Top 6 Fixes For Android Not Backing Up Contacts

Can’t backup contacts on your Android smartphone? It could be because you didn’t do it right or because of misconfigured Android sync settings. If it’s outdated, you should check out our detailed guide on making a backup of contacts on an Android smartphone. In this guide, we’ll walk you through six things to do when Android doesn’t back up contacts.

For the most part, your Android device will not make a backup of your contacts if you have a poor internet connection or have Battery Saver enabled on your device. Other times, glitches with Google Contacts Sync services. Whatever the reason, at least one of the fixes below will fix the Android contacts backup issue.

1. Check Internet Connection

If, while trying to backup your Android smartphone data, all backup options are stuck and the message ‘Waiting for backup’ is displayed, you should check your phone’s internet connection. If you are connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi, check that the network does not show limited connectivity.

You also want to check that your router is transmitting data correctly. You can restart your router and increase the Wi-Fi signal strength.

If your internet connection is working properly but your Android smartphone is still not backing up your contacts or other device data, move on to the next solution.

2. Disable Battery Saver

When enabled, Android Battery Saver restricts some background processes like data syncing. If your Android device is not making a backup of contacts and Battery Saver is enabled, you should turn the feature off. You can scroll down the notification panel and tap on Battery Saver to disable the feature. Alternatively, go to Settings > Battery > Battery saver and tap the ‘Turn Off Now’ button.

3. Restart Your Device

Turning your device off and back on will help refresh the operating system and possibly fix any glitches that are causing your Android device not to backup contacts. Press and hold the power/lock button on your device for about 2-3 seconds and select Restart.

Restart the contacts backup process when your phone turns back on and check if it works.

4. Enable Contact Sync

Google lets you choose the specific data you want to sync with your Google Drive for each Google account connected to your Android smartphone: Contact, Calendar, Gmail etc. If Android is not taking a backup of contacts, you should check and make sure. Check that Contacts sync is enabled in your device’s Google account settings. Here’s how to do it.

Stage 1: Launch the Android Settings menu and select Accounts.

Step 2: Select the Google account linked to your device.

If you have more than one Google account connected to your device, select the account you want your contacts to be synced to.

Note: If multiple Google Accounts are signed in on the same device, Google contacts on all accounts will be synced/backed up.

Stage 3: Select Account sync.

Step 4: Check that Contacts is enabled. If not, tap on it to turn on Contacts sync.

Under Contacts you should immediately see a ‘Now syncing…’ message. Wait for a few seconds or minutes (depending on how many contacts you have on your device) and then Android will complete the backup of your contacts.

5. Re-enable Automatic Contact Sync

We recommend enabling Automatic Contact sync to automatically back up your contacts with zero effort. If you have enabled this feature but Android still does not backup contacts, you should disable the feature and re-enable it. This will refresh the feature and enable your Android to get contact backups in no time. To do this, follow the steps below.

Stage 1: Launch the Android Settings menu and select Google.

Step 2: Next, select Account services.

Stage 3: Tap Contacts sync.

Step 4: Now, under ‘Backup and sync device contacts’ select Manage settings.

Step 5: Turn on ‘Automatically backup and sync device contacts’.

You will be prompted to select the account where you want your device contacts to be backed up.

Step 6: Then select a linked Google account or tap “Add another account” to add a new account.

And that’s it. Now you should not face any problem backing up contacts on your Android device. Note that if you have already enabled Automatic Contacts sync but your contacts are not being backed up, you need to disable and re-enable the feature.

6. Re-enable Google Contacts Sync App

Google Contacts Sync app supports contact sync and backup services on Android devices. It is a system application that comes with every Android smartphone. If Android is not backing up contacts, disabling and re-enabling Google Contacts Sync may help resolve the issue.

Stage 1: Launch the Android Settings menu and select ‘Apps & notifications’.

Step 2: Next, select ‘See All Apps’.

Stage 3: Tap the menu icon in the upper right corner.

Step 4: Select Show system.

Step 5: Scroll to the bottom of the app info page and select ‘Google Contacts Sync’.

Step 6: Select Disable and tap Disable App at the prompt.

Step 7: Tap the Enable icon to get Google Contacts Sync working again.

The next thing you want to do after re-enabling the Google Contacts Sync app is to make sure it has unlimited access to background data usage.

Step 8: Select ‘Mobile data and Wi-Fi’.

Step 9: Make sure ‘Background data’ is turned on.

Step 10: Additionally, turn on ‘Unlimited data usage’.

It keeps Google Contacts Sync functional and backs up contacts even when Data Saver is on.

Protect Your Contacts

Making contact backups to your Google account is a foolproof way to keep them safe. If you change your phone or lose your device, you can recover your contacts without any problem. If your Android device is not backing up contacts to your Google account, follow the troubleshooting tips listed above to fix the problem.

Next: Missing contacts on your phone? Learn how to recover deleted contacts from Google on Stock Android, iPhone, Samsung and other devices in the article linked below.