Backing Up Home Assistant to Google Drive

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 00:00:00 +0000

My first backup video used Microsoft OneDrive as the example. After that, many comments came in with the same question: And how does that work with Google Drive? Fair enough – not everyone wants to use Microsoft. So here’s the answer.

The good news upfront: Home Assistant encrypts its backups by default before they reach the cloud. That means neither Google nor Microsoft can read the contents. This makes storing backups on a third-party service perfectly acceptable from a privacy standpoint – and takes the wind out of one of the most common objections.

The setup with Google Drive is more complex than with OneDrive, however, because you need to complete a few steps in the Google Cloud Console. I’ll walk you through all of them.

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Home Assistant Backups with Google Drive

In my previous video on backups, I introduced the new backup mechanism in Home Assistant starting with version 2025.1 and demonstrated – using Microsoft OneDrive as an example – how easy it is to store encrypted backups at a secure second location using the built-in options. The Microsoft OneDrive integration in Home Assistant is very straightforward, but not everyone wants to use OneDrive.

So in this video, I want to show another popular alternative: integrating Google Drive into Home Assistant, step by step. The initial setup is more complex than with OneDrive, so I’ll walk through the entire process.

By the way: since Home Assistant encrypts its backups by default, storing such sensitive backups on cloud storage from Microsoft or Google is not a privacy concern at all, and can in my assessment be done without hesitation.

If you’d like to familiarize yourself with the basics of the new backup mechanism first, I recommend watching this video before continuing. In the following, I’ll focus exclusively on integrating Google Drive into the backup mechanism and won’t repeat the general overview of Home Assistant’s backup system here.

Prerequisites

You’ll need a Google account to get started. Your Home Assistant installation also needs to be running a version that supports the new backup mechanism, i.e., version 2025 or later.

What you need to set up in Google and why:

For Home Assistant to communicate with Google Drive, you need to create the following elements in the Google Cloud Console:

Google Cloud Project
The project is the container where all configuration for your Home Assistant connection is collected. You can manage specific settings and all access centrally here.
OAuth Consent Screen
This step is required to identify Home Assistant as an application authorized to communicate with your Google Drive. Here you define basic information about the application, such as name, email address, and access permissions.
OAuth Client (Web Application)
The OAuth client is the access key that Home Assistant uses to authenticate with your Google account. It consists of two parts: the Client ID and the Client Secret. These are entered into Home Assistant later.
Google Drive API
This API allows Home Assistant to access your Google Drive and store or retrieve files there. It must be explicitly enabled for the connection to work.
Test Users
Since your application is not verified by Google, you need to add your own email address as a test user to gain access.

Integrating Google Drive into Home Assistant

In your Home Assistant installation, go to Settings and then Integrations. Click Add Integration and search for the entry Google → Google Drive.

The setup wizard that follows will ask you for a name (which you can choose freely), as well as an OAuth Client ID and an OAuth Client Secret.

In the upper section of the setup wizard, the necessary links are provided for creating this ID and secret. Let’s take a closer look at those now.

Click the OAuth Consent Screen link and sign in with your Google account if you haven’t already. You’re now in the configuration area of the Google Cloud, in the Google Authentication Platform dialog.

Creating a Google Project

If you’ve never been here before, you need to create a project first.

Click Create Project and give your project a name, for example Home Assistant Backup.
Click Create and wait a few seconds for the project to be created.

Registering an OAuth Application with Google

Creating the OAuth Configuration

You’ll now see the OAuth Overview screen with a notice that the Authentication Platform has not yet been configured.

Click Get started.
Enter a name for the app, for example Home Assistant or Home Assistant Backup.
Under User support email, select your email address from the dropdown menu and click Next.
Under Audience, select the option External and click Next.
Under Contact Information, enter your Google email address and click Next again.
Confirm the User Data Policy with a click and select Continue.
Click Create.

Google will now confirm with the message OAuth Configuration Created that everything was set up successfully.

Creating an OAuth Client

On the screen shown, click Create OAuth Client.
Under Application Type, select Web Application.
Leave the name as Web Client 1 or enter a custom name like Home Assistant Backup.
Scroll down and under Authorized Redirect URIs, click the Add URI button.
Paste the address that Home Assistant shows you in the setup dialog under Step 5.
Click Create.

Google will now display the generated Client ID and Client Secret. Copy this