How to Back Up an Android Phone Before It Breaks

You should not have to wait until an Android phone is cracked, lost, or refusing to start before discovering whether it was backed up.

Android can back up several categories of information to your Google Account, including apps and app data, call history, contacts, device settings, and SMS/MMS messages. Other information may depend on the Google app or third-party app involved.

Check backup status

On current Android versions, open Settings > Google > All services > Backup.

You can review the available backup settings and use Back up now when you want to initiate a backup. Exact wording can vary somewhat by phone and Android version.

Photos deserve a separate check

Do not assume “my phone is backed up” automatically means every photo is safely stored somewhere else.

If you use Google Photos, open it and check the backup status. Google distinguishes phone backup from photo and video backup in its documentation.

Wait until important uploads actually finish before wiping, trading in, or resetting a phone.

Apps are another exception

Android's backup system does not guarantee that every third-party app can restore every piece of its information.

An authenticator, game, messaging application, password manager, or specialty app may have its own migration or backup procedure.

Check important apps individually before replacing or resetting the phone.

A backup is only useful if you can get back into the account

Make sure you know which Google Account is holding the backup and that its recovery information is current.

A perfectly good cloud backup is of limited use if you cannot regain access to the account after losing the phone.

Sources and Further Reading

Google Android backup and restore documentation.