docs/html/guide/topics/data/backup.jd

page.title=Backing up App Data to the Cloud
page.tags=cloud,sync,backup

startpage=true

@jd:body

<p>Users often invest significant time and effort creating data and setting
preferences within apps. Preserving that data for users if they replace a broken
device or upgrade to a new one is an important part of ensuring a great user
experience. This section covers techniques for backing up data to the cloud so
that users can restore their data.

<p>Android provides two ways for apps to backup their data to the cloud:
<a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/data/autobackup.html">Auto Backup for Apps</a> and
<a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/data/keyvaluebackup.html">Key/Value Backup</a>.
Auto Backup, which is available starting API 23, preserves app data by uploading
it to the user’s Google Drive account. The Key/Value Backup feature (formerly
known as the Backup API and the Android Backup Service) preserves app data by
uploading it to the <a href="{@docRoot}google/backup/index.html">Android Backup Service</a>.

<p>Generally, we recommend Auto Backup because it requires no work to implement.
Apps that target Android 6.0 (API level 23) or higher are automatically enabled
for Auto Backup. The Auto Backup feature does have some limitations in terms of
what data it can backup and it's availability on Android 6.0 and higher devices.
Consider using the Key/Value Backup feature if you have more specific needs for
backing up your app data. For more information, see <a href="{@docRoot}guide/topics/data/keyvaluebackup.html#Comparison">Comparison of Key/Value and Auto Backup</a></p>

<p class="note"><strong>Note:</strong> These data backup features are not designed for synchronizing app data with other clients or
saving data that you'd like to access during the normal application lifecycle.
You cannot read or write backup data on demand. For synchronizing app data, see
<a href="{@docRoot}training/sync-adapters/index.html">Transferring
Data Using Sync Adapters</a> or <a href="https://developers.google.com/drive/android/">Google Drive Android
API</a>.