Google’s new local backup doesn’t work with the most popular Android devices

Google is developing a new local backup feature via the Quick Share app for Windows PCs, enabling automatic backup over Wi-Fi at no cloud cost.

However, this convenient option will not support Samsung Galaxy smartphones, the most widely used on the market, probably to avoid overlap with the proprietary Smart Switch application.

Local backup for Android, Samsung Galaxy excluded

Google is developing a novel feature for managing personal data, designed to simplify file backup for Android users.

Through the Windows PC–dedicated Quick Share application, it will soon be possible to leverage a fully automatic and completely local backup mechanism. It will allow transferring entire multimedia archives, such as photos, videos, and audio files, from the smartphone directly to the PC’s hard drive.

The process will exclusively use the Wi-Fi connection shared between the two devices, eliminating the need to pay monthly subscriptions for network storage space and offering greater control over your information.

Despite the undeniable usefulness of the feature, recent investigations into the latest update v26.26.33 of Google Play Services have revealed an unexpected detail. The hidden informational screens in the software contain a warning: Samsung Galaxy devices are incompatible.

This translates to the exclusion of the largest slice of the global smartphone market. Many buyers, in fact, will find themselves unable to use this convenient native tool, missing the opportunity to have a unified experience within the OS.

How does automatic backup work?

To safeguard their files, owners of supported smartphones will simply need to configure the procedure via the Quick Share software opened on the Windows PC. The system imposes two basic conditions: both devices must be linked to the same Google account and must be connected to the same local network.

Once these technical requirements are satisfied, the file transfer will occur daily and completely autonomously, every time the smartphone and computer are powered on and placed within close proximity. The option to force the start of a manual backup at any moment remains available, ensuring maximum flexibility.

Why are Samsung Galaxy devices excluded?

The incompatibility with the famous South Korean smartphones seems to derive from a specific decision tied to the existence of Smart Switch. The well-known Samsung proprietary program already guarantees users the ability to transfer the contents of the smartphone to Windows PCs, Macs, and even to USB portable drives.

Even if the two major tech companies typically keep applications with nearly identical functions alive, in this case it was preferred to avoid a duplication of the service.

However, at present, Smart Switch requires manual intervention to complete each transfer. The passive automation offered by Google’s imminent option would benefit customers of the Asian tech giant as well.