Back that app up: 5 great backup utilities for Android

Android Smartphones

15 May 2014

Currently 5.00/5
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5 great backup utilities for Android

You try to stifle back a tear as you pick up your phone, noticing just how broken it really is. Suddenly, all of the good times you'd had together flash before your eyes. You and your partner in crime... and now it's gone.

You have insurance through your carrier and you'll have a new phone in two weeks, but what you didn't have was the insurance that your memories with your smartphone remained intact. You had never backed it up, not even once.

Of course, I'm talking about myself. In second person.

All of my photos text messages were gone, never to be seen again. After that realization, the biggest blow came. My Flappy Bird score, gone. Along with my Candy Crush level progress, because I refused to sign in with Facebook.

All gone.

One day, you too will know my pain. Unless you back up your phone.

Most of the applications you’ll find below are capable of doing much more than just backing up and restoring applications. To keep things simple, I’ll be discussing how easy it is to back up and restore applications first and foremost, and go on to more notable features from there.

Backup utilities for Android

Helium

Helium was released a little over a year ago and has become a fan favorite. Not only can you backup your apps and data to your phone or cloud storage services, but you can also sync data from one device to another.

By default, Helium backs up only app data so your file size is smaller, saving you time in the process. Of course, it’s just a swipe and tap away to save the entire application to the internal storage of your phone, if it’s not a protected application.

Outside of regular apps and app data, you can just as easily backup SMS conversations, Wi-Fi connection settings, user dictionaries, and more. For simple backups and restores directly onto the phone, it doesn’t get much easier.

Download: Helium -- Pro price: $5

Titanium Backup

Titanium Backup has been around for many years, and is one of the most popular backup applications among those who like to mod and hack their phones. It requires root out of the gate, so this isn't the app for unrooted or inexperienced Android users.

While Titanium Backup may be one of the oldest and most comprehensive applications found on the Google Play Store today, someone needs to tell the developer that applications can be both powerful and pretty. Seriously, this app makes any calculator application look like an elegant and sophisticated work of art.

No one said that a utility application needs to be beautiful, but Titanium Backup would greatly benefit from a dramatic UI refresh.

I wouldn’t recommend this application for someone that’s just looking to back up applications and app data. It almost offers up too much for the unseasoned Android user.

Download: Titanium Backup *root -- Pro Price: $6

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