In today’s technological age, mobile phones have transformed into a device that do more than just make calls and send messages. Smartphones have become an integral part of our daily routine and are used to store essential data such as contacts, photos, videos, messages, etc. One of the ways to add more functionality to your phone and customize it to your preference is by rooting it. Rooting your phone gives you access to the operating system, enabling you to make changes to the phone’s software. However, rooting also comes with its risks, and it’s crucial to back up your phone before you start the process. In this post, we will discuss how to backup your Android phone before rooting it.
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The Challenge of Backing up Your Android Phone Before Rooting
When rooting your Android phone, there’s a possible risk of losing your phone data or making a mistake that renders your phone unusable. Performing a full backup of your device before starting the rooting process can save you a lot of hassle, and you can always revert to your backed-up data if something goes wrong. Backing up your phone data might seem daunting, but with the several methods available, you can easily achieve it.
Things You Should Prepare For
Before moving on to the backup process, it’s essential to ensure that your phone has enough storage space to accommodate the backup data. If your phone’s storage is low, consider transferring some files to another storage device or removing unnecessary data. Also, for you to perform the backup process, you need to ensure that your phone’s battery is fully charged or sufficiently charged to avoid interruptions during the backup process.
Method 1: Using Android Backup Service
The Android Backup Service is a built-in feature that automatically backs up specific data on your Android device to your Google Drive account and restores the data if you get a new Android device. The Backup Service automatically backs up data such as contacts, app data, and device settings, but you can select additional data to back up. Below are the steps to backup your Android phone using the Android Backup Service:
1. Connect your phone to a stable Wi-Fi network
2. Open the Settings app on your Android device
3. Scroll down to find and click on System
4. Click on Backup
5. Enable the Backup to Google Drive toggle
6. Click on Account and select the account you want to use for backup
7. Choose the data you want to backup and click on Backup Now
Pros:
– Android Backup Service automatically backs up your data to Google Drive
– The backup process is straightforward and easy to use
Cons:
– Not all apps can be backed up using this service
– Images and Videos are not backed up by default and might require you to manually back them up
Method 2: Using a Third-Party App
Several third-party backup apps are available on Google Play Store, and one of the popular ones is the TWRP app, which offers a comprehensive backup and restore solution for rooted Android phones. TWRP is an acronym for Team Win Recovery Project, and it’s a custom recovery tool that allows you to install custom firmware, perform full system backups, and much more.
1. Download and install the TWRP app from Google Play Store
2. Open the app and grant it the necessary permissions
3. Click on the menu button and select Backup
4. Choose the data you want to back up
5. Choose the storage destination for the backup
6. Click on Backup Now
Pros:
– TWRP app allows you to perform a full backup of your device, including system files
– It’s an excellent backup solution for rooted Android devices
Cons:
– The app requires root access to your Android device
– The backup process might take longer compared to other methods
Method 3: Using Google Photos
Google Photos is a cloud-based photo and video sharing service developed by Google. The service allows you to store photos and videos on the cloud, access them from any device, and share them with others. Although Google Photos is not a backup solution, it offers an excellent way to store your photos and videos in a safe place, and you can use it in combination with other methods to back up your Android device. Below are the steps to backup your photos and videos using Google Photos:
1. Download and install Google Photos from Google Play Store
2. Open the app and sign in using your Google account
3. Click on the menu icon and select Settings
4. Click on Back up & sync
5. Enable the toggle to back up photos and videos
6. Select the image quality of your backup
7. Click on Back Up Now
Pros:
– Google Photos offers unlimited storage for high-quality photos and videos
– You can access your photos and videos from any device
Cons:
– Google Photos does not back up other data, such as contacts and messages
– The backup data quality might be lower compared to other backup solutions
Why Can’t I Backup My Android Phone Before Rooting?
1) Insufficient Storage Space
A lack of storage space on your Android device can prevent you from performing a full backup of your phone before rooting it. Ensure that you have enough storage space on your device before starting the backup process.
Fix: Transfer files to another storage device or remove unnecessary data to free up space.
2) Not Enough Battery Life
A low battery life on your device can also prevent you from performing a full backup of your phone before rooting it. Backup processes might take a long time, and low battery life can cause the process to stop or fail.
Fix: Charge your device fully or ensure that your device has enough battery life to complete the backup process.
3) No Backup Solution
Sometimes, the backup system in your Android device might not be functioning correctly, or your device might not have a built-in backup solution. In such cases, you need to explore other backup solutions such as third-party backup apps or cloud-based backup services.
Fix: Use third-party backup apps or cloud-based solutions to backup your Android phone.
Additional Tips
– Backup your phone regularly even if you are not rooting it.
– Try to use more than one backup option to ensure that your data is safe.
– Keep your phone charged before performing any backup process.
– Label your backups clearly to help you identify them later.
5 FAQs about Backing up Your Android Phone Before Rooting
Q1: Can I back up all the data on my Android phone?
A: Some backup solutions allow you to back up all the data on your Android phone, including system files. However, some solutions only back up specific data such as contacts, messages and media files.
Q2: How often should I backup my Android phone?
A: It is advisable to backup your phone regularly, preferably once a week or more often if you use your phone frequently.
Q3: Do I need a rooted Android phone to back up my device?
A: Some backup solutions require root access to your Android device, but others do not. You can use non-rooted backup solutions such as Google Photos or root your Android device and use third-party backup apps.
Q4: Can I access my backup data without the phone?
A: Yes, you can access your backup data from another Android device or computer if you use a cloud-based backup solution.
Q5: Can I restore the backup data to another Android device?
A: Yes, you can restore the backup data to another Android device if you use a cloud-based backup solution such as Google Photos.
In Conclusion
Rooting your Android phone can be beneficial, but it comes with risks that can cause you to lose your phone data. Backing up your Android phone before rooting it is crucial to ensure that your data is safe and can easily be restored if anything goes wrong. The methods for backing up your Android phone before rooting it discussed in this post are easy, simple to use, and reliable. Regardless of the method you choose, ensure that you perform regular backup processes to keep your phone data safe.