Backup Migrate Downgrade - lineageos4microg/l4m-wiki GitHub Wiki

Page updated Tue 27 Jan 26

What is the recommended downgrade strategy without loosing data, downgrade by adb to previous version or copying the release to the phone and using the lineageos updater app?

I don't know of any way to downgrade without formatting / factory resetting and losing your data. I suggest the following:

  1. Use any (or all) of the following to backup your user-installed apps and (some) data

    1. https://github.com/AndDiSa/android_backup_project/ - requires rooted debugging and a Linux machine, real or virtual. Will backup and restore all of your apps, and some data: See this page in my personal wiki or this post in the /e/OS forums for guidance on how to use the tool (but don't download the linked zip file from AndroidFileHost: get it from the github repo mentioned above) and here for some info on what will and will not get restored. The tool also has a thread on XDA Forums. (20500229) And a post in IodéOS community forums where a user wrote:

    Tried again, backing up from Lineage 22.2 and restoring to Lineage 22.2 after fresh install on another phone worked perfectly with AndDiSa/android backup project, very fast and there was no app that Neo Backup could restore and AndDiSa couldn’t.

    1. https://github.com/mrrfv/open-android-backup will only backup apps, not their data, but that's the biggest hassle when setting up after a format. Doesn't need root or rooted debugging. Works on Linux, MacOS & Windows (though you may need an 'unstable' bundle on MacOS - see this issue
    2. https://codeberg.org/izzy/Adebar also looks promising, but I haven't had time to test it yet.
    3. https://github.com/evermind-zz/android_backup_project - fork of AndDiSa/android_backup_project/ with more options. Looks good, but I've not tried it yet (20500229) I did try this a while ago, but I couldn't make it work.
    4. (20500229)SeedVault: built-in to LineageOS and LOS-based ROMs. This is significantly better than it used to be, though some apps and some app data does not get backed up. The IodéOS user quoted above said of SeedVault

    I also found that when doing backup / restore from Lineage 22.2 to Lineage 22.2, Seedvault actually works quite well. There were only a few apps that could be restored with AndDiSa or Neo Backup but not with Seedvault.

  2. Use any in-app backup / export / sync functionality provided by the apps you use. e.g.

    1. K-9 has 'export settings',
    2. QKSMS has in-app backup functionality, or you can use SMS Import Export from F-droid for messages, call logs & contacts
    3. Lawnchair launcher has in-app backup
    4. DAVx5 / ICSx5 /NextCloud Notes & Sync Client allow synching Contacts, Calendar, Notes, Tasks, and files / documents / photos

Then flash the new ROM using adb sideload without formatting your data partition (unless the instructions you are following say that you need to format / factory reset. In that case, follow the instructions). If you are lucky, the older version may work, but probably you will have to format, reboot and complete first time setup, then restore whatever you need from the backups, exports & syncs you made.

See also this page in petefoth's personal wiki