Google is rolling out the ability to initiate manual backups to Google Drive – that does not need the usually recommended Wi-Fi – on Android devices including the older ones.
You’ve always needed the phone to be connected to a Wi-Fi network for backups, and in most cases, the device would be in charging mode. Because of this, if a handset lost its ability to charge or could not connect to the Wi-Fi, users were unable to back their data up on Google Drive.
But Google is changing that for Android users, with the ability to manually backup their data to the Google Drive. The release of the manual-backup feature was first speculated in August and Alex Kruger on Twitter showed us glimpses of how the feature works. This works over mobile data networks too.
According to Twitter user Alex Kruger who spotted the feature, it seems a new 'Back up now' button is beginning to appear in the Backup settings of devices of all kinds. The feature is available on 'Pixel 2' and also on some older devices like a 'Droid Turbo' from 2014 running on Android Marshmallow.”
How to Manually Backup Data
- Go to Settings on Android phone
- Select Google and click on Backup
- Click on the ‘Back up to Google Drive’ option
- All your apps and data on the phone will be saved
The feature is gradually rolling out to all Android users, who have devices with Android Marshmallow or above. Saving on Drive has become a crucial feature for users, who keep switching between devices. You can even back up WhatsApp messages to Drive. However, it’s worth noting that WhatsApp chats saved on Google’s cloud are not encrypted.
Google also recently overhauled its cloud product in India and other markets, which is now called Google One. Prices of plans remain the same, but you get additional benefits like sharing your cloud data with family or friends.
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