If you use an Android device, particularly a smartphone, then it’s necessary that you should regularly backup your devices. Not that some technical snag will spring up but it’s a good practice. A regular backup will ensure that your info relating to contacts, media, messages are not lost. Sometimes, the backup may not work. In this guide, I will tell you how to fix the issue when you are not able to create a contact backup on your Android device.
Often users are not able to back up their information. They see the backup option button is greyed out. This may happen due to some bugs. Otherwise, some tech enthusiasts believe that pattern lock used for screen lock may cause this issue. It encrypts the backup hence no access to create a backup.
Related | Manage Contacts on Galaxy S20 Series
This technique works in general for almost everything on your phone that you wish to backup. Let me explain it.
- Go to Settings > System
- Under System, you should look for Backup [These 2 steps may vary a bit for different devices]
- Tap on Backup Now [The backup will be created to Google Drive]
The users that are facing the bug will see that the Backup Now button is greyed out. Below I have mentioned some fixes or that.
How to Fix When Not Able to Create Backup
Now, let’s see if you are not able to backup, then what possible fixes you can try out. For most of the users, the troubleshoot I have put up below has worked really fine.
Disable All Kinds of Screen Lock System you Use
- Go to Settings
- Then head to Security & Lock Screen
- Under the Device Security tab, you should see various screen lock options.
- Tap on each of the options and disable them one-by-one
- You have to enter your pattern lock to access the options
- Follow the screenshots
Keep in mind that you have to disable all kinds of lock you utilize. I have an in-display fingerprint, face unlock, and pattern unlock. So, in the above screenshots, I have separately disabled them.
Tip
This is a temporary workaround. Remember that having a better security system like face unlock, fingerprint or the pattern lock is very necessary for the secure usage of the phone. Once you re-enable any security feature then the Backup option will grey out once again. Each time you create the backup you need to disable the security lock mechanisms.
Clear Google Drive Cache
Yes, this is another solution for your issue of not being able to create Contact Backups or any other backups. Sometimes temporary files sit in the app and create clutter that you can clear out.
- Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All Apps
- Scroll down to Drive. To open, tap on it.
- Tap on Storage & Cache
- Next, tap on Clear Cache & Clear Storage
- Restart your device
Now, the issue should be fixed.
Using ADB to Fix the Issue
If you have installed ADB, then you can make the backup button functional using these techniques.
Pre-Requisites
- A PC
- Android smartphone
- USB Cable
- Install your smartphone brand-specific USB Driver on the PC
- Make sure to enable USB debugging on your smartphone
Steps
Note
If executing the above code generates some message like,
Backup Finished With: Backup Cancelled, then type in the following code
-
bmgr backupnow appdata
-
bmgr backupnow --all
Check This | How to transfer Contacts to A New Android Smartphone
An Alternative for Rooted Android device
All the methods we checked out above were for Android devices running on stock ROM. What about those devices that are rooted and cannot create Contact Backup.? Here is a fix for that as well.
- Download Terminal Emulator
- Launch the Emulator
- Type the following command to grant superuser access
su
- Now to create backup enter the following code
bmgr backupnow --all
- To finish the process manually reboot the device
Now, you have created your backup on your rooted Android device.
So, this was a detailed insight on how to fix the issue when you are not able to create a Contact backup or any other backup on your Android device. Try these methods out and let us know the results.
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