# Where can I find my backup files? **URL:** \ **Category:** Support\ **Tags:** handled\ **Created:** [February 5, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442 "2024-02-05T15:37:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/51bf81/32.png) [@yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/u/yamanobe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/1 "2024-02-05T15:37:41Z")
## Issue description: yes! Please tell me where to save the backup file! Android Auto wasn’t working well, so I made a backup from Symphonium’s settings, uninstalled it, and installed it again. Then, even though I was sure it was backed up, the backup file is not displayed. There was definitely a dated backup file here before the uninstall I want to manually select the backup file to restore, where is it stored? ## Logs: Upload description: log no ## Additional information:  Not provided  ## Reproduction steps:  Back up the settings, uninstall the app, and install it again to restore the settings file you created earlier. File is missing  ## Media provider: Jellyfin ## Screenshots:   ![Screenshot 1](http://support.symfonium.app/uploads/default/original/2X/e/e4b438a85d00ff0c4d952eb54ac3bd0e7f6e744b.jpeg)     ---
**Author:** ![Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/user_avatar/support.symfonium.app/tolriq/32/726_2.png) [@Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Tolriq)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 4:07pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/2 "2024-02-05T16:07:50Z")
The files are internal to the application and should be exported. I guess the Wiki is not clear enough. I’ll add more details. ---
**Author:** ![Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Symtse)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/3 "2024-02-05T20:04:27Z")
Can the app output the backups to a location that it remembers? I use other apps on Android that implement automatic backups at a user-defined location, so I set them to output to a backup folder that then gets automatically sync’ed off device (nas, cloud, …) Edit: hopefully we see this feature implemented > [@Allow the selection of a backup folder location and timed backup for the Symfonium backup routine](https://support.symfonium.app/t/allow-the-selection-of-a-backup-folder-location-and-timed-backup-for-the-symfonium-backup-routine/2912): > > Feature description: Allow the selection of a backup folder location and timed backup for the Symfonium backup routine Problem solved: This will allow the user to easily backup Symfonium symbak files to the cloud, and ease the transition to a new phone. Brought benefits: For me, I am automating the whole procedure with Tasker, but would ease the process for many Other application solutions: PlayerPro automatically will backup to Google Drive, and it allows user specific folder location. ( I … ---
**Author:** ![yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/51bf81/32.png) [@yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/u/yamanobe)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 10:23pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/4 "2024-02-05T22:23:39Z")
What do you mean? Does creating a backup file not actually create any files? ---
**Author:** ![Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Symtse)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2024, 11:46pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/5 "2024-02-05T23:46:02Z")
It does and after it saves it to the app local data you get an option to share it with another app (e.g. upload it to Google Drive, email it, make a local copy, etc.). At least that’s how it works on my phone. ---
**Author:** ![yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/51bf81/32.png) [@yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/u/yamanobe)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 1:10am UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/6 "2024-02-06T01:10:59Z")
Excuse me, could you tell me the local save location? No hits when searching ---
**Author:** ![Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Symtse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 1:14am UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/7 "2024-02-06T01:14:02Z")
You can go to the Symfonium app settings \> Advanced \> Manage Symfonium generated files. You can find the backup file there and you can share it from there. ---
**Author:** ![yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/y/51bf81/32.png) [@yamanobe](http://support.symfonium.app/u/yamanobe)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 2:53am UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/8 "2024-02-06T02:53:49Z")
When I reinstalled the app, the backup file that was supposed to be there disappeared. ---
**Author:** ![ArmourArsenal](http://support.symfonium.app/user_avatar/support.symfonium.app/armourarsenal/32/10649_2.png) [@ArmourArsenal](http://support.symfonium.app/u/ArmourArsenal)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 4:18am UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/9 "2024-02-06T04:18:20Z")
I use the “save on device” app. If you install the app and click on share anywhere in your device , it’ll show the option of “save on device” and you can save it wherever you want > **[Save on Device | F-Droid - Free and Open Source Android App Repository](https://f-droid.org/packages/name.lmj001.savetodevice/)** > > Save shareable data to your device ---
**Author:** ![Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Symtse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 6:00pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/10 "2024-02-06T18:00:58Z")
Any file manager app that you can share to should work. I use Solid Explorer, but IIRC the stock Files app also shows up as a sharing target. @yamanobe unfortunately with the current backup design, you have to make sure you share the file and back it up right away. If you uninstall the app all its data is gone, including the backup that it stores internally. Hopefully this will improve because it breaks the expectations of users who do not understand app data. ---
**Author:** ![splinter](http://support.symfonium.app/user_avatar/support.symfonium.app/splinter/32/10_2.png) [@splinter](http://support.symfonium.app/u/splinter)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 6:32pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/11 "2024-02-06T18:32:59Z")
The moment the backup file is created, the Android share dialog pops up for you to store the file somewhere. I guess if you dismiss that, it is kind of your own fault? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Symtse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 6:49pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/12 "2024-02-06T18:49:33Z")
> [@splinter](#): > > The moment the backup file is created, the Android share dialog pops up for you to store the file somewhere. It does, but this is an unusual pattern, I haven’t seen it in other apps, so it’s easy to assume you don’t need to share it and that it’s somewhere on /sdcard where it doesn’t get wiped if you uninstall the app or clear its data. Aegis 2FA is a good example how these backups should work instead. ---
**Author:** ![Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/user_avatar/support.symfonium.app/tolriq/32/726_2.png) [@Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Tolriq)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 7:03pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/13 "2024-02-06T19:03:22Z")
> [@Symtse](#): > > need to share it and that it’s somewhere on /sdcard You do know that Google have made everything in it’s power since a long time to specially prevent apps from writing “somewhere” in the sdcard that survive the app uninstall ? … ---
**Author:** ![Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Symtse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 7:16pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/14 "2024-02-06T19:16:50Z")
I don’t know the technical details, but apps such as [Aegis 2FA](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beemdevelopment.aegis&hl=en_US&gl=US) seem to be able to do it, set it and forget it automatic backups to a location of my choice on the internal storage. I’m no Android dev, but couldn’t Symfonium use the same technique that Aegis employs (the code is on [Github](https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis))? ---
**Author:** ![Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/user_avatar/support.symfonium.app/tolriq/32/726_2.png) [@Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Tolriq)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 7:28pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/15 "2024-02-06T19:28:52Z")
Selecting a folder via SAF and magically somewhere on the sdcard are quite different 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Symtse](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Symtse)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/16 "2024-02-06T19:31:19Z")
All I can recommend is that you try Aegis from the Play Store and look at their code in Github. I don’t understand technical details such as SAF, but I know the user experience I get from Aegis and that would be preferable to the sharing popup for every manual backup: encrypted backups in a folder of my choice that then gets sync’ed to Google Drive via FolderSync, for off-device backups. > **[GitHub - beemdevelopment/Aegis: A free, secure and open source app for...](https://github.com/beemdevelopment/Aegis)** > > A free, secure and open source app for Android to manage your 2-step verification tokens. - GitHub - beemdevelopment/Aegis: A free, secure and open source app for Android to manage your 2-step veri... ---
**Author:** ![Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/user_avatar/support.symfonium.app/tolriq/32/726_2.png) [@Tolriq](http://support.symfonium.app/u/Tolriq)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2024, 7:34pm UTC](http://support.symfonium.app/t/where-can-i-find-my-backup-files/3442/17 "2024-02-06T19:34:09Z")
And there’s already a feature request for that, spamming everywhere won’t make things happen faster …