How To BackUp Already Installed Android Apps Offline Without PC- No root needed

This post was last updated on September 10th, 2020 at 06:16 pm

My first love is mobile phone tweaks and computer tweaks. I only became a  Satellite TV enthusiast much later. Today, I will give you a very simple and useful tip which will be useful for all Android users. This trick is about how to backup already installed android app/apk file offline. Yes, you heard me, I mean you don’t need to connect your phone to any pc to do this. I will be using two applications for this tutorial and they are File Expert-file manager and ES File Explorer.

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Why Would You Consider Ever Backing up Your Already Installed Android App(s)

One may ask, my phone model has its own PC software with which I can back up everything on my phone including apps. So, why should I worry about backing up just apps? Well by the time you are done reading the answers to this question, you will be more informed.

I will only mention four major reasons for you to think of backing up your existing working apk version.

1. Nowadays, pc suite backup is merely a link to the app back up. In simpler terms, when you are restoring the apps, you will need to download everything from the google play server. Therefore, a complete offline back up is preferable and that is why we have this post.
2. Secondly, two Android phones users may want to share an already installed app between themselves. Of course, some may argue that the Xender android app can send out installed Apk. Sadly, Xender will not give you a backup copy of such a file. Don’t worry, this post will help you. My guide will teach you how to backup an Apk file that has already been installed. You can do whatever you like with this file thereafter. For example, you can send it via Xender, Bluetooth, or even WhatsApp.
3. Lastly, and equally as important, you may consider to backup a copy of a particular version of an app because you don’t know what to expect when the app is eventually updated. For example, an update may no longer be compatible with your android version. As the saying goes, a stitch in time saves nine.
4. Similarly, if you have downloaded a newer version of your favorite app, but it is buggy, you can easily downgrade to the previous working version that you have backed up offline using this my methods. Remember that there is no official method to downgrade apps that are downloaded via google play store.

How TO Create a Backup Copy of an Installed Android App on Non-Rooted Devices

Before I proceed with the steps, I will first give you the requirements or let me say the eligibility criteria for backing up an already installed android app offline and without a computer.

Requirements for backing up your Already installed Android App

Noteworthy, these methods will back up only your apk. It won’t back up the data. You need to manually locate the data from the following path: Android>>data/obb. Then copy it to safe storage. Before you can create a backup copy your installed app offline on your phone, you need to ensure the followings:

• First off, you need an adequate internal memory storage space on your android phone
• Download File “File Expert – File Manager V8.2.1” By GMobile Apps works with Android 4.1 or higher.
• Alternatively, you can download ES File Explorer File Manager 4.2.0.3.5 By ES Global works with Android 4.0 and higher.

Note: Google has removed both apps from the play store. I guess the performance of these apps is a threat. In addition, there is no need for you to install both as they are similar in performance with some unique features here and there. However, if your Android device packs OS version 4.0, you will have no choice than to be stuck with ES explorer.

Backup Already Installed Android app Offline with File Expert – File Manager

There are several 3rd party android file browsers/managers that can work similarly.  But most of them do it in a complicated fashion which requires root access. I shall, however, be discussing one of the smoothest android utility apps to do this. The name of this file manager is “File Expert”. To start with, download it from the link above and follow the instructions below.

• Download and install the “file expert file manager” From the pictures below, you can see what the icon of file expert looks like. This application performs several other functions. Warning, if your phone is rooted, please be careful with this app and do not delete any file you don’t know.

• Next, open the app and click on the three parallel lines at the top left corner as shown below
• Now scroll down after tapping on the 3 lines and you will see “Apps” it is between videos and compressed see image below:
• Here and now, you have to select “Installed Apps” from the list. Once this is done,  you will be presented with the full list of all the applications installed on your phone(you can do several things with the app here including uninstalling, quick send e.t.c). Here, press and hold on the app you want to backup. If you are backing up multiple apps, tap on them to select. I am using the “Authenticator” app for this tutorial as seen in the next picture.
• Immediately you click on the backup button, your app(s) will be backup up and a “backup success” notification will pop up on your phone’s screen. Besides, the icon of the app that you just backed up will turn green. See the image below for more details

• Now the final step is for you to use your builtin phone’s file manager or file expert to locate the folder where the app has been backed up. for easier location, the apps are inside the “backup_apps” folder. This folder is created automatically by file expert.  See the image below for the location

How to Backup already Installed android app Using ES File Explorer File Manager

To be honest, you can use similar steps above to backup already installed android apps using the ES explorer file manager. For clarification, I will also give the steps with pictures.

Steps to backup installed App using ES Explorer

• Download Es explorer from my link above then, install it.
• Next, launch the app and you will an interface similar to the one below
• The next step is for you to select the installed application that you want to back up. To do this, press and hold on the app.
• After selecting, you need to click on the “backup” icon which is on the bottom pane the second icon from the bottom left menu.
• Lastly, you will receive a pop-up success notification telling you that the backup is successful and the location of the file. For clarification, the apps will be stored at Sdcard>>backup/apps folder. see the image below