MuntashirAkon/AppManager · error · BackupException

Failed to restore ADB data

Error message

Failed to restore ADB data

What it means

Thrown by restoreAdb when piping the decrypted archive into BackupCompat.adbRestore via a ParcelFileDescriptor fails, for any Throwable. This is the actual hand-off of the archive to Android's adb backup restore mechanism; any failure there (I/O, binder, service failure) is wrapped in this message.

Source

Thrown at app/src/main/java/io/github/muntashirakon/AppManager/backup/RestoreOp.java:619

    }

    private void restoreAdb(int index) throws BackupException {
        Path[] dataFiles = mBackupItem.getDataFiles(index);
        if (dataFiles.length != 1) {
            throw new BackupException("ADB restore is requested but there are no .ab files.");
        }
        // Decrypt data
        try {
            dataFiles = mBackupItem.decrypt(dataFiles);
        } catch (IOException e) {
            throw new BackupException("Failed to decrypt " + Arrays.toString(dataFiles), e);
        }
        // Restore data
        try (InputStream is = dataFiles[0].openInputStream()) {
            ParcelFileDescriptor fd = ParcelFileDescriptorUtil.pipeFrom(is);
            BackupCompat.adbRestore(mUserId, fd);
        } catch (Throwable th) {
            throw new BackupException("Failed to restore ADB data", th);
        }
    }

    private synchronized void restoreExtras() throws BackupException {
        if (!mIsInstalled) {
            throw new BackupException("Misc restore is requested but the app isn't installed.");
        }
        PseudoRules rules = new PseudoRules(mPackageName, mUserId);
        // Backward compatibility for restoring permissions
        loadMiscRules(rules);
        // Apply rules
        List<RuleEntry> entries = rules.getAll();
        AppOpsManagerCompat appOpsManager = new AppOpsManagerCompat();
        INotificationManager notificationManager = INotificationManager.Stub.asInterface(ProxyBinder.getService(Context.NOTIFICATION_SERVICE));
        boolean magiskHideAvailable = MagiskHide.available();
        boolean canModifyAppOpMode = SelfPermissions.canModifyAppOpMode();
        boolean canChangeNetPolicy = SelfPermissions.checkSelfOrRemotePermission(ManifestCompat.permission.MANAGE_NETWORK_POLICY);
        for (RuleEntry entry : entries) {

View on GitHub (pinned to 0152f468fc)

Solutions

1. Verify the decrypted archive is valid (test with `ab restore` tooling or re-create the backup)
2. Try restoring via ADB from a PC (`adb restore file.ab`) to get a clearer system-level error
3. Check the Android version: on Android 12+ adb backup is heavily restricted; prefer files-mode backups
4. Re-create the backup on the target device with AppManager's native (files) backup mode instead of ADB mode

Example fix

// before
try (InputStream is = dataFiles[0].openInputStream()) {
    ParcelFileDescriptor fd = ParcelFileDescriptorUtil.pipeFrom(is);
    BackupCompat.adbRestore(mUserId, fd);
} catch (Throwable th) {
    throw new BackupException("Failed to restore ADB data", th);
}
// after
try (InputStream is = dataFiles[0].openInputStream()) {
    ParcelFileDescriptor fd = ParcelFileDescriptorUtil.pipeFrom(is);
    BackupCompat.adbRestore(mUserId, fd);
} catch (Throwable th) {
    Log.e(TAG, "adbRestore failed; suggest files-mode backup instead", th);
    throw new BackupException("Failed to restore ADB data", th);
}

if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.S) {
    warn("adb backup restore is unreliable on Android 12+; use files-mode backup");
}

try {
    restoreOp.runRestore();
} catch (BackupException e) {
    if ("Failed to restore ADB data".equals(e.getMessage())) {
        Log.e(TAG, "ADB restore failed", e.getCause());
        fallbackToFilesRestoreOrAbort();
    } else throw e;
}

When it happens

Trigger: BackupCompat.adbRestore(mUserId, fd) throws — e.g. pipeFrom fails on the InputStream, the binder transaction fails, the system's restore service rejects the archive, or the decrypted stream is empty/invalid.

Common situations: Android version incompatibility (adb backup deprecated/restricted in newer Android); corrupted decrypted archive; device policy blocking backup restore; insufficient memory opening the stream.

Related errors

• Android System (android) cannot be restored.
• Restore is requested without any flags.
• No base backup found.
• Could not get backup files.
• Failed to backup ADB data.

AI-assisted analysis of MuntashirAkon/AppManager@0152f468fc (2026-09-12). Data as JSON: /api/errors/5bbf68e613d55adb. Report an issue: GitHub.