Android phones will soon be able to back up to Google Drive

• February 2026 update adds local file again for Android, using Google Drive
• It’s unclear if this is a one-way backup or a live sync
• iPhones can already sync download file with iCloud Drive

Google has confirmed that it is adding local file backup to Google Drive with its latest February update (Google Play Services v26.06, 2026-02-16), meaning your Downloads folder will now be synced with Google Drive and will be accessible from other devices.

This is Android’s existing Google Drive backup service, which covers system items like apps, calls and settings, to preserve the essentials of your phone when changing devices or restoring after a factory reset.

At the moment, it’s unclear how this feature might work and whether Google Drive will open a new Downloads folder before syncing it between devices, or whether locally downloaded files will simply be backed up in case of an emergency.

Google Drive will backup your Android local downloads

“With the new Local File Backup feature, you can automatically save your uploaded documents to Google Drive, ensuring they are secure and accessible from any of your devices,” Google’s release notes state.

More importantly, this is an Android update, so it’s not available to iOS fans who have the Google Drive app installed. However, iPhone users can already upload files directly to iCloud Drive, with these files available anywhere users can access iCloud Drive.

It would make sense for Google’s local file backup to work this way, rather than like device backups which don’t offer live sync.

Although the actual functionality is not yet available, the underlying update can be downloaded from System Services in Settings. It should go live once Google enables it on the server side.

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With several years of freelance experience in technology and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technologies designed to improve our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about automobiles and the decarbonization of personal transportation. As an avid bargain hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is great value for money!