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Google Backup Not Working? 8 Troubleshooting Tips [Tested]

2025-12-08 16:45:57/Posted by Kitty Parkerto Android Backup Topic/Follow @ MobiKin

For Android phone users, syncing files or settings to Google Drive would be the most direct and easy way to back up phone data. With this feature, users are able to complete the backup process on the mobile phone and have no need to turn to any third-party software. So, it becomes a popular way to move Android files.

Nevertheless, most users reflect that their Google Drive does not run well sometimes and wish to get the solutions to fix the Google backup not working. That's why this article comes.

8 Easy Ways to Fix Google Backup Not Working

Normally, there are 8 means available to solve the problem - Google backup not working. The following is the details about these 8 methods, and you can go with them one by one to try to settle the issue.

Method 1. Check the network connection

Google backup requires a strong network connection. Thus, you need to make sure that the network you are using is stable and strong. Here, if you are using a wireless network, you should reconnect your phone to a new and strong Wi-fi. On the contrary, if you are using cellular data, you ought to check if you have set it to back up with Wi-fi only.

To check this feature, you can open Google Drive on your phone and tap on the three-line icon to turn on the menu. Next, click on Settings option to check whether Transfer files only over Wi-fi is on. If it is on, you need to switch it off.

backup files with google drive via wifi

Method 2. Reconfigure the Google account

Reconfiguring your Google account is a helpful method as well. In order to accomplish the reconfiguration, you need to remove the Google account from your mobile phone at first and then add it back. This means is easy to operate.

You can navigate to Settings> Accounts. After that, you will get a list of accounts. Just select Google and click on the three dots icon. Next, tap on the Remove account option.

remove google account

Then, you can add your Google account back and check if the Google backup works well this time.

Method 3. Clear the cache and data of Google Drive

Caches and data are the main reasons for the Android application running failure. So deleting the caches and data of the software is always the advisable means to solve the problem that an App fails to work. Thus, you can use this method to fix the Google backup not working issue as well.

To remove caches and data from Google Drive, the first thing you should do is to open up the application and go to Settings. Next, you need to tap on Clear Cache to remove the useless data. After that, you can reboot your phone to see whether the problem is fixed or not.

clear caches of google drive

Method 4. Update Google Drive & Android system

The last method you can use to fix the error is to update your Android system or Google Drive. That's because the software update can fix some bugs in the older version.

- Android update: Just go to Settings> About Phone> System Updates/Software Updates. (Android update failed?)

- Google Drive upgrade: Go to Google Play Store to check if there is any update for Google Drive directly.

Method 5. Free Up Storage Space

Google Backup often stops working when either your device storage or your Google account storage is nearly full. Check your Google Drive or Google One storage to see if you've hit the limit, as photos, videos, and WhatsApp backups can quickly consume space.

On your phone, remove unnecessary files, uninstall unused apps, or move large media files to an SD card if supported. After freeing up space, try running the backup again to see if it completes successfully.

transfer android files to sd card via gallery app

Method 6. Enable Required Permissions

Google Backup needs several permissions to access your device data, and missing just one can cause the entire backup to fail. Go to Settings > Apps > Google Drive, Google Play Services, and Google One, and ensure permissions like Storage, Contacts, SMS, Phone, and Files & Media are all enabled.

Some Android versions also require enabling background activity or unrestricted battery usage for backup-related apps. Once permissions and background access are granted, run a manual backup and check if the issue is resolved.

Method 7. Turn on Backup Services Manually

Sometimes backup settings become disabled after software updates, account changes, or switching devices, causing Google Backup to stop working silently. Open Settings > Google > Backup and make sure "Backup to Google Drive," "App data," and other relevant options are turned on.

how to back up sms to google drive

If everything looks correct, tap Back up now to force the system to start syncing your data immediately. During this process, keep your device connected to Wi-Fi and plugged in to ensure the backup runs smoothly without interruptions.

Method 8. Reset Google Play Services

Google Backup relies heavily on Google Play Services. Go to Settings > Apps > Google Play Services > Storage and choose Clear cache, then tap Manage space > Clear all data. This refreshes background services without affecting personal files and often fixes stuck backups.

reset google play services

Alternative Way to Back Up Android Files

When all the methods mentioned above fail, you can try to use other tools, such as MobiKin Assistant for Android (Win & Mac). This program allows you to back up and restore all the files on your phone with one simple click.

Moreover, the file types that it can back up are various, including contacts, messages, call logs, images, songs, videos, etc. Thus, most users like to use it to manage their phone data. Now you can go with the details below to back up your wanted files with one click.

- Download and install the software on your computer by clicking on the following icon and then launch the tool.

win android assistant mac android assistant

- Connect your phone to the computer via USB cable or Wi-fi. Now, you need to enable USB debugging on your Android phone when you select the USB connection. After that, you should click Next to make the program detect the connected device.

connect to program

When your phone is successfully recognized, you can see the interface as below:

move files from android to pc

- Tap on Super Toolkit at the top menu and click on Backup.

backup restore android phone

- Now you will get a pop-up window with several categories. Just check all the file types that you want to sync and choose the location to save the files. Finally, just hit Back Up to begin the moving process.

backup android device using mobikin

Certainly, if you want to restore your Android files, you can achieve your goal simply by clicking on Super Toolkit> Restore> Select the wanted files> Restore. Really convenient, right?

Video Guide:

Related Articles:

3 Ways to Restore Android from Google Backup after Setup [2026]

How to Access Google Cloud on Android Devices? 4 Must-have Tactics

Google Drive vs Google Photos: Which One to Pick in 2026?

[Detailed Tutorial] How to Back Up iPhone to Google Drive in 2026?

Kitty Parker
Kitty ParkerSenior Editor
 
In 2018, Kitty Parker graduated with a B.S. degree. After getting technical article writing training, she participated in MobiKin Team. She has spent years testing, studying, and writing professional articles on fields such as Android Backup, Android Recovery, and App Management. Proficient in creating diverse content, she regularly shares posts on social platforms to help those in need.
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