Backing Up Android to Computer Without Google

[startac4]

I would like to backup my phone to my computer (first choice) or at least to SD card (second choice). I don't want to have to manually copy files (though I do this for new pictures to computer). I want to have phone backed up so that it could be restored, just as is done with the computer. I looked at Acronis Mobile but all of its reviews that I saw said it was terrible (unlike the Acronis computer backup programs which are quite good). I do not want to use Google for obvious reasons.

I saw a list of programs
https://www.lifewire.com/how-to-backup-android-phone-to-pc-4769775 that will backup everything to the SD card and/or to a computer but I don't know which are reliable & good. Any suggestions, please?

 

[ocnbrze]

what phone do you have?

one reason why i like samsung is that they have smart switch which can backup and restore some data and things like contacts, apps and their data, as well as text messages.

and sorry i can't recommend any services as i never had the need to use them. plus some of those services i do not trust. i heard that some of these are scams so be careful.

curious as to why you want to backup your phone like that?

 

[Hadron]

Oh, I understand not wanting to trust Google with everything. But some of those suggestions are just daft (I mean ROM Manager? If you are rooted you can do everything it does without needing it, and if you aren't rooted it is no use to you at all), and I have reservations about some of the others.

The contents of your user-accessible storage are easy: connect via USB, create a suitably-named directory and just copy everything you can see. I always keep an backup like this, which I update periodically. But apps and their data are trickier without root (if the phone is rooted it's really simple, either a nandroid or Titanium Backup, depending on what you want, but of course transferring that stuff to a new phone requires the new phone being rooted too, and in the case of a nandroid it must be exactly the same model as well). I've had good results using Helium, which is based on the "adb backup" mechanism (which some of the other stuff in that article seemed to be), but there are a few apps that opt out of that (and hence presumably won't work with any app that uses adb backup internally). But when Google's new phone transfer tool failed when setting up my current phone Helium got most of the stuff across.

But phones aren't PCs, you can't just make a disk image and reflash that (well you can if you are rooted, that's what a nandroid is, but because every model is different that can only be restored to the same phone. And even then you need to back up the user-accessible storage/sd card separately).

 

[startac4]

Thank you Hadron and ocnbrze. What I'm hearing is that many of these backup programs can't be trusted. And that you can't back up / restore a phone like a computer. Except look at how many people use their phone just as, or even instead of, a computer (I don't - except when the other party will only communicate via cell phone program).

FYI...my phone is LG. As to why, that's the simplest/best way to backup computer files. The same logic should apply to a phone, since they're all trying to make believe they are little computers.

 

[mikedt]

Thank you Hadron and ocnbrze. What I'm hearing is that many of these backup programs can't be trusted. And that you can't back up / restore a phone like a computer. Except look at how many people use their phone just as, or even instead of, a computer (I don't - except when the other party will only communicate via cell phone program).

FYI...my phone is LG. As to why, that's the simplest/best way to backup computer files. The same logic should apply to a phone, since they're all trying to make believe they are little computers.

FYI LG does make a computer(Windows) backup and restore tool for their phones, LG Bridge.
https://www.lg.com/us/support/help-library/lg-bridge-download-how-to-use-CT10000025-1438110404543
Of course I don't know if it's any good or not, as I've never had an LG device.

Thing is, Google is really a cloud services company, and they expect Android uses to use their online for backup and restores. However some manufacturers do make their own tools for backup and restore with a computer, if users want, e.g. LG Bridge, Samsung Smart Switch, Huawei HiSuite.

 

[Davdi]

I'd rather trust Google than Huawei anyway.

 

[startac4]

Davdi - point take. I should have noted that what's most important to me in a backup is the CONTACTS list. Unlike other files (e.g. pictures, movies, music) the CONTACTS cannot be copied as it doesn't even show up as a file when Windows looks at the LG's files.

 

[ocnbrze]

why not have all your contacts backed up by google? i never have to worry about my contacts when i get a new phone. on my new phone, regardless on what phone i get, i just sign into google and my contacts are there. anyways lg should be able to back those up as well.

 

[startac4]

I see three programs that will back up all or selected components of my phone to my Windows computer. Is anyone familiar with any of these (or has a fourth program) and can comment on how reliable they are for backing up, and as needed for restoring and/or transferring, all or parts of the backups:

1) Dr. Fone
2) Syncios Android Backup Manager
3) SyncDroid Android Manager

I do not want anything backed up to a cloud or to google - just to my PC.
My phone is LG K20 (primary) - Samsung J2 (alternate).

 

[startac4]

Anyone have a suggestion about non-google, reliable backup programs (e.g. the three ones I listed in my prior post - or any others) for backing up the contacts in my LG K20 phone (and the same or different programs for backing up the contacts in my travel Samsung J2 phone, too) ?

 

[ocnbrze]

Anyone have a suggestion about non-google, reliable backup programs (e.g. the three ones I listed in my prior post - or any others) for backing up the contacts in my LG K20 phone (and the same or different programs for backing up the contacts in my travel Samsung J2 phone, too) ?

LG has their own way of backing up and restoring data
here you go:
https://www.tenorshare.com/android/lg-backup-and-restore.html

and for samsung, you can use their own backup utility program called smart switch:
https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00048603/

 

[startac4]

Thank you ocnbrze for the information. I downloaded the LG Bridge setup and read the Privacy Policy. The data it collects (products/purchases, services ordered, internet browsing history et al) is worse than what google tracks. I expect the LG Backup/Restore Privacy Policy is similar, if I could even find it to read it. I'll have to look for something less intrusive for backups.