this feature.
However, if you're talking about being able to back up every app and all its data and restore it....then no. You can't do that when not rooted.
Now if you don't want to root because you like your stock set up the way it is, you should know that you can root your phone without changing anything about the stock interface. You'll just have the ability to do more complete back ups, modifications to settings etc.
(Though fair warning, if you do root it, you won't stop with just doing backups. You'll get carried away like the rest of us and start tweaking EVERYTHING. But that's cool too.)
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Thanks for the info. I know that some applications have backup options, but I was hopping that there's an easier way to backup more important apps, or actually its data.
I also know what rooting means, and I'm not going to end at backups
Actually, I like stock firmware for now, don't need to change that, I just want to root for some more advanced options, additional software that needs root access, and maybe to remove, or at least freeze some unnecessary apps.
P.S. I'm actually a little disappointed about HTCdev web page. I was almost sure, that I can unlock bootloader and root the system without factory reset. I read all the info, and warnings on HTCdev.com, and nowhere, NOWHERE was written that to unlock bootloader you need to factory reset your device.
I went through all the steps, and on the last one, where I had a choice to flash, or to abort, was mentioned that flashing will do factory reset. The worst thing is that the steps shows up one after another, I couldn't even read the last one before sending the unlock code to HTC. So now - even when I didn't unlock my device, they have info that I wanted to do this, and my warranty is voided (or at least partially voided).

[Q] How to save data before ROM upgrade

Hey guys,
so, I have already flashed my ROM from stock to something else. That was a year ago.
But this ROM got old, ICS is out, and I want it.
Is there a way to save all my data? I have some games, that have progress that I dont want to loose.
I have contacts that I dont want to loose. Messages and pictures that I still need.
What is the right procedure for me to upgrade ROM to newer one? I'm upgrading to Fallout v2 if that matters.
Thank you for answers
Regards, Anze

You need to read up about Nandroid backups that you take from recovery (cwm or 4ext) these are extremely useful if you wish to revert the device after you've flashed a new one rom as they take a snapshot of the devices partitions.
You should ensure that you take one of these before flashing a new rom.
I'd recommend that you sync your contacts with google (in the cloud) that way they'll always return to your device following a clean install
Otherwise the best application is titanium backup which enables you to make backups of your applications and there associated data, which is useful to reinstall your applications after a rom upgrade.

You may also wish to restore data with apps together selectively after flashing a new rom due to possible data incompatibilities with versions resulting in FC. If so, within TB you could try PREFERENCES > RESTORATION SETTINGS > MIGRATE SYSTEM DATA or leave out data only restoring the app.

Which backup tool to choose?

Hi there! I've been reading (a lot) around here the last months and that's been really helpfull. Went from stock GB on my locked XPS through just about all ROM's available for XPS to CM10 now. Thanks XDA, thanks all!
Still a real lot to learn. One of the things that really keeps me wondering is which method (besides a Nandroid) I shld use for backing up. Google takes care of my contacts and settings automatically. But what is the best tool to backup and restore my apps (question 1)? I've used Astro, Go Backup and several others I can't even remember. And if I use one, do I still need Gapps all the time or is that doing a double job (question 2)?
My last question: I understand doing an upgrade of your custom rom you don't need to swipe, so your data stays. But if you do need to, when can you do a data restore after installing a new ROM (question 3)?

1. For backing up and restoring apps, I use Titanium Backup and I think most people would swear by it ( it's worth the donate for the extra features ). For sms though, GoSMS's backup feature is the best working one for me.
2. I'm pretty sure you still need to flash Gapps, but I'm not sure. Been off Cyan for a while. Besides, I think flashing Gapps is faster than restoring through most backup apps.
3. It depends on the rom and you should read the ROM's thread, but I always wipe between updates just in case ( I have an SGSII ). If you mean restore data by Titanium or another app, I think after letting the phone sit for 10 minutes on initial new ROM boot, you can start restoring apps. If you mean selectively restoring just data through nandroid though, I'm not sure if that should even be done, or how exactly to minimize issues.
Hope that helps.

DIMENSIONAL said:
1. For backing up and restoring apps, I use Titanium Backup and I think most people would swear by it ( it's worth the donate for the extra features ). For sms though, GoSMS's backup feature is the best working one for me.
2. I'm pretty sure you still need to flash Gapps, but I'm not sure. Been off Cyan for a while. Besides, I think flashing Gapps is faster than restoring through most backup apps.
3. It depends on the rom and you should read the ROM's thread, but I always wipe between updates just in case ( I have an SGSII ). If you mean restore data by Titanium or another app, I think after letting the phone sit for 10 minutes on initial new ROM boot, you can start restoring apps. If you mean selectively restoring just data through nandroid though, I'm not sure if that should even be done, or how exactly to minimize issues.
Hope that helps.
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tx DIMENSIONAL!
Late night yesterday I ran into this app here on fxp: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1859261 Maybe that might become (be) handy? Not for me yet, due to problems with XPS for this app at the moment
2. Gapps.... Gapps is faster for sure. But not off course not exactly the things you want.... But there's something out to make your own zip.file with all your apps and/or other data and system files in it I think. Stopped reading when it got to complicated for me to try without much feedback at that moment. Sorry I forgot to mark the thread. Lost it for now.
3. I did this data restore thing once after reading a tip in a thread for a particular ROM here somewhere.

