Android’s built-in backup system has always been useful for saving your settings, apps, photos, and some app data automatically. However, it has a glaring flaw. Files saved in the Downloads folder are not included in Android’s regular backup, which means if you switch phones or lose your device, those files are gone unless you remembered to upload them to a cloud storage service manually or copied them elsewhere.
That situation is finally changing with the February 2026 Google Play System update, as Google has added a new local file backup system that can automatically back up the contents of your Downloads folder to Google Drive. This feature is arriving with the latest Play System update and should show up on your device in the coming weeks.
While Google’s patch notes don’t explain how the feature works, Android Authority reports that the system creates static copies of files stored in the Downloads folder and uploads them to your Drive backup. In other words, this is not a live sync feature. So if you edit a file after it has been backed up, those changes won’t automatically reflect in the Drive version, and edits made in Drive will not sync back to the local copy on your device.
Despite this limitation, the feature brings Android closer to offering a complete safety net for your data. Before now, users had to manually manage important files if they want to keep them safe during a device change, loss, or reset. The new feature helps fill that gap by handling it for you automatically, although it still only covers the Downloads folder and not all of local storage.
The rollout is gradual and server-side, so you may not see the option immediately. When it arrives, you should find the setting in the Backup menu alongside other backup options.
