Can you back up your whole device in w10m?

[Drael646464]

This is something I very much prefer to do on all my mobile devices (well all devices actually).

Is it possible to backup your entire device and "flash" it back if something goes wrong?

 

[Charis Ntouroutlis]

I did it just yesterday. After a hard reset/recovery my device turned on with exactly the same start screen, apps/games and settings (even my saved Wi-Fi networks were there!).

So the only thing I did it was the turned on backup (Settings > Update & security > Backup) and the same Microsoft account that was connected with the system.

Was my answer helpful?

 

[Drael646464]

I did it just yesterday. After a hard reset/recovery my device turned on with exactly the same start screen, apps/games and settings (even my saved Wi-Fi networks were there!).

So the only thing I did it was the turned on backup (Settings > Update & security > Backup) and the same Microsoft account that was connected with the system.

Was my answer helpful?

Does it remember your app settings, and browser passwords/bookmarks? Your stored emails and texts?

 

[Tien-Lin Chang]

You can only get the start screen back if you didn't play much on the setting.

I had changed my font size from 200% to 175% which require one reboot then enable 4-column layout and this thing never fully recovered from backup. I always got stupid 200% font size plus 3-column layout which pump the entire column of tiles to the buttom of the pile and it's kind of painful to rearrange it everytime after rollback.

 

[xandros9]

What you're asking is only possible on rooted Android phones.

(and some older stuff like Palm OS gadgets, but those are archaic)

 

[Drael646464]

What you're asking is only possible on rooted Android phones.

(and some older stuff like Palm OS gadgets, but those are archaic)

So there's nothing in interop tools etc to achieve it here? Okay.

 

[xandros9]

So there's nothing in interop tools etc to achieve it here? Okay.

Nothing like the kind of bit-by-bit access we would need.

 

[Drael646464]

ah well, some apps and settings isn't bad. Won't be as bad as setting up and android or PC from stratch if I have to hard reset or similar.

 

[Chintan Gohel]

ah well, some apps and settings isn't bad. Won't be as bad as setting up and android or PC from stratch if I have to hard reset or similar.

From my experience, the most important thing you want backed up is sms - if you lose those you don't have a way of getting them back.

Every other type of content can be backed up in more than one way - you can always copy your photos, music, videos etc to your pc, your store app remembers which app you had downloaded before, contacts are synced with your email account so you can still see them on a pc browser.

As for passwords - you can remember them, right? Not that hard to enter them again

Settings can be a lengthy process but worth it sometimes since you might change your layout or style just to make the device feel different

 

[HoosierDaddy]

As for passwords - you can remember them, right? Not that hard to enter them again

Not (to both remembering and entering). I have 4 email passwords and 3 WiFi keys, each is ~40 random characters which means a single character can take 3-4 presses between switching from alpha/numeric, caps, characters that aren't a dedicated key, etc..

 

[ven07]

For the passwords you can use a password manager. Just remember one password

(Personally I don't use them, but I can see the appeal)

 

[ttsoldier]

Does it remember your app settings, and browser passwords/bookmarks? Your stored emails and texts?

Browser passwords and bookmarks are stored in the cloud.

Once i set up my microsoft account on any windows device, it automatically syncs my favorites and saved passwords for all my websites.

It also syncs all my WiFi passwords as well.

Emails are downloaded once you sign in.

SMS is also synced once you sign in .

Personally I don't ever restore a backup. It's too messy. I love a fresh start. I do wish there was a way to backup just the start screen layout and restore that.

 

[camaroz1985]

Just take a screenshot or two of your start screen so you can remember what is where.

I almost always use a backup. I wish it did a better job of restoring settings, but it easier than having to redo everything.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Once i set up my microsoft account on any windows device, it automatically syncs my favorites and saved passwords for all my websites.

It also syncs all my WiFi passwords as well.

When did that start? I have always had to re-enter the WiFi keys on a new phone or after a hard reset or using WDRT. Also always have to set up all the email accounts again with their passwords and assorted IMAP parameters.

I always thought of that as necessary evils. I don't much like the idea of MS storing my email accounts/passwords and WiFi keys in the cloud where they could get hacked.

 

[ttsoldier]

When did that start? I have always had to re-enter the WiFi keys on a new phone or after a hard reset or using WDRT. Also always have to set up all the email accounts again with their passwords and assorted IMAP parameters.

I always thought of that as necessary evils. I don't much like the idea of MS storing my email accounts/passwords and WiFi keys in the cloud where they could get hacked.

It's been that way since 8.1

After hard restart, i will need to log into a wifi network by typing in the key.... Once i log into that wifi network and sign in with my Microsoft account it's pretty straight forward after there:

Go to settings>accounts>sync your settings.... the "Passwords" option may be or or off... if it's off, you will need to turn it on and you would be prompted to verify yourself... If it's on, it will prompt you to verify your self. If i remember properly, you need to verify your identity via the Microsoft authenticatior app or another method like via a sms message or something.

Once you verify, your WiFi networks will show up under "manage known WiFi networks" in your WiFi settings and your passwords in edge and favorites in edge will all sync.

It's much easier this way and I am not worried about being "hacked".

We live in a cloud era.. Going forward , everything will be cloud focused. If you're worried about information being stored in the cloud where it could get hacked, then you probably should not be using a smart phone.

 

[DSR11]

What about games? I have been wanting to do a hard-reset, but I'm afraid of losing games that of course aren't syncing to any kind of cloud account....like royal revolt or township. or subway surfers...I don't use facebook.

 

[ven07]

Unless the game specifically provides a way for you to save progress in the cloud, you'll probably have to start over from scratch