Google introduces app‑by‑app backup control for Android

Google is developing a new backup feature for Android that lets users toggle cloud backups for each installed app individually. The option appears in a beta build of Google Play Services (version 26.24) and would display the storage used by each app, providing separate on/off switches. When a user disables backup for an app, the system immediately erases that app’s existing backup data from the cloud.

The functionality is currently limited to Pixel phones running the upcoming Android 16 and Android 17 releases, with a broader rollout expected later. The change mirrors similar selective backup capabilities already offered on iOS, aiming to give users finer control over privacy and cloud‑storage limits.