How to back up an app's APK on Android
An APK is the file that installs an Android app. With Applore you can back up an APK to your phone or your own Google Drive. The backup is only the installer: it does not include your data in the app.
Short answer
Before you start
- A Google account, if you want copies in Google Drive, and permission for Applore to add files to your Drive.
- Enough free space on your phone, because Applore saves a copy there first.
- All files access for Applore. Android asks the first time.
- If you only want your apps back on a new phone, you may not need APKs at all: apps from Google Play can be downloaded again from your Play library.
Steps with Applore
Backup on Drive is free in Applore.
- Open Applore. On the Home tab, go to App Manager › Backup on Drive.
- Tick the apps you want to back up.
- Tap Backup. Allow storage access if Applore asks. In Applore Free, an ad may show.
- If you are not signed in, choose your Google account and allow Google Drive access.
- Applore copies each installer to an Applore folder on your phone and uploads it to an Apk folder in your Google Drive. A message confirms the backup.
- Open Google Drive and check the files are there before you rely on them.
Manage your saved APKs
In App Manager › Manage Apps:
- The Archive tab lists APK copies on your phone. You can install or delete them.
- The Google Drive tab lists APK copies in your Drive. You can restore or delete them.
- On the My Apps tab, select an app and use share to send its APK through Android’s share sheet.
What a backup contains
| Included | Not included |
|---|---|
| The app’s main installer file (base APK) | Your data in the app: chats, logins, settings, progress |
| The app version you had installed | Extra installer parts that some apps need (split APKs) |
| Purchases and subscriptions, which stay with your Google Play account |
Many apps from Google Play are delivered as several installer parts. Applore saves only the main part, so a backup of such an app may not install on its own.
Common problems
Android blocks the install
Installing an app from a file is called sideloading. Android asks you to allow the app that opens the file, such as Applore or your file manager, to install unknown apps. Allow it only for files you trust, and turn it off again afterwards.
“App not installed”
The APK may need parts that were not saved (see above), or a newer version may already be installed. Try installing the app from Google Play instead.
Updates after reinstalling
Google Play can update an app installed from an APK only if the APK came from the same developer and was signed the same way as the Play version.
The backup is not in my Drive
Check your internet connection and that you chose the right Google account, then back up again. Always check your Drive after a backup.
What stays private
APK copies go from your phone straight to your own Google Drive, through the permission you give. Applore’s servers never receive them. Copies saved on your phone stay there until you delete them from the Archive tab. Uninstalling an app never uploads anything. For all the app tools, see the app manager in Applore, or read how to uninstall multiple apps at once.
Questions
Does an APK backup include my app data?
No. An APK backup contains only the app's installer. Your chats, logins, settings, game progress and offline files are not included. To keep that data, use the app's own backup option or Android's backup to your Google account. If you reinstall from an APK, the app starts fresh unless the app restores your data itself.
Where does Applore put the backup on Google Drive?
In your own Google Drive, in an Apk folder inside Applore's folder. Applore also keeps a copy in an Applore folder on your phone's storage. In Applore, Manage Apps has an Archive tab for the copies on your phone and a Google Drive tab for the copies in your Drive.
Sources
- Delete apps on your Android device, Google Play Help. Checked 2026-09-15.