Google acknowledges that removing account before resetting your Android device deletes Google Drive backups

For years, Android users have been losing their backups due to a little-known issue that wipes out saved data when a Google account is removed from a device before a factory reset. Now, after repeated complaints from affected users, Google has finally acknowledged this as a “known issue” — but without a fix in sight, users need to take precautions to avoid falling victim to it.

I first bumped into the problem when a Reddit user warned others about their disastrous experience with a Google Pixel 8 exchange sometime back. Despite confirming that their Google backup was intact before removing their account from the faulty device, they found that after setting up the replacement phone, the backup had mysteriously vanished.

A similar complaint appeared in Google’s official Drive community forum in December 2024. The user detailed how they ensured their backup was visible in Google Drive before a reset, only to discover after logging back in that it had been erased. The “Backups” section in Google Drive now displayed “Backups Off,” with no way to retrieve the missing data.

In a recent update to the Google Drive forum, a community manager finally acknowledged the issue:

If you remove your account before resetting your device, your backup cannot be restored. This happens because the backup is linked to your account. Once the account is removed, the backup is also erased from our database, making recovery impossible.

This confirms what many users had already suspected — Google automatically deletes backups when an account is removed from a device, even if the same account is re-added later. The company says it is working on updating its Help Center to better inform users about the issue, but there is no word on whether a fix or policy change will be implemented.

Given Google’s confirmation that deleted backups cannot be recovered, users need to take extra precautions to avoid losing their data. Here’s what you should do before a factory reset:

1. Do not remove your Google account before resetting – If you plan to reset your device, leave your Google account signed in. Removing it will erase all backups associated with that account.

2. Manually back up critical data – While Google Drive’s automatic backup is useful, it’s not foolproof. Manually save important files, contacts, and messages elsewhere.

3. Confirm backups are enabled in Google Drive – Before resetting, check that your backups are active in the Google Drive app (under Storage > Backups) and ensure your data is up to date.

4. Use alternative backup methods – Services like Samsung Cloud (for Samsung users), third-party backup apps, or local PC backups can serve as extra layers of protection.

For many users, Google’s backup system is their only safety net. The fact that a simple account removal can erase an entire backup — without warning — is a serious issue. While it’s reassuring that Google has finally acknowledged the problem, the lack of a proper fix means users remain at risk.

If you’re planning to reset your phone, take Google’s warning seriously. Make sure your backups are intact, avoid removing your account, and always have a secondary backup option. Otherwise, you may find yourself starting from scratch with no way to recover your lost data.