Alex Ruben
How To Backup and Restore with Wireless Debugging on Google TV Streamer 4K Using ADB Over Wi-Fi or USB
Backing up and restoring data on devices like the Google TV Streamer 4K can be a bit of a pain. Sometimes, you wanna do it before a factory reset or system update, just to keep your settings, apps, and stuff safe. But, getting into ADB (Android Debug Bridge) can feel intimidating — especially if you’re not super tech-savvy. This guide aims to make the process less of a headache. It covers the basic steps to pair your device and run backups/restores using ADB commands, either wired or wireless. It’s not always perfect — on some setups, the pairing or commands can lag a bit — but with a little patience, it’s doable and saves lots of hassle later on.
How to Backup and Restore Data on Google TV Streamer 4K Using ADB Commands
Enable Developer Options on Your Google TV
If you don’t turn this on, ADB just won’t connect, no matter what you try. So, this is step one and pretty much mandatory. You gotta get into the hidden menus:
- Navigate to Settings on your Google TV.
- Go to System and select About.
- Look for Build — then press OK on your remote seven times. Sometimes it helps to count aloud or tap faster if it doesn’t register. You’ll get a quick message that developer mode is now enabled, which means you’re almost there.
On some devices, this process can be a bit inconsistent. So, if nothing happens after seven presses, try a few more or restart your TV and try again. Because, of course, Android systems seem to have their quirks.
Enable Wireless Debugging & Pair Your Device
This part is kinda weird, but it’s the thing that makes ADB talk to your TV over Wi-Fi instead of the cable. You’ll want to go back to Settings > System > Developer Options. Then:
- Scroll down and find Wireless Debugging. Turn it on.
- In the same section, tap on Pair device with pairing code. You’ll see a code, plus the IP address and port number (like 192.168.1.xxx:port).
Make sure your laptop or PC and your Google TV are on the same Wi-Fi network—no, you can’t do this over different networks. That’s key, or it just won’t work.
Install ADB on Your Laptop or PC
Unless you have ADB already, this is your next step. Download the latest version of the Android SDK Platform-tools from the official website: here. Extract the ZIP somewhere easy to find, like Desktop or a dedicated folder.
Open a command prompt or PowerShell window directly in that folder by Shift + right-clicking and choosing “Open PowerShell window here” or “Open command window here.” That way, all commands will run smoothly without needing to navigate paths constantly.
Connect Your PC to the Google TV via ADB
This is where things get tense — or so it seems. To pair your device, run:
adb pair : Replace <ip_address> and <port> with the info from your pairing screen. If it doesn’t run or says “connection failed,” double-check your IP address and port. Sometimes the code takes a few seconds to generate, and on certain setups, the pairing process hangs or disconnects. Try restarting your TV and run the command again.
Once paired, connect with:
adb connect : Expect a success message — or, on some setups, it might network-flake out and not connect right away. On those days, reboot everything and try again. These steps are kind of buggy sometimes.
Backing Up Your Data
Now that you’re connected, run this command to back up:
adb backup -all -f Backup.abThis saves everything — apps, settings, preferences — into a file called Backup.ab. It’s not perfect, because sometimes the backup might skip app data or get stuck if the TV or PC is slow. On one setup, it worked flawlessly, on another, it refused to finish — go figure.
Restoring Your Data
Same story, different command:
adb restore Backup.abThis should bring back your apps and settings, but don’t expect absolute perfection. Sometimes you get errors, especially if the backup wasn’t complete or you’re restoring to a different device model. Keep that in mind.
Extra Tips & Troubleshooting
Some quick things to keep in mind —
- Make sure both your TV and PC stay on the same Wi-Fi. Fluctuations here are the biggest pain.
- If commands fail or disconnect, restart both devices and try the pairing step again.
- It helps to run the latest ADB version. Old tools tend to have weird bugs.
- In some cases, disabling and re-enabling Wireless Debugging on your TV helps refresh the connection.
If things are stubborn, you could also try connecting via USB with a USB-C or micro USB cable (if your device supports it). That sometimes makes the process more stable, but not always.
Wrap-up
Honestly, this isn’t the slickest process — you kinda have to be patient and a little bit lucky with how things sync up. But once it works, hacking around with ADB isn’t too bad and can save a lot of pain during system resets or troubleshooting. Just be aware that sometimes commands don’t work on the first try, or the connection gets flaky without warning. Still, with persistence, it’s totally doable.
Summary
- Enable Developer Options and Wireless Debugging.
- Pair and connect your device with ADB commands.
- Use `adb backup -all -f` to backup, and `adb restore` to put data back.
- Ensure same Wi-Fi network, restart devices if things get flaky.
Fingers crossed this helps
Backing up and restoring your Google TV doesn’t have to be a nightmare — just keep in mind it’s a bit flaky sometimes, and patience goes a long way. Good luck, and hopefully, this saves someone a headache when their device needs a reset or new setup.