Restoring contacts including birthdays on Lineage OS (after factory reset)

[tphysm]

I have a problem restoring my contacts after the switch from FP Open OS to Lineage OS.

For this switch, I have to wipe my whole data and set up all my apps and data from scratch. Therefore, I did several backups of my data (oandbackup, TWRP etc.) to be able to restore everything after the installation of Lineage OS.

However, I already failed at restoring my contacts: Under FP Open OS, I stored most of my contacts with birth dates. The contact app itself provides a backup/export to the external sdcard from the context menu, which backs up all the contact’s data except for the birth dates. So, this export is of no help.
Moreover, I also tried to restore my contacts with oandbackup, but it didn’t work at all, cause no contact showed up in the contacts app afterwards.
(The TWRP backup is not applicable, cause I changed the OS.)

As this didn’t work, I rolled back to FP Open OS (using the TWRP backup).

My question is: Does anyone know of a working restore method for the contacts which also includes birth dates?

[Ingo]

I use a carddav server to synchronize contacts, i.e. a personal cloud (I run it on a RasPi 3). That way one doesn’t need to think about backup/restore when switching the OS.

If using some cloud service is not an option for you I guess someone else needs to help.

[AnotherElk]

@tphysm

(The TWRP backup is not applicable, cause I changed the OS.)

Caution! A TWRP backup in general doesn’t backup personal data of the user such as pictures, ringtones etc., whether that includes contacts depends on where exactly they are stored in Android, I lack a deeper understanding of that yet. It is safer to assume TWRP doesn’t back them up.
Here’s a post with a screenshot with TWRP explicitly giving this warning while backing up …

Using LineageOS on the FP2

I hope with “the data” you don’t mean your files (pictures, downloads, ringtones etc.) in Internal Storage as TWRP doesn’t backup those, and explicitly states this when backing up … you need other means for backing those up before wiping them, e.g. syncing them to the internet or locally (MyPhoneExplorer works great). [image]

I sync my contacts locally with Thunderbird using MyPhoneExplorer (Windows only). But I wouldn’t need to sync them, MyPhoneExplorer could just store a local backup of them from the phone. As far as I could see until now, all data fields I have in the contacts are preserved.

Besides, I use MyPhoneExplorer to backup the complete Internal Storage part of Android which TWRP doesn’t touch.
Together with a TWRP backup of the OS that should cover most things, an open question to me were App settings, I would have to revisit that when I need to restore the phone completely, I don’t want to try that just for fun now …

[tphysm]

Hey, thanks for your answers!

@Ingo

I use a carddav server to synchronize contacts, i.e. a personal cloud (I run it on a RasPi 3). That way one doesn’t need to think about backup/restore when switching the OS.

Does this cover the birth dates as well? That might be an option for me.

@AnotherElk

Caution! A TWRP backup in general doesn’t backup personal data of the user such as pictures, ringtones etc.

Yeah, I know, but thanks for pointing me to this! (I didn’t mention that I also backed up the internal storage - sorry)

MyPhoneExplorer is not open source and not available in F-Droid, so I don’t really want to use it if it’s not necessary.

[Heiner]

@tphysm

I use a carddav server to synchronize contacts, i.e. a personal cloud (I run it on a RasPi 3). That way one doesn’t need to think about backup/restore when switching the OS.

Does this cover the birth dates as well? That might be an option for me.

I am using a posteo mail account (www.posteo.de). At this account at the posteo servers in Berlin (not in the US!) I have stored all my encrypted mails, addresses and calendars with birthdays from the address administration. They charge 1 € / month, but that it is worth because it is without any advertising, and a very proof security concept behind. You should have a look!

Edit: I synchronise my adresses and calendars via davdroid from the posteo server to my FairPhone. I administrate my Posteo account via a web interface from any PC I just get to use.

[Ingo]

@tphysm

Does this cover the birth dates as well? That might be an option for me.

Yes. All contact data is stored in the cloud and synchronized with all devices.