As long as you have previously created a Nandroid backup using TWRP, you can follow this guide to restore that backup on the Pixel 2 or the Pixel 2 XL.
Yesterday I walked you through the process for how to create a Nandroid backup of the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL. If you using TWRP in any way then you’ll definitely want to regularly create backups of your phone (assuming the data you have on there is important to you).
If you don’t mind doing factory resets if something stops working then creating regular backups won’t be necessary. However, most of us would rather just restore from a backup if it’s ever needed.
Today, I want to continue with this and show you how to restore from a previously created Nandroid backup on the Pixel 2 and the Pixel 2 XL. Doing this will restore everything on your device to the exact state it was in when you created the backup. Meaning, any Android settings, application/games installed, application/game data, homescreen icon positions, etc. will all be restored to the same state things were in when the backup you’re restoring from was created.
To follow this guide below you need to have a previously created Nandroid backup within TWRP and this requires you to have the bootloader of the Pixel 2 unlocked.
Pixel 2 Restore Nandroid Backup
- Boot the Pixel 2 into Recovery Mode
- Tap the Restore button
- Select the backup you want to restore from
- Select which partitions you want to restore
- Swipe the white arrows to the right to begin the restore process
- Then tap the Reboot System button when it appears
Explanation
Since you have already created a back in TWRP then a lot of this will seem familiar. This includes the backup names you chose, the partitions you backed up at that time, and the basic understanding of how TWRP works. I just like to create these added guides so the reader will know exactly how the process is done from start to finish. Having things laid out and showing how to do this on a video also instills a bit of confience for those who are new to Android.
With that said, I do want to remind you that TWRP (as of writing this) is still in beta and that means some bugs are expected to be present. Widespread bugs should already be known about but there isn’t a piece of software in history that is free from every single bug. I’ve seen people report that doing a full restore in TWRP (as of writing this) can result in a bootloop. However, others have reported that it works perfectly for them. As with all types of mods like this, you are taking your own risk in doing so.
Thankfully, the point of having backups on hand and restoring from them eases some of the risks involved in the various Android modifications. So to begin the restore process, we just need to go ahead and boot up into Fastboot Mode. From here, we will boot over into Recovery Mode and that should take us to the TWRP main menu. Now we want to tap the Restore button on the right side of the screen and we’ll see a list of backups we have stored on our device.
Tap the backup we want to restore from and then make sure the partitions you want to restore are selected. If you’re doing a full restore make sure they’re all selected but if you only need to restore a few them make sure they are only selected. When ready, swipe the white arrows to the right to begin the restore process and then wait patiently. When the backup has been restored, you can then tap the Reboot System button at the bottom right to boot back into the Android operating system.
