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Google Drive on the web hides device ‘Backups’ from main navigation

Android devices can back up apps, call history, and device settings to Google Drive. On the web, Google Drive is tweaking how you view “Backups,” with the section no longer visible from the navigation drawer.

Google has been warning users signing in to Drive over the past few days that “Backups have moved.” The banner also includes “Go to Storage” and “Learn more” shortcuts:

You can now manage and view your device and app backups under Storage.

Instead of a dedicated “Backups” section with phone icon just above “Storage,” you have to click the gigabyte/terabyte count just underneath the progress bar. You get a list of every file in your online Drive organized by storage size, and in the right-corner is a blue link to “Backups.”

You’ll see the same list of signed-in devices and apps — currently just WhatsApp — with the “Last backup” date noted. Tapping shows what’s saved and gives you the ability to delete. There is no way to view that actual data.

This new process is somewhat convoluted and buried, but viewing your list of backups is somewhat less important on the web than mobile — where it’s still housed in the navigation drawer.

The change was announced earlier this month alongside new G Suite admin controls for third-party app backups in Google Drive.

More about Google Drive:

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Avatar for Abner Li Abner Li

Editor-in-chief. Interested in the minutiae of Google and Alphabet. Tips/talk: abner@9to5g.com

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