Back in the early days of Android, Titanium Backup was considered the go-to backup solution for those with full root access. Its impact on the power user community over the years is undeniable. However, Titanium Backup's days are numbered because the original developer no longer updates the app. This means smartphones and the best Android tablets are out of luck since new device support is nonexistent. You now have other options that are nearly as good. This guide covers how to tap into the power of Shizuku to back up your device.

Why not use Google One for backups?

When using Google One to back up and restore your device, the data for your apps are only partially saved to your online account. It keeps a list of the installed apps and downloads them directly from the Google Play Store. That means you'll need an active internet connection to restore your device in this manner each time. If you frequently perform factory resets, downloading these apps from scratch can be a hassle. Because of this, you may be looking for a reliable and alternative method to restore your apps without going the Google One route.

Why might you want to use Swift Backup?

Swift Backup is the perfect choice for all your backup needs, giving you offline and custom cloud storage options without requiring root access. It relies on the Shizuku service, which uses powerful on-device ADB commands and system APIs to elevate your Android experience. This allows you to have temporary higher-level system privileges without rooting your device, perfect for those who like to tinker with minimal risk. Using Swift Backup after a factory reset can save time, battery, and network data since you don't have to redownload your apps from the Google Play Store.

Swift Backup was tested up to Android 13 and the first Android 14 public beta. During our testing, we didn't experience any issues using Swift Backup and its core features with the Shizuku service. As such, you can back up and restore your apps after a factory reset without worry.

How to install and activate the Shizuku service

You'll need to use the Shizuku service combined with Swift Backup to get the most out of your experience short of having full root access. Still, you must have root privileges for some Swift Backup features to work correctly. However, the Shizuku service gives you plenty of control over your app backups to make up for that.

To enable the Shizuku service on your device, do the following:

  1. Install the Shizuku app from the Google Play Store.
  2. Open Shizuku, then go to the Start via Wireless debugging section.
  3. Tap the Pairing button.
  4. Follow the on-screen instructions to pair Shizuku with your device.
  5. Return to the main screen and tap the Start button.
  6. Now that the Shizuku service is running, you're ready for the next part.

You can also learn how to set up Shizuku in greater detail if you need extra help with this part. From wireless debugging to ADB commands on a computer, we cover the methods you can use to enable the Shizuku service.

Backing up your apps using Swift Backup

One of the best things about Swift Backup is that you can batch backup and restore your apps when paired with Shizuku. This means you can select the apps you want, press a button, and it does everything for you from there. In other words, the days of manually tapping one app at a time to back them up are long gone, and you don't have to lift a finger. Once you use the feature on your device, you'll see how convenient backing up and restoring your apps can be.

Before you can back up or restore the apps on your device, you'll need to connect Swift Backup with the Shizuku service to enable the necessary features. To get started, check out the following steps:

  1. Install the Swift Backup app from the Google Play Store.
  2. Open Swift Backup and sign in with your Google account, or choose to use it offline. The Continue without an account option works great for offline backups. However, you must log in to your Google account for cloud backups and other premium features.
  3. Tap the Grant Notifications permission button.
  4. Tap Allow to grant the notifications permission.
  5. Tap Allow all the time to confirm the Shizuku permission.
  6. Review and swipe away the Recent changes page to reach the main screen.
  7. The Root Status should show No root, ADB access via Shizuku when using the wireless debugging option.

Select your settings and back up your apps

Once you have the Shizuku service working correctly with Swift Backup, it's time to select which app backup options you want to use. You can do the following to get started with that:

  1. Scroll down to the Apps quick actions section, then tap Backup all apps.
  2. Go through this list and select each app you want to back up from your device. All installed apps are checked by default, but you can uncheck any you don't want to save.
  3. Tap the Backup options button at the bottom once you're done.
  4. Under User app parts, ensure the APKs option is checked by default. This is the file format used to save your apps. You can add extra backup features such as Ext. data, Expansion, and Media. However, you'll need full root access to use the Data option here.

If you plan to do a simple backup of your installed apps, you'll be fine using only the APKs option. Gamers may want to check Ext. data and Expansion to save the external resources that most games require you to download.

Finish up the app backup process

Now that you've selected the app backup options that work best for you, it's time to back them up. To get started, do the following:

  1. Select the Device option for local offline backups or Cloud for online backups.
  2. Tap the Backup button at the bottom to begin the batch process. This can take a few minutes, depending on the number of apps and how much space they occupy.
  3. Tap the Done button at the bottom once your apps have been backed up.
  4. If you made an offline backup, save it to a computer or external media device for safekeeping. Copy the SwiftBackup folder from the root of your internal storage and move it to your external media device.

Batch restoring your apps using Swift Backup

After your device has gone through a factory reset, you'll want to quickly get things back up and running to avoid unnecessary downtime. The recovery process is simple, so it shouldn't take much of your time.

Prepare your device and activate the Shizuku service

After you start fresh with a new factory reset, you'll need to do a few extra steps to restore your device using Swift Backup. To get started with that, do the following:

  1. Go through the initial device setup process and sign in with your Google account. Skip the part asking how you want to restore your apps since you'll use Swift Backup.
  2. Install Shizuku and Swift Backup from the Google Play Store.
  3. Open the Shizuku app and enable the background service again.
  4. Transfer the SwiftBackup folder with your saved apps to the root of your internal storage, or they won't appear on the list.

Quickly restore your backed-up apps with minimal effort

With the device preparations taken care of, you can restore your apps through Swift Backup rather than Google One. To restore your apps from here, check out the following steps:

  1. Open the Swift Backup app.
  2. Scroll to the Apps quick actions section, then tap Restore all apps.
  3. Tap the Restore options button at the bottom. The apps you backed up are checked by default, but you can uncheck any you don't want before moving on.
  4. Select the app options you used for the backup, and then tap Restore to begin.
  5. Once your apps have been restored, tap the Done button.
  6. Close the Swift Backup app and return to your homescreen.
  7. Open the app drawer, and you should see all your apps right where they were before the factory reset.

Swift Backup simplifies the app backup process

Swift Backup combined with Shizuku allows you to easily back up and restore your Android apps without root access. There are a few limitations, but many of the core features from Swift Backup are readily available. You can also back up more than your apps, so consider checking out the extra features it offers. For example, keeping an offline backup of your text messages, call logs, and homescreen wallpapers would be beneficial. And if you upgrade to premium, you can set up a custom schedule to automate the entire backup process.

You can also tap into the Shizuku service to freeze unwanted system apps and bloatware to help optimize your device. Use it to clear the icon clutter and stop rogue apps from running in the background, potentially saving a little extra battery life.