If you’re an avid user of Helium for all of your backups, you may know already about the issues the Nexus 6P seems to have with the service. Thankfully, there’s a workaround that has worked for some users, which we’ll go into here.
Method 1: Helium Backups
Helium is a popular backup service that uses both a desktop companion, and a Helium Android app to backup your device. Normally, while Helium works very well for all intents and purposes, many Nexus 6P users have had some issues using the service successfully. During the steps needed to use Helium, I’ll be explaining what you should do along the way if you run into any trouble. Additionally, this requires both a PC and a way to connect the Nexus 6P to it, so please keep that in mind.
Step 1:
The first step, much it’s mentioned on Helium’s website, is installing the app onto your device. You can download the app through this link to the Google Play Store: After you’ve installed Helium on your device, launch the app and then just let it sit for now. Make sure your device is NOT connected to your PC currently. If it is connected, close Helium, disconnect it, and then open the app again and let it idle by NOT clicking OK on the startup screen. Having your Nexus 6P connected to your PC at this step could result in the same issues multiple Nexus 6P users were reporting.
Step 2:
The next step is installing Helium on your PC, if you didn’t download it from the link above, you can find it here. Helium installation on your PC is the same as any program, and once it’s done, make sure to start it and leave it running.
Step 3:
Now that that both Helium programs are running, you can now connect your device to your PC. You can now progress through the screen above as normal, and follow the onscreen instructions to perform the Helium backup on your Nexus 6P. If this is not successful, attempt steps 1-3 again. It could take a few tries for the Helium method to work, but it should be successful after a couple of tries.
Method 2: Titanium Backup (Requires Root)
We’ve covered Titanium in full, but it warrants a quick mention again when it concerns just the Nexus 6P. There have been some reported cases of Nexus 6P users having problems getting Titanium Backup to work properly. If you ever find that Titanium doesn’t function properly, try deleting any instance you have of the program and reinstall it. Doing this should clear up any backup issues from taking place with the Nexus 6P. If you have any problems using Titanium after reading our article on it above, feel free to ask any questions in the comments below on either page.
Method 3: Built-in Backup
While it may not be the most efficient backup method, the Nexus 6P can backup certain data on its own right out of the box. This won’t save everything like a different backup service could, but if you’re not looking to go download any additional applications or perform a root, this just might meet your needs. What can this backup? It’s certainly not everything, but on its own, the Nexus 6P can backup:
App account dataWi-Fi passwordsGoogle account dataPhotos and VideosContact data
If this is all you’re looking to backup, follow the steps below to go through this method.
Step 1:
This first step will deal with backing up app data, though not the apps themselves. To do this you’ll need to:
Navigate to the home screen, and select Apps.From here, go to Settings.Find Personal in this menu, and tap Backup & reset underneath it.
From this menu you can enable the backup features you see on screen if they aren’t already enabled by default.
Step 2:
Next we’ll worry about photos and videos. For this, you’ll need to open the Google Photos app and then:
Tap the Menu icon located in the top left.Select Settings in this next menu.Under Backup or Backup & sync, toggle any backup options you wish to enable.
That should do it for your photos and videos, but an alternative could be to copy them over to your PC by transferring the files over a data cable. You can also use another cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive to backup your photos and video.
Step 3:
Last but not least, we’ll talk about keeping your contacts and Google account data backed up and secure.
Navigate to your Settings in the app drawer, or any other location.Next, select Accounts and then the account you want to use to sync information.There are a number of different options you can sync here, but the checkbox for Sync contacts is the most important for this step.
If there’s anything else under this menu you wish to sync, do so if desired.
Method 4: Nandroid Backup
Nandroid Backups has always been a helpful tool that essentially takes a snapshot of your device and saves it for future use. We’ve covered how to use Nandroid backups in full, but I want to touch on any concerns a Nexus 6P user might have before using this method. First and foremost, Nandroid Backups does not require a root, but it does require an unlocked bootloader. This does mean that your device will be wiped of all data if your bootloader is not currently unlocked. An unlocked bootloader is essential before rooting, so having the Nexus 6P rooted is certainly beneficial to the process. In my personal opinion, backup services don’t get much better, or more efficient than Nandroid backups. If you’ve been looking for a reason to root, or just unlock your bootloader, Nandroid backups wouldn’t be the worst reason.
Conclusion
Much like any Android phone, there are multiple ways and methods to backup its information. However, no matter which method you use, I’ve always preferred Nandroid backups over any other service. Thankfully, much like with anything Android, the choice is up to you. Did you run into any problems with any of the methods above? You can leave your questions in the comments below if you need help. Featured Image Credit
