Sony SupportXperia 10 IV

Article ID : 00257427 / Last Modified : 20/01/2026Print

How to back up or restore Xperia content using Google services (Android 11 or higher)

    IMPORTANT: This article applies only to specific products and/or operating systems. Check Applicable Products and Categories for details.

    It is important to perform regular backups to safeguard your data.

    Avoid saving photos only on your device's internal memory or external memory card. If something were to happen to your device (damage, theft, etc.) you will lose all your data. Instead, it is recommended to also save your data on an online server (the cloud). 

    Note! It is very important that you remember the passwords that you set when you make a data backup. If you forget a password, it may not be possible to restore important data such as photos, contacts, and messages.

    It is recommended that you use all these backup options to have a comprehensive backup system in place.

    • Automatically synchronise data using your Google account.
    • Back up and synchronise photos and videos using Google Photos.
    • Back up data to Google Drive.

    Synchronising data using your Google account

    You can back up content, such as your calendar and contacts, by allowing Google to automatically synchronise your data with your Google account. Your Google account may already be automatically synchronising data with the Google apps you’re using. You should first check that automatic synchronising is on, and then decide on which Google apps you want to sync with your Google account.

    Note: Apps that can automatically synchronise might differ depending on your device model, Android version, installed apps, and/or settings. 

    Backing up and synchronising photos and videos using Google Photos

    Using Google Photos, you can back up and synchronise photos and videos on your Xperia device and external memory card (SD card) to a Google account. This way all your photos and videos are backed up and secure.

    To activate backup and synchronisation of photos and videos 

    Note: Photos and videos which are stored on your device or SD card will be shown in the Google Photos app on your device, no matter if they are backed up to your Google account or not. Backup & sync must be active for the photos and videos to be backed up to your Google account.

    Backing up data to Google Drive

    Google Drive is a cloud storage app which allows you to upload backups to Google. Your backups are encrypted using your Google account password. For some data, your device's screen lock PIN, pattern, or password is also used for encryption. The backed up data is then used to restore your settings and data to a new device, or to a device which has been reset to its original factory settings. 

    The backup includes:

    • Apps and app data
    • Call history
    • Contacts
    • Device settings (including Wi-Fi passwords and permissions)
    • Photos and videos
    • SMS

    Note: What is included in the backup might differ depending on your device model, Android version, installed apps and settings. Make sure to check what is applicable for your specific device when you enable the feature. 

    Note: If you go through the setup process without properly restoring your backed up data from Google Drive, you will need to reset your device to its original factory settings and set it up again to restore your data from Google Drive.