Transfer Android Apps and Data with ADB – No‑Root Tutorial

Before you start

Moving apps together with their internal data is a frequent need when you upgrade to a new Android phone. Google’s built‑in backup works for many apps, but it often skips game progress, custom settings, or apps that disable cloud sync. The adb backup command offers a reliable, no‑root way to capture an app’s APK and its private data, then restore it on another device.

Make sure you have the following:

• A Windows, macOS, or Linux computer with Android Platform‑Tools (adb) installed.
• Both the source and target Android phones running Android 6.0 (Marshmallow) or newer. adb backup was deprecated in Android 12, but it still works on most devices up to Android 11; on Android 12+ you may need to enable the hidden adb_backup flag (see troubleshooting).
• A USB‑C or micro‑USB cable for each phone, or a reliable Wi‑Fi ADB setup if you prefer wireless.
• Sufficient free storage on the computer for the backup file (size roughly equals the data you are backing up).

Step 1: Enable Developer Options and USB Debugging

Both phones need USB debugging turned on.

1. Open Settings on the phone.
2. Navigate to About phone (or System > About on some OEM skins).
3. Tap Build number seven times until you see “You are now a developer”.
4. Return to the main Settings screen, then go to System > Developer options.
5. Toggle USB debugging on. Confirm any security prompt.

Step 2: Verify ADB Connection

Connect the source phone to your computer via USB. If you prefer Wi‑Fi, run adb tcpip 5555 on the device first, then connect with adb connect IP_ADDRESS.

adb devices

Step 3: Choose Which Apps to Back Up

The adb backup command can target a single package, a list of packages, or all user apps. Use the package name (e.g., com.example.game) which you can find in Settings > Apps > App name > Advanced > Package name, or via adb shell pm list packages.

Step 4: Create the Backup File

Run the backup command on the source device. The -apk flag includes the APK file, -shared includes shared storage (photos, downloads) for the selected apps, and -all backs up every user app. For a selective backup, list the packages after the command.

# Backup a single app with its data and APK
adb backup -apk -f ~/stardew_backup.ab com.chucklefish.stardewvalley

If you want to back up multiple apps at once, separate the package names with spaces:

# Backup three apps together
adb backup -apk -f ~/myapps_backup.ab com.example.app1 com.example.app2 com.example.app3

For a full user‑app backup (excluding system apps), use:

# Backup all user-installed apps
adb backup -apk -shared -all -f ~/full_backup.ab

During the process, the phone may show a progress bar. Large games can take several minutes.

Step 5: Verify the Backup File

After the backup finishes, check the file size on your computer. A size of a few kilobytes usually means the command failed or you chose no apps.

ls -lh ~/stardew_backup.ab

If you used a password, you can test decryption with the adb restore command in “dry‑run” mode (no actual restore) by adding the -noauto flag and cancelling when prompted.

Step 6: Transfer the Backup File to the New Phone

There are three safe ways to move the .ab file:

• USB flash drive or OTG stick: copy the file to the drive, then plug it into the target phone.
• Local network share: use SMB or a simple HTTP server (e.g., python -m http.server) on your PC and download the file on the phone.
• Cloud storage: upload to a trusted service (Google Drive, Dropbox) and download on the new device. Ensure the connection is encrypted (HTTPS).

Place the file in a folder you can easily locate, such as /Download or /Documents.

Step 7: Enable USB Debugging on the Target Phone

Repeat the steps from Step 1 on the new device. Connect it to the computer (or use Wi‑Fi ADB) and verify the connection with adb devices.

Step 8: Restore the Apps and Data

Run the restore command, pointing to the backup file you transferred. If you set a password during backup, you’ll be prompted for it.

# Restore a single app
adb restore -f ~/stardew_backup.ab

For a full user‑app backup:

# Restore everything that was backed up with -all
adb restore -f ~/full_backup.ab

After restoration, the phone may reboot automatically. Once it boots, open the restored app to verify that your settings, progress, or login state are intact.

Step 9: Clean Up

After confirming a successful transfer, you can delete the backup file from both the computer and the target phone to avoid leaving sensitive data exposed.

Alternative Approaches

If adb backup fails because the device runs Android 12+ with the feature disabled, you have two practical work‑arounds:

• Use the “Google backup” service: Settings > System > Backup. It syncs app data for many Google‑play apps, but not all.
• Leverage third‑party backup apps that use the Android backup API (e.g., Helium – App Sync and Backup). These apps often require a desktop companion but work without root.

Both alternatives store data in the cloud, which may not meet privacy‑focused users’ requirements.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

1. Backup finishes with a 0‑byte file

• Make sure the device’s screen is unlocked during the backup. Some devices refuse to back up when locked.
• Check that you granted the “Allow backup” permission when the confirmation dialog appeared.
• Older OEM skins (e.g., some Samsung firmware) may hide the backup UI; try a different USB cable or enable “Transfer files” USB mode.

2. “adb: error: device unauthorized”

• Re‑connect the USB cable and accept the RSA key prompt on the phone.
• On Windows, ensure the correct USB driver (Google USB Driver or OEM-specific driver) is installed.

3. Restore fails with “Failed to install package”

• The target device may have a newer Android version that blocks older APK signatures. Verify the app’s compatibility on the Play Store.
• Some apps (e.g., Google Play Services) are system‑level and cannot be restored via adb backup. Skip those and reinstall from the Play Store.

4. Password prompt never appears

• If you omitted a password during backup, the restore command will not ask for one. If you expected a password, redo the backup with the -pw flag (e.g., adb backup -apk -f backup.ab -pw mySecret).

Best‑Practice Checklist

• Back up each app individually if you need granular control over which data moves.
• Always test one app before attempting a massive bulk backup.
• Keep the backup file on encrypted storage until you finish the restore.
• After restoration, clear the app cache (Settings > Apps > App > Storage > Clear cache) to avoid leftover temporary files.
• Disable USB debugging on both phones once the transfer is complete.

With these steps, you can reliably move your favorite apps and their precious data to a new Android device without rooting, without relying on cloud services, and with full control over what gets transferred.