How to Backup Android Contacts

Do you remember what it was like to set up your Android smartphone for the first time? It’s likely that you were met with a Gmail registration page where you had to sign up with a Gmail account. Google has made Gmail so essential to learn how to backup contacts in Android that getting a Gmail account (or rather a Google account for all Google’s services, same thing) is the first key action you can do.

After getting a Google account, however, the next thing you have to do is transfer your contacts. If you’re new to Android and have never done this before, then don’t worry; the process is fairly simple. It will involve three different situations, however: some individuals have never saved contacts to Google, while some have saved some contacts but not all.

How to backup contacts in Android for the first time

Whenever you use Android, you must remember that Gmail is the key, your Google account is the key. Without a Google account, you can’t use the Play Store, purchase apps, movies, TV shows, or music, and you can’t even log in to many apps and services.

To learn how to backup contacts in Android, you’ll first need to start saving contacts to your Google account. You’ll want to call up those friends and family members right away after getting your phone, or text them to tell them your new phone number, and these occasions present a good time to start backing up your contacts in Android. First, type the number into the phone dialer as you would to call them. Next, select the “+ Add to Contacts” function at the top of the screen, then “create contact.” Next, you’ll be presented with a page where you can enter the person’s email address, name, and so on. At the bottom, under “Groups” you should see the words “My Contacts” beside the label. If you don’t, do not worry. There’s an easy solution to this. Proceed to the next step.

The last step in how to backup contacts in Android is to save the number to the proper place. At the top of the phone screen, you’ll see a feature right below the “cancel” button that lets you save the contact to either your phone or to Google, with your email address provided. Whatever you do, do not save the contact to your phone — save it to Google. The reason for saving it to Google in order to backup contacts in Android is clear: in the event that you trade phones or upgrade to a new phone, you can log in to your Gmail account and Google will reload all your contacts. If you save the contact to your phone, Google won’t transfer it to a new phone (you’ll have to do that yourself).

After saving the contact, you’ll be able to view it on your phone and at gmail.com on the Web. We’ll get into how to view your smartphone contacts at Gmail in a little while.

How to backup contacts in Android: Visit your contacts

First, visit the Contacts app and find your Contacts Settings. Then, under settings, you should see a section that says “Manage and back up contacts.” Select the “Import/Export contacts” feature under the label. Then, select the gray box with the word “Import” under the “Import Contacts” label. A popup box will appear, at which point you’ll be given the choice to save the contact to either the Phone or Google. Save it to Google.

For those wanting to know how to backup contacts in Android, this step is only possible if you have a vCard file in your storage. If you do not, the above ways to save contacts to Android will be easy and effortless. There is one more way to learn how to backup contacts in Android, and it doesn’t even involve using your phone.

How to backup contacts in Android: saving contacts to your Gmail account

For those who do not want to remember how to save contacts to your Google account directly on your phone, there’s an easier way: just visit gmail.com on the Web and save them to your contacts list directly. To do this, perform the following steps:

1) Log in to your Gmail account by entering your username and password.

2) When you arrive in your mailbox, go to the Gmail word above the “compose” box and select it. You’ll see a box with “Gmail,” “Contacts,” and “Tasks” appear below it. Select “Contacts.”

3) There, in your Contacts list, select the red “New Contact” button to the left of the screen. Then, when the Contact page appears, fill in the information. Google will automatically save it if you’re connected to the Internet. After this, you can type the contact on your phone and the contact will appear in your contact list as expected.

How to backup contacts in Android if you’ve already saved them to the phone (not Google)

Someone out there may have saved their contacts to their phone directly instead of Google and is looking to change this to save them within Gmail. If you’re one of these individuals, I highly recommend the following. Go to your Gmail account and add these new contacts to your Google list.

Yes, I know that may be painful for some, but there are few other ways to save your friends and family without adding them to the Google list anyway. Once you add them to your Contacts list in Gmail, however, you’ll never have to add them again.

These are a few ways on how to backup contacts in Android. We hope that these few have helped you out, and we’ll be glad to answer any questions you have for us. Feel free to drop us a line and ask your question.