Google could be working on better Android backups for more convenience

Android backups could reportedly soon include folders like Downloads, and more. Check details here.

Backing up your phone is one of the most important things you can do to keep your data safe, including photos, videos, and other sensitive documents, especially if you lose your phone or it gets stolen. Having your data constantly backed up to the cloud is a feature that many phones now offer. However, the backup process varies and does not cover all file types or folders.

A forthcoming update for Google Play Services may allow Android devices to back up Downloads folders automatically. (REUTERS)

By Shaurya Sharma

Shaurya Sharma is the Technology Editor at Hindustan Times Digital Streams, where he oversees technology coverage across digital and social platforms. With over eight years of experience across editorial, video production, and digital media, his work focuses on smartphones, AI, consumer gadgets, and shaping audience-first content strategies for modern tech consumers.

He began his career in 2018 as a fashion cinematographer before turning his lifelong passion for technology into a profession. From spending his childhood immersed in tech magazines, video games, and the latest gadgets to covering the global consumer tech industry today, technology has remained a constant throughout his journey.

Over the years, Shaurya has worked with some of India’s leading media organisations, including CNN-News18, Sportskeeda, and Guiding Tech, where he led video initiatives that combined strong editorial storytelling with engaging visual and social-first execution.

A graduate in Journalism and Mass Communication from Manipal University, Shaurya has reviewed hundreds of products across categories including smartphones, laptops, gaming consoles, cameras, and wearables. Beyond work, he is passionate about animal welfare, environmental causes, and automobiles, particularly turbo-petrol cars

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Now, while Android phones have always had a robust backup mechanism to safeguard your data, including photos, videos, and more. However, there is a limitation when it comes to certain folders, especially the Downloads folder. Now, it seems that this could finally change in an upcoming Android Play Services update, as spotted by Android Authority.

When can you expect it?

Well, this was first noticed with the Google Play Services version 25.32.31, and according to Android Authority, it will give you the option to enable backup for the Downloads folder, just as you do for photos, videos, and other device data. This means you will no longer have to manually upload your Downloads folder to Google Drive. Instead, just as your photos are automatically backed up, the Downloads folder will also be backed up in the same way, allowing you to access the files in your Downloads folder anywhere and on all devices where you are logged into your Google account.

Potential Limitations

The report also notes that there is a category called Documents, which suggests that Google may allow only certain files to be backed up, and not every file type. This could, of course, make it somewhat limited. Nevertheless, if it does arrive on Android, it would provide a much better experience compared to the current backup option available on Android.