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How can I back up my complete android system (settings, apps and data)

  • to my own network storage (preferably via ssh or rsync),
  • in a way that allows reasonably quick recovery of the whole system (e.g. after I replaced the hardware),
  • but also allows me to restore individual apps, including the app’s data,
  • ideally in a form that allows incremental backups (rsync, borg)

A rooted phone can be assumed, if necessary.

Joachim Breitner
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  • I recently moved to Android from Sailfish OS, where I could just use the same rsync-based backup as with all my other Linux devices, and I miss that convenience. – Joachim Breitner Jul 07 '18 at 13:50
  • Related: https://android.stackexchange.com/questions/84390/how-to-automatically-backup-everything-to-a-safe-location (I was unable to find that with Google, but StackExchange’s suggestion of related questions helps…) – Joachim Breitner Jul 07 '18 at 13:51
  • Afraid that's not as easy as you think. There are rsync apps for Android, but you'd not only need root to get the files off your device, but the hardware to fully restore on must be identical. "Whole system" I'd not do based on that. – Izzy Jul 07 '18 at 16:51
  • What about this “nandroid” backup thing – isn't that whole system? Is there an easy work-flow around that? – Joachim Breitner Jul 08 '18 at 14:33
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    Sure there is. But again: A Nandroid backup should only be restored to identical hardware. For details, might I suggest you take a look at our fine backup tag-wiki – and the nandroid tag-wiki? – Izzy Jul 08 '18 at 16:52
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    Trying hard to avoid chatting here … but thanks for the links. They led me to http://en.miui.com/thread-327449-1-1.html which indicates that from a nandroid backup, I can also recover individual apps, if needed. So if TWRP backup over nand would work as advertised then I’d be set :-) – Joachim Breitner Jul 09 '18 at 00:03
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    Don't forget to answer your own question with the set-up you end up choosing. – Dan Hulme Jul 09 '18 at 08:53

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