Google Adds Native Document Backup to Android 9+ Devices, Storing Files in Drive

2 articles · Updated · Computerworld · Jul 22

Google is rolling out a new Android backup option that lets users automatically sync and protect locally stored documents on devices running Android 9 or later.
The feature closes a long-standing gap in Android backups, where downloaded PDFs and Word files stayed only on one phone unless users set up third-party syncing tools.
Settings users can enable the switch in about 10 seconds through Google Backup or device backup menus, though Google says the under-the-hood update is arriving gradually.
Documents backed up this way are encrypted and saved to the user's Google Drive, where they count against available storage.
The change makes document syncing native on Android, but users still must opt in on each device and rely on other services or apps for non-document local files.