A small error like dropping your phone or spilling coffee on your phone/tablet can lead to a loss of significant amounts of crucial data. Recovery is impossible if your device is lost or stolen. Android devices don’t come with an integrated backup provider, like iCloud for Apple OS, but there are a number of third-party cloud storage apps that you can use.

Backing up via Google is the easiest for Android users. In your privacy settings turn on “backup my settings” and “automatic restore.” You can also select automatic backup via Gmail Account Settings. This will backup your emails, calendar, device settings, apps, and contacts. You can then set a period for regular backups for your Android device.

For your files, photos and music, you will have to turn to other storage providers. Google Drive is useful is you are a heavy Google subscriber as you can upload from your device, as well as collaborate information from Gmail and Google+ in one place. The Google Drive app is available for Android with free storage up to 5GB. Now you’re left with your text messages and call logs. There are a number of apps like SMS Backup+ that will back those up to your Gmail data. However, with Google Drive or any third-party app, you can’t sync your device for automatic backup and will have to carry one out manually each time.

Lastly, you have the option for backing up your Android device in the traditional way. That is, hook it up to a computer and save all your files there. But then you stand the risk of losing THAT computer! Don’t go into backing up the backup of a backup of a backup – choose a cloud storage provider!