Titanium Backup: The Essential Root App

Part of the fun of rooting your android phone is trying different custom ROMs.  This process can be daunting, especially when it comes to restoring applications.  Also, when applications do not have an option to backup data to your SD card, losing all of your data and settings is a scary thought.  That is where Titanium Backup steps in.

Titanium Backup backs up all of your applications (the .apk files) and all of the data and settings for those applications.  Additionally, it will backup system data, however in most cases system data should not be restored.

One of the best features of this application is the ability to perform batch backups and restores.  Using this feature, the only application you need to redownload from the market is Titanium.  From there, you are just a few taps away from leaving your phone alone while your applications and data are restored.  With the Titanium Backup Pro key ($6.71 in the market) you can make multiple backups of each application, as well as restore applications from a nandroid backup in case you forgot to make a backup before flashing a new ROM.

Titanium Backup is much more than an application for backing up data.  One of the most commonly used features is the ability to "freeze" system applications the user doesn't want.  Removing bloatware is one of the reasons many people root their phones.  However, deleting the wrong application can render a phone unusable.  Using the freeze feature allows the user to prevent the undesired application from running, but keeps the .apk file in the system/app folder.  If the phone starts going haywire, the app can be defrosted and will run again.

There are too many other features that Titanium has for me to cover them all.  Check out the application's page on the android market for more information on the features.

Titanium Backup
Pro Key

One feature that I do not see advertised is the ability to load applications across devices.  When I purchased my tablet, I of course installed the games my Eris could slugishly play.  However, I didn't want to lose all of the progress I had made, especially in Angry Birds (I definitely beat some levels by pure luck).  I was able to backup the data from my phone, and transfer it to my tablet where I was able to restore it, not losing a single level.