VincentKnife said:
tx DIMENSIONAL!
Late night yesterday I ran into this app here on fxp: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1859261 Maybe that might become (be) handy? Not for me yet, due to problems with XPS for this app at the moment
2. Gapps.... Gapps is faster for sure. But not off course not exactly the things you want.... But there's something out to make your own zip.file with all your apps and/or other data and system files in it I think. Stopped reading when it got to complicated for me to try without much feedback at that moment. Sorry I forgot to mark the thread. Lost it for now.
3. I did this data restore thing once after reading a tip in a thread for a particular ROM here somewhere.
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edit: installed titanium backup; needs a lot of reading agai,n but looks great! tx again!

Another vote for titanium & the pro key here. I prefer"appextractor“ from the play store for my sms/mms restore & I also use the contact restore feature, since it also takes care of my call log (both of these features use data from nandroid), since I have given up on using titanium to restore sms & get the time accurate.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

Rooted/Custom Rom'd my AT&T S4, now for some basic a

[Thread in wrong area! Mods please move to AT&T S4 under Q/A!]
I recently rooted/installed CleanROM for my S4, but now I have some basic questions regarding what actually happened in the process and how I could improve it. (First smartphone, first Android).
1. Is flashing the exact equivalent of installing a kernel/ROM/app in a recovery like TeamWin that is zipped in an SD card? All I did was select my zipped file and install--the guide says to use GooManager but I never used it. Also, does updating TWRP, kernel, or ROM (same application/kernel/ROM, but newer version) require that you delete the old ZIP, copy over the new ZIP, then install it? Is there a cleaner method (I feel that since we have to wipe to prevent old files from interfering with new ROM that maybe parts of the old version of a ROM may be redundant or may interfere with the new ROM?
2. Is there a way I can save the phone settings when dealing with one ROM and transferring these settings to another ROM? I really don't want to spend 20 minutes to go through all the settings and change it to my liking every time I install a new ROM.
3. With TWRP I could backup the entire ROM and also be able to install that backup ROM if I don't like the new ROM installed? What does Titanium Backup offer in regards to this aside from backing up app data and the ability freeze/uninstall system apps?
4. Does Titanium Backup leave any residual files? I see other apps designed to uninstall system apps and Titanium Backup seems like an all-in-one jack of all trades.
5. I thought I wiped everything and to me, that sounds like reformatting the entire drive. I only wiped system, boot, and data though (good enough for ROMs, according to what I've read). I was surprised when I saw my videos that I had already backed up to my PC accessible on the phone. Should I just wipe literally everything (I assume it would be cleaner) like cache, preload, EFS, modem, recovery, etc.? Will wiping literally everything be like reformatting my phone (since my phone was not reformatted because my personal videos was still there when I installed my custom ROM? If I were to install completely different ROMs cleanly and wanted to keep my personal files, I would only need to wipe system, data, and boot?
4. Do I have to use CASUAL again to install an updated TWRP?
5. Does backing up a ROM also backup its root? I'm going to assume this is a dumb question and the answer is no. I'm also guessing I have to block OTA updates from AT&T to ensure I keep my root. How would I go about doing this? Also, would my phone be "safe" if I stick to my ROM (no updates or anything) for 4+ years? I'm asking this as an extreme case because I feel like I'm missing out on AT&T security updates that could protect my phone and also I don't think the developer my ROM (CleanROM) will do frequent updates).
6. I had problems with my computer not being able to recognize my phone and my SD card in the phone after I wiped everything and before I installed a ROM. I literally had to take the SD card from the phone and use an SD card reader to transfer my custom ROM/loki then put it back into the phone. Was I missing a driver?
7. What are some must-have apps a newly rooted user would want?
8. I read that you only need 1 EFS backup and you don't need to back it up every time you are going to install a custom ROM. Can I get a confirmation?
9. What does Goo Manager do and would I want it?
10. Is it essential that I keep up to date with news about my custom ROM/phone to ensure my phone is secured?
**Not Root/ROM related--Is swiping an app away from the Recent Apps List (long-press home button) the equivalent of killing an app? I use the Recent Apps List often but I don't want to go about swiping apps away if means it is killing it, since I read that killing apps are bad and actually drains battery life. Also, is there a mod that lets you access the Recent Apps List by long-pressing the menu one? I only see a mod that kills the app if you long-press it.
Thanks. I'm hoping for many responses as I have more questions to ask but not a lot of free time (I will check back on this thread every several hours until there are no more responses on the thread.

I think you are in the wrong forum.

@work said:
I think you are in the wrong forum.
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I know, I clicked the edit/delete thread but can't find the delete button. Under reason for editing I told the mods to move it to AT&T S4 under Q/A. I'm new to XDA, what should I do?

otumsel and
just wait,someone will be along and move it.

