Help / Backup & Data / Guide

Backup & Data

Keep an encrypted copy of conversations, keys, and settings. Restore after a reinstall or new phone, and understand message purge tools.

What Backup and Restore does

Open Settings → Backup and Restore → Manage Backups to reach Backup Settings.

A backup can include:

  • Conversation messages - your chat history
  • Encryption keys - needed to unlock existing conversations
  • App settings - preferences and customizations

Everything is encrypted with a backup password only you know. Looma cannot read your backup. Restoring brings messages, keys, and settings back together.

Restricted profiles: Manage Backups is locked with Enforced by your safety level. Other tiers can open Backup Settings. Message Purge is hidden for Supervised and locked for Restricted. See Privacy, Safety & Wellbeing.

Backup password (read this first)

In Backup Settings → Manage Backup Password:

  • Set Backup Password or Change Backup Password
  • Clear password (Prompt instead) - clears a saved password so Looma asks you when needed
  • Delete Backup Password - strong warning: deleting it can make existing backups unrecoverable unless you still remember that password

Important: Your backup password is not recoverable. Looma does not store it and cannot reset it for you. If you lose it, encrypted backups cannot be decrypted or restored. Store it somewhere safe offline. Changing the password affects future backups; older backups still need the old password.

Device snapshot vs Google Drive

  • Device snapshot - encrypted copies kept on this phone. Removed if you uninstall Looma or reset the phone. Good as a local safety net, not enough for reinstall protection alone.
  • Google Drive - encrypted backups in your Google account. Survives reinstall and phone changes. Looma never hosts your backups; they stay in your Drive.

Automatic backup can keep a device snapshot and also sync to Drive when connected. For manual Run backup now / Restore from backup, choose the destination under Manual backup location.

Turn on automatic backup

  1. Open Backup Settings.
  2. Set a backup password if you have not already (required to enable auto backup).
  3. Under Google Drive for auto backup, tap Connect Google Drive (or choose device snapshot only when prompted).
  4. Turn on Enable Automatic Backup.
  5. Choose what to include: Include Conversations in Backup, Include Keys in Backup, Include Settings in Backup.
  6. Set Backup Frequency: Every 12 hours, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly.

Status can show Not connected, Connected, or Needs sign-in. Use Re-connect Google Drive or Disconnect as needed. Disconnecting stops cloud auto backup; local device snapshots on the phone are not removed by disconnect alone.

If automatic backup is off, Messaging may nudge you with a reminder to enable it and a Go to Settings action.

Run a manual backup

  1. Under Manual backup location, pick Device snapshot or Google Drive.
  2. Tap Run backup now.
  3. Enter your backup password when asked.

Watch for status such as Starting backup…, Encrypting…, Uploading…, then Backup complete. If Google sign-in is required, connect Drive in Backup Settings or use Reset Google Credentials under Google Account, then try again.

Restore from backup

  1. Set Manual backup location to where the backup lives (Device snapshot or Google Drive).
  2. Tap Restore from backup.
  3. Enter the same backup password used to create that backup.

On success you should see restore complete, and messaging reloads. If nothing is found on device, you may see that no local backup was found. Wrong password or damaged data can fail restore; keep the password that matches that backup.

After reinstall or a new phone

If Looma finds no device snapshot after you sign in, it may ask Restore your messages? Options typically include:

  • Not now
  • Backup settings
  • Restore from Google Drive (points restore at Drive, then opens Backup Settings)

You need your Google account connected and the original backup password.

Backup Health and history

On Backup Settings, Backup Health summarizes status (Healthy / Needs attention / No device snapshot), automatic destinations, snapshot size, last backup, next scheduled backup, and last restore.

The Manage Backups tile on Settings can also show lines such as Device snapshot healthy, Backup password not set, and Google Drive connected.

Backup History lists past automatic/manual backup attempts (local or Google Drive) with success or error. Empty state: No backup history yet.

Clean Conversation Keys

Under Other Tools, Clean Conversation Keys removes empty or invalid conversation keys from secure storage. The app describes it as safe to run if you see backup errors or after a reinstall. Confirm with Clean Keys.

Google Account tools

If manual restore/backup needs Drive and sign-in is broken, use Reset Google Credentials (with the why-reset info), then connect Drive again.

Message Purge (separate from backup)

Settings → Message Purge opens Message Purge Settings (marked Preview Feature). Purge cleans messages to free space. It does not replace Backup.

  • Enable Enable Auto Purge and choose Daily / Weekly / Monthly
  • Scope: Messages Older Than, All Messages, or Read Messages Only
  • When using older-than, pick 1 Week through 1 Year
  • Optionally Exclude Unread Messages
  • Run Purge Now and review Purge History

Back up first if you might need those messages later. Aggressive scopes (especially All Messages) can remove a lot of local history. Purge availability is limited for Restricted and Supervised profiles.

Recommended setup

  1. Set a strong backup password and store it safely.
  2. Connect Google Drive.
  3. Enable automatic backup with conversations, keys, and settings included.
  4. Confirm Backup Health looks healthy after the first run.
  5. After any phone change, restore from Google Drive before you assume chats are gone.

Troubleshooting

  • Google Drive needs sign-in - Re-connect Google Drive or Reset Google Credentials.
  • No device snapshot - Run a manual backup, or restore from Drive if this is a new install.
  • Backup password not set - Set one before relying on auto backup or portable restore.
  • Forgot password - Looma cannot recover it. Only a password you still remember can open old encrypted backups.
  • Manage Backups locked - Expected on Restricted profiles.

More Settings context: Settings. Account help: help@looma.social.