Creating a Backup in TWRP: Step-by-Step Guide

Introduction / Why This Is Needed

Any experiments with firmware, installing custom modules, or updating the kernel carry the risk of turning your smartphone into a "brick." A backup in TWRP (Nandroid backup) saves an exact snapshot of all system partitions at the time of creation. If after modification the device fails to boot or critical errors appear, you can fully restore the original state within a couple of minutes without losing data or settings.

Requirements / Preparation

Before starting, ensure the following conditions are met:

• A custom TWRP recovery of version 3.3.0 or higher is already installed and functioning correctly on the device.
• The battery charge is at least 50% to prevent sudden shutdown during the archiving process.
• The internal storage or external memory card is formatted in exFAT or FAT32 and has at least 15 GB of free space.
• The bootloader is unlocked (required for TWRP to function).

⚠️ Important: If you use encrypted storage (FDE or FBE), the recovery may request the screen unlock password. Enter it immediately after entering TWRP; otherwise, the Data partition will be unavailable for backup.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Launching the Custom Recovery

Completely power off the smartphone. Hold the combination of physical buttons to enter recovery mode. On most Android devices, this is Volume Up + Power. Hold the buttons until the TWRP logo or a mode selection menu appears, where you should select Recovery Mode.

Step 2: Selecting Partitions to Save

In the main menu, tap the Backup button. A list of system partitions will open. To create a full copy, be sure to check:

• System (or Super on newer devices with dynamic partitions)
• Data
• Boot
• Vendor
• Modem (responsible for basic radio communication)

In the Storage to Backup field, select the target storage. For reliability, choose an external MicroSD card (MicroSD Card). If you don't have one, leave Internal Storage or Data, but keep in mind that a full memory wipe will also delete the backup.

Step 3: Starting the Archiving Process

Assign a name to the created copy in the Backup Name field (e.g., Stock_ROM_V1). Press the Swipe to Back Up button at the bottom of the screen. The process will take from 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the data volume. You will see a progress bar and the current write speed.

Step 4: Completion and Status Check

After the operation finishes, TWRP will display a Backup Complete window. Do not reboot the device immediately. Press Back to Home to return to the main menu. This ensures all write synchronization processes on the storage complete correctly.

Verifying the Result

To ensure the backup was created correctly, go to Advanced → File Manager. Open the path /sdcard/TWRP/BACKUPS/ (or /external_sd/TWRP/BACKUPS/). Inside should be a folder with your device's serial number, and within it, a subfolder with the name you specified. Check for the presence of files like boot.emmc.win, data.ext4.win (or .sparsechunk), and system.new.dat.br. Their presence confirms successful archiving.

Potential Issues

• Error 255: Occurs when attempting to write data to a corrupted partition or due to insufficient space. Free up storage, clean the memory card contacts, or change the media.
• Data partition not mounting: If Data appears grayed out in the backup menu, go back to Mount, uncheck Data, then check it again. If that doesn't help, perform Format Data in the Wipe section (warning: this will permanently delete all user data).
• Process hangs at 95%: Do not power off. TWRP often takes a long time to finalize compression of large system files. Wait up to 15 minutes. If the screen turns off, press the power button to wake it—the process will continue in the background.