How to properly FULLY backup an android phone that doesn't have TWRP.

Please advise. I really **Really** want to be sure that if I try to backup my sister's phone that I do it properly and can fully and cleanly restore it to a new ROM with no issue. (Be sure that I'll also do external backups of Photos and SMS/MMS databases and whatever else possible onto a computer first, in case of data loss or if I screw up.)
---
Okay, so here's the situation: (Google Pixel 6 Pro)
So I installed a custom ROM on my sisters brand new phone a couple of months back. Problem is, the dev behind said ROM may stop maintaining it due to personal reasons. I'll need to in this case switch her phone to another ROM, so that she continues to receive security updates. By the sounds of it I have to wipe the phone completely when switching ROMs, including the user partition. (Correct me if wrong.)
I'm still fairly new to the custom ROM/unlocked bootloader world, so I wanted to kindly ask around for advice on how to **Properly** backup her phone in such a way that I can later fully restore her photos, SMS/MMS, apps, etc. more or less as though I never switched ROMs on her.
I've already heard of TWRP, but the phone doesn't have a version for it. I also heard about the promising Migrate app posted here. Last but not least is the ADB backup feature--however I also heard some conflicting information suggesting that of late Google is deprecating that feature and making it useless. (Please correct if wrong.) I'm still fairly new to the whole custom ROM scene (and rooting too, but in this case her phone is unrooted, only bootloader unlocked with a custom ROM).

Rule #1 - if a OS is fast, stable and fulfilling it's mission... let it be! Updates can and do break things. Pie and higher are relatively secure unless you do stupid things. This stock, optimized N10+ is still running on Pie; last update >2.5 years, current load is over 2 yo. Still fast, stable and secure. I spend very little time doing maintenance and this load runs like a bat out of hell. What's not to like?
If you have to reload latter so be it. Don't go looking for trouble by messing with firmware unless you absolutely need to. Taking a more conservative approach will save you time and trouble in the long run. Google doesn't care about your time or the trouble their updates cause you.

ruq said:
Please advise. I really **Really** want to be sure that if I try to backup my sister's phone that I do it properly and can fully and cleanly restore it to a new ROM with no issue. (Be sure that I'll also do external backups of Photos and SMS/MMS databases and whatever else possible onto a computer first, in case of data loss or if I screw up.)
---
Okay, so here's the situation: (Google Pixel 6 Pro)
So I installed a custom ROM on my sisters brand new phone a couple of months back. Problem is, the dev behind said ROM may stop maintaining it due to personal reasons. I'll need to in this case switch her phone to another ROM, so that she continues to receive security updates. By the sounds of it I have to wipe the phone completely when switching ROMs, including the user partition. (Correct me if wrong.)
I'm still fairly new to the custom ROM/unlocked bootloader world, so I wanted to kindly ask around for advice on how to **Properly** backup her phone in such a way that I can later fully restore her photos, SMS/MMS, apps, etc. more or less as though I never switched ROMs on her.
I've already heard of TWRP, but the phone doesn't have a version for it. I also heard about the promising Migrate app posted here. Last but not least is the ADB backup feature--however I also heard some conflicting information suggesting that of late Google is deprecating that feature and making it useless. (Please correct if wrong.) I'm still fairly new to the whole custom ROM scene (and rooting too, but in this case her phone is unrooted, only bootloader unlocked with a custom ROM).
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There should be no reason to need to wipe user partition. It should only be necessary to, at most, wipe the system partition(stock ROM), data partition(user installed apps and user settings), cache partition and dalvik/ART cache then flash the ROM. These wipes will wipe system data, your user settings, user installed apps and their corresponding app data. These wipes will not wipe data/media, the partition where your photos, videos, downloaded files, etc.. are stored.
You can backup the app data for the user installed apps by connecting to PC then use the PC file manager to open your device's internal storage, go to the Android/data folder, in that folder is all of your user app data. Copy the Android/data folder to your PC. After you install your ROM, reinstall all of the user apps that were installed then you can connect to PC and then copy your backed up Android/data folder over to your device to overwrite the ROMs existing Android/data folder. This will restore your app data for your user installed apps.
Contacts should be backed up to Google and restored when signing into the device after the new ROM boots and re-syncing the device.
You will need to backup your SMS/MMS texts via a separate method. Just do a search for:
"Backup and Restore SMS android"
That should find several methods. Use a method that you are comfortable with.
If you use WhatsApp, backing up and restoring WhatsApp, WhatsApp account and your WhatsApp messages requires it's own specific method. You can find the method by doing a search for:
"Backup and restore WhatsApp"
Sorry, if I knew its specific method, I would explain it.
Is there anything else that you don't want to risk losing or anything specific that is on your device that you 100% absolutely need to be certain gets retained/restored after the update?
What custom ROM are you coming from and what ROM are you going to? Depending on the ROMs in question, you might be able to dirty flash the ROM.