Frequently Asked Questions

Google sign-in is required for cloud backups and all premium features in the app. It is used to:

• Setup your Swift Backup account
• Backup your Swift Backup settings to our servers
• Cache cloud backup metadata on our servers to reduce network requests to your cloud service
• Protect your backup files with encryption keys that are unique to you without any user input
• Verify purchases and activate premium even on devices without Google Play
• Reduce financial damages caused by piracy

Note that all backup files, whether local or cloud, are tied to a specific Google account. You cannot use the backup files of one Google Account with another.

When you sign-in with Google, we receive your account's email address, name, and a link to your profile picture. This information is used to set up your unique Swift Backup account.

Yes, you can sign-in to the app anonymously, offline, without a Google account. This feature is specifically for users who only want to use Swift Backup for local backups without any premium features.

• Cloud backups or premium features cannot be used without Google sign-in.
• Swift Backup settings for anonymous users can be exported/imported using the options in the app settings.
• Backups taken with anonymous sign-in cannot be used with accounts with Google sign-in and vice-versa.

You can only use Google Drive of the account with which you signed in the app. You simply need to sign-in in the app with the Google account with which you want to sync your backups to Drive.

This depends on your needs. Most apps work fine when restored with APKs and Data, but some trial and error may be required for specific apps. Below is a breakdown of each app part and its requirements.

No. No app can access the private data of another app without root access. (Refer to the previous FAQ for the backup/restore requirements for each app part).

If you don't have root access, the only practical option to backup the private app data is to use backup solutions that shipped with your device (if any) or to use Google backup if your device has Google Play services, etc.

Yes. You can switch the SwiftBackup folder location from Internal storage to an SD Card or USB drive from the 'Home' tab in the app. Click on the icon beside the storage information to bring up the switching screen.

Is root required for this feature?

• SD Cards: Root required on Android 10 and below
• USB drives: Root required on Android 11 and below

1. Copy 'SwiftBackup' folder from the device to your PC/USB/SD Card or upload it to a cloud service.

2. Wipe/Flash your ROM

3. Copy the folder back to device

4. Install Swift Backup & Login with the same account used to take the backups (Google account / Anonymous).

To delete your app backups, open Swift Backup and click on the 'Apps' icon in the top card to enter the Apps screen. You can perform all sorts of apps related actions in this screen, so make sure you familiarize yourself with this screen.

First, switch to the 'Local' or 'Cloud' section from the top depending on the location of the app backups you wish to delete.

To delete multiple backups:

• Click on the 'Batch actions' button at the bottom and select the Delete backups action.
• Now select the apps in the list and perform the 'Delete backups' action for the selected apps.
• If you wish to delete only the archived app backups, select the 'Delete archived backups only' action instead.

To delete backups of a specific app:

• Click on the app item from the list in the Apps screen.
• In the resulting screen, click on the 3-dot menu in the Device backup card or the Cloud backup card and select 'Delete backup' action.

There are no plans to support custom folder locations on cloud or local storage. The current implementation of a standard location across all cloud services or local storages helps us keep things simple and easier to debug in case of issues.

This feature is no longer planned since starting with Android 10, all device partitions except /data are read-only at runtime. This means that System apps can only be updated during runtime but the original APKs residing in /system cannot be touched.

TWRP/Recovery mode should be able to access all partitions. So in order to actually uninstall system apps, you can do so in recovery via debloater scripts.

Tip: Keep it simple and use Swift Backup to disable the system apps you don't won't to use.

For Google Sign-in users: Encryption passwords are generated on a per-user and per-backup type basis and are not stored anywhere. Note that your Google account email id is NOT used to generate the passwords. When you sign-in with Google in Swift Backup for the first time, you are creating a Swift Backup specific account which has its own randomly generated user id. This user id is one of the factors that is used to generate the keys.

For Anonymous users: Encryption passwords are common for all anonymous users. Use the 'Advanced' strategy (read below) and add your own custom password to the encryption logic to make your passwords unique from other users.

Yes. Swift Backup supports a minimal implementation for running schedules at your convenience via a shell command. You can run this command in a terminal emulator or use it in automation apps like Tasker, Macrodroid, etc. Root access needed.

am start -n org.swiftapps.swiftbackup/.shortcuts.ShortcutsActivity

am start -n org.swiftapps.swiftbackup/.shortcuts.ShortcutsActivity -e "cmd" "-s [schedule_id1] [schedule_id2]"

Anonymous users: Swift Backup settings for anonymous users can be exported/imported using the options in the app settings. Following settings are synced:

• All preferences under 'Settings' in the app
• Favorite apps
• App blacklist

Google Sign-in users: Your Swift Backup settings do not need to be backed up manually. They are synced by the app on our servers and will be restored when you sign-in in the app. Following settings are synced:

• All preferences under 'Settings' in the app
• Favorite apps
• Schedules
• App labels
• App configs
• App blacklist

There are no plans to add a separate Contacts backup feature. However, if you are rooted, you can backup data of the Contacts Storage system app and then restore it after you switch ROMs or perform a factory reset. Ideally, we recommend to keep your contacts in your cloud using other more-or-less real-time sync solution.

Google does not support in-app purchases for Family Library sharing.

Source: Google

If you have signed in Swift Backup using a Google account, you can choose to request deletion of your Swift Backup account and all associated data.

Procedure to request account deletion:

• Send an email to delete your account to support@swiftapps.org using the the same Google account you used to sign-in with Swift Backup.
• Uninstall Swift Backup from your devices
• Delete all files/folders created by Swift Backup on your devices and any connected cloud services.
• Your account will be deleted within 28 days or sooner and you will notified by email about the same.
• Upon completion of your account deletion, all data that is associated with your account including information received by us when you used Google Sign-in with Swift Backup, your synced Swift Backup Settings and your cloud backup metadata, etc. is fully deleted.

Note:

• All backups taken using the deleted account cannot be used in Swift Backup anymore.
• Do not sign-in again in Swift Backup or a new account will be generated.