Cant find (Seedvault) backup option on my system

Using /e/OS Applications
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1

Hi there!
I use Fairphone3 with /e/OS 3.0.1. My Partner uses the same phone with the same /e/OS (same version)

At the phone of my partner I find unter Settings->System-> Backup the option to Backup files via Seedvault on on USB or other ways.
That is great!

On my own phone, I would like to use this as well, but under Settings->System-> there is no Backup option… :frowning:
As Seedvault deeds to be integrated in your Android ROM and can not be installed as a regular app, I can also not just install it.

I was wondering: does anybody know why Seedvault does not show up in my /e/OS and what I can do to change this?

Thanks very much!

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2

Perhaps first compare the full build_version_string of the two phones.

3

Ok, sounds good.

That is my phone:
3.0.1-t-20250606498724-official-FP3

That is the phone of my Partner:
3.0.1-t-20250606498724-official-FP3

4

Thanks, so no diff there.

I wonder if you search Setting > Apps > Show all > from 3 dot menu > Show system > Seedvault … is it found on both phones? Seems not really relevant but any diff in the settings or permissions there?

5

Thanks, good idea! It does show up on both phones.
So it is installed. That is already good to know.
Just dies not show uo in the settings.
I went through the settings, there are no settings that differ, only the size:

  • the size on my phone is 90,11 KB (App 12,29 KB, Userdata 35,06 KB, cache 32,77 KB)
  • the size on the phone of my partner is 4,09 MB (App 2,61 MB, Userdata 1,35 MB, cache 135 KB)

The version is the same at both: 13-3.3

6

How odd. Sizes in KB are as if you have a placeholder only and not the app, an app size of 4 MB is as my phone.

How long has this been the case? Is it a new install? Any official update should contain the full system.

7

It has been the case since I have my phone, so for sure the last three years. As I never saw the option of SeedVault in the settings, I backed up my data regularly manually through cable via Computer.
Only by accident I saw the Seedvault backup option in the settings of the phone of my partner the other day and since then I know that there is actually an option which is missing on my phone.
I installed all the regular updates, but it never showed the backup option.

8

I kept an eye on Seedvault development generally. There was a commit in /e/OS that did hide it from the Settings and disabled direct user activity calling ~4 years ago.

After Android 14 builds, /e/OS uses upstream Seedvault that finally does away with this and other shortcomings. I’d expect it to show up once you upgrade to the next major.

FP3 official builds were a cloaked / spoofed userbuild last I remember? you could call the activity directly as adb root if I’m not wrong on the build type. There’s an adb command in one of the linked threads that mention this. As said, nothing of this is relevant past A14:

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9

Thanks, good to know. I now upgraded my phone to android 15 community edition, and now it shows up. Problem solved, thanks a lot!

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