backup - Is it possible to migrate apps and their data from one unrooted Android phone to another?

I would like to migrate apps and their data from one phone to another without too much faffing around, like:

• rooting (very convoluted device specific process with a lot of ambiguity around it and often involving running closed source software from random vendors that you have to believe does the right thing),


• using app specific backup export/import facilities if at all exist (too manual, seems the only option though).

I am ok with:

• using a PC to help facilitate the process,


• manual copying/pasting files (within reason).

Ideally, I would like to have a process that works something like this:

1. select apps that I would like to have in their current state on the other phone,


2. bundle them together and store somewhere (external SD card or PC),


3. put that bundle on the other phone and somehow install and recover their state.

A bit like PortableApps works.

So far I have tried :

• Super Backup - unfortunately, like many others, requires rooting,


• Helium - seemed promising but Helium has never been, nor ever will be, compatible with any device running anything less than Android 4.0 and it does not work on certain phones.



• App Backup & Restore - Q: Does it backup data of apps? A: No, currently it only backup the apk files of apps.


• and skimmed through a number of articles including this one (looks like even if I was willing to root I would have a hard time).

Answer

Helium has never been, nor ever will be, compatible with any device running anything less than Android 4.0

First things first: What you want cannot be achieved on not-rooted devices running a lower version of Android. Only with ICS (4.0), permissions of the ADB daemon have been alleviated to enable this (see: Full Backup of non-rooted devices).

For compatibility: What Helium does directly on the device, can be achieved from a computer connected with the device via USB, using the ADB tools: You can use the adb backup and adb restore commands, as described by answers to the linked question. There should be no compatibility issue, as long as your computer recognizes the device.

I have just had a similar issue: My main device needed to go for repair, so I had to migrate stuff to one of my "backup devices". Completely different brand, even different Android version. The above mentioned worked fine (working app-by-app, only "moving in" those ones I required). Just to ease the process (which I might need once more, or others might need), I wrote myself a little helper: If you're using Linux (or some other *nix coming with Bash), you might wish to take a look at Adebar – which not only creates you the scripts needed for backup/restore, but also to "re-freeze" apps you might have frozen on the original device, and additionally creates you a little "device documentation". Feedback welcome – and again the disclosure: I'm the author of that script.