How to Backup Apps and Data on Galaxy Nexus without Rooting

The options available with Android’s latest version, Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0, are simply mind blowing. In fact, if you wanted to go through all of them, it would take you quite a while. There’s one entry that asks you to create a pass code to protect your desktop backups. Well, this is new, I thought. Certainly hadn’t heard of it till this moment.
The best part is, you don’t even need to unlock your bootloader or root it. There is probably more than one app that lets you do this, but here I am going to talk about the app from Mountain View which you can access from the Android Debug Bridge, or ADB.

This will allow you to backup your apps and data completely, to be restored at a later time.

Setup

Remember this is only for phones with ICS and upwards, so those with gingerbread cannot use this feature.

• • Get the Nexus Root Toolkit from WugFresh
• • You also need a Windows computer and a USB cable.
• • Mac users need to download Android SDK
• • Charge your phone
• • Activate USB debugging (you will find it in the developer options menu).

Next, Configure WugFresh Toolkit on Windows

ADB setup is easy as the toolkit handles all the commands.

• • Select the version of Nexus you’re using
• • Click system Variables under ‘Initial Setup’ and the Command Prompt will give you some instructions; follow them. If you have, run SDK earlier, the correct ADB path would already be configured by your PC; otherwise, your Toolkit will add them on.
• • If you have any earlier drivers you need to remove them so that the new drivers can be installed and there will not be any clash.
• • The software will prompt you to connect your phone now. The Toolkit will check to verify the connection and that the ADB can detect it. Then it will reboot it into the bootloader and check its visibility there.

Backup your Data

• • If you’re a Windows user all you have to do is click on ‘Backup Apps + Data’ under ‘Backup and Restore’ on your screen.
• • Specify the computer location you want to send your backups to
• • A command prompt window will pop up and ask you to confirm your device
• • Next it will ask if you would like to backup system apps and data, like Gmail and Market. The system recommendation is No, but you can go ahead with it if you want

• • The next command prompt window will ask you if you’re all set to go ahead with the backup
• • Make sure your phone is plugged in, and the screen awake, and then confirm you want to backup
• • You will be then prompted to create a password, to be used during restoration
• • Once you enter the password, the backup process gets underway
• • When done, it will be stored on your computer in the location you had specified

When required, you will be able to restore all your apps, data, passwords and settings.

I suppose that Google will work towards making this app even friendlier and simple to use in the days to come.

By-line:

This is a guest post by Jena Branch of Buycox.com, a site that offers savings and current information on cox tv.