GUIDE · AUTO-BACKUP
Automatic backups,
the whole device.
Auto-backup keeps your photo and video library in your cloud without you thinking about it. This guide covers exactly what it scans, how it avoids duplicates, and how it behaves after you clear app data.
Turning it on
On Android, open Settings → Backup and enable the auto-backup switch. Android asks for photo permissions the first time — allow them, because the scanner reads your media library through the system media index. On Windows, open Backup and add the folders you want watched; everything inside them, including subfolders, is scanned.
What gets scanned on Android
Auto-backup performs a full scan of your media library on every pass. That means:
- Every folder on internal storage — not just the camera.
- Removable SD cards, when present.
- Real photo and video formats only: JPEG, PNG, WebP, GIF, BMP, HEIC, HEIF and DNG for photos; MP4, MOV, MKV, AVI, WebM, 3GP and similar for videos.
Anything missing from your cloud is uploaded automatically — in the background, while ZEDFINITY is open, with live progress on the orb. On Windows, watched folders are scanned recursively for any file type.
How duplicate avoidance works
Auto-backup recognizes what is already in your library and skips it, so running the scan over and over never creates copies. Failed transfers are handled gracefully too: if a pass is interrupted by a network drop or a closed app, the next pass simply picks the unfinished files back up.
Two situations worth knowing
Renamed files may upload again
The app recognizes files by what it has already backed up. If you re-download a file and the browser saves it under a new name (for example photo (1).jpg instead of photo.jpg), auto-backup may treat it as a new file and upload it a second time. If you keep originals in a watched folder, prefer keeping their original names.
After clearing app data
Clearing ZEDFINITY's data removes the local library list, and your files are re-listed from your cloud on the next sign-in. The simple rule after clearing data and signing back in: wait until your full library is visible in Files, then enable auto-backup. That way everything is recognized as already backed up from the very first scan.
When the backup runs
The scanner runs periodically while ZEDFINITY is open, and once shortly after launch. It deliberately does not run as a hidden background service when the app is closed — nothing drains your battery without you knowing. If the app was closed during a transfer, the next pass picks up exactly where the last one left off.
Encrypted backups
If Vault encryption is on, everything auto-backup uploads is encrypted on your device before it leaves — the automatic backup is exactly as private as a manual one. The two features are designed to work together: Vault for privacy, auto-backup for continuity.
Files you expect to be backed up are not appearing? Check that the pass has run (Backup screen shows the last-run summary), that permissions were granted, and that the files are in formats from the list above. Still stuck? Contact support with your device model and Android version.