Backup and export
A backup is a snapshot of the device you can keep, compare against, or restore a state from.
Full and partial
Section titled “Full and partial”Full backup takes everything the device will hand over. Slow, large, and the right thing before a risky test or a device wipe.
Partial backup takes a chosen subset — one app’s data, one category. Fast, and usually what you actually want: a full backup of a 256 GB phone to answer one question about one app is a poor trade.
Taking one
Section titled “Taking one”- Connect and unlock. Keep it unlocked for the duration.
- Choose full or partial; for partial, select what to include.
- Pick a destination with room — a full backup can approach the used space on the device.
- Start, and leave the cable alone.
A backup interrupted halfway is not a backup. If the device sleeps and locks during a long run, protected files stop being readable and the result is incomplete.
Opening one
Section titled “Opening one”The module opens a backup you have already taken and lists what is in it. This is the difference between a backup as an opaque blob and a backup as something you can actually consult.
Browsing backup contents — walking into the directories and reading individual files — is a paid feature. Taking, opening and listing backups are free. See pricing.
What it is good for
Section titled “What it is good for”Before a destructive test. Wiping, restoring or upgrading a test device is a lot less frightening with a snapshot.
Comparing across a release. Back up before an upgrade and after it, and diff the app’s data to see exactly what the migration did.
Preserving a bug. A device in a broken state is evidence. Back it up before anyone reboots it out of habit.
Moving a state to another device. Capture a hard-to-reach state once, restore it whenever you need it, instead of reproducing it by hand every time.
Backups contain everything
Section titled “Backups contain everything”A device backup is a person’s entire phone. It is the most sensitive artefact this tool produces.
- Only back up devices you own or are authorized to examine.
- Store it encrypted, on a machine that is itself encrypted.
- Delete it when the work is finished. An old backup on a laptop is a breach waiting for a stolen bag.
- Prefer a partial backup whenever a partial one would answer the question.
The user agreement and the privacy policy both apply here.