MuntashirAkon/AppManager · error · BackupException

Could not get backup files

Error message

Could not get backup files

What it means

Thrown by TBConverter.convert() when BackupItems.createBackupItemGracefully throws IOException while setting up the destination backup files/directories for the simulated backup. The destination backup item is the scaffold all converted data is written into, so failure aborts the conversion.

Solutions

1. Check the wrapped IOException cause for the exact path that could not be created/opened.
2. Verify the backup destination directory is writable and has free space; pick internal storage to rule out external-storage restrictions.
3. Grant AppManager storage / all-files-access permissions on Android 11+.
4. Delete stale/partial output of previous failed conversions for this package and retry.

Example fix

// before: convert to whatever destination is set
converter.convert();
// after: ensure destination is writable first
File dest = getBackupDestDir(userId, packageName);
if (!dest.canWrite() || dest.getUsableSpace() < MIN_FREE) {
    throw new IOException("destination not writable or full: " + dest);
}
converter.convert();

File dest = getBackupDestDir(userId, packageName);
if (!dest.getParentFile().canWrite())
    throw new IOException("backup destination not writable: " + dest);
if (dest.getUsableSpace() < MIN_FREE_BYTES)
    throw new IOException("insufficient space: " + dest);

try { converter.convert(); }
catch (BackupException e) {
    if (e.getMessage().equals("Could not get backup files")) {
        // inspect IOException cause; switch destination or free space, then retry
    }
}

When it happens

Trigger: Destination backup root not writable (permissions, scoped storage), path creation failing, insufficient storage to initialize the backup item, or invalid userId/package combination producing an unusable path.

Common situations: Backing up to SD card/USB that is read-only or full; Android 11+ scoped-storage restrictions on the chosen backup directory; corrupted prior conversion leftovers blocking directory creation; work-profile/user IDs the storage layer can't resolve.

Understand the failure class

Background: "failed to write file", "Could not save figure", "Error saving remote file" — file write failed: causes and fixes across languages and libraries — this error's family across 38 libraries.

Related errors

• Could not get backup files.
• APK files backup is requested but no APK files have been…
• Backup failed for
• Backup failed for
• Could not backup data

AI-assisted analysis of MuntashirAkon/AppManager@0152f468fc (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/4c9403849f986f1c. Report an issue: GitHub.

Appendix: source

Thrown at app/src/main/java/io/github/muntashirakon/AppManager/backup/convert/TBConverter.java:114

        int idx = dirtyName.indexOf('-');
        if (idx == -1) mPackageName = null;
        else mPackageName = dirtyName.substring(0, idx);
        mBackupTime = propFile.lastModified();  // TODO: Grab from the file name
        mFilesToBeDeleted.add(propFile);
    }

    @Override
    public void convert() throws BackupException {
        if (mPackageName == null) {
            throw new BackupException("Could not read package name.");
        }
        // Source metadata
        mSourceMetadata = readPropFile();
        // Simulate a backup creation
        try {
            mBackupItem = BackupItems.createBackupItemGracefully(mUserId, "TB", mPackageName);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            throw new BackupException("Could not get backup files", e);
        }
        boolean backupSuccess = false;
        try {
            try {
                // Destination metadata
                mDestMetadata = ConvertUtils.getV5Metadata(mSourceMetadata, mBackupItem);
                // Destination APK will be renamed
                mDestMetadata.metadata.apkName = "base.apk";
            } catch (CryptoException e) {
                throw new BackupException("Failed to get crypto " + mDestMetadata.info.crypto, e);
            }
            try {
                mChecksum = mBackupItem.getChecksum();
            } catch (IOException e) {
                throw new BackupException("Failed to create checksum file.", e);
            }
            // Backup icon
            backupIcon();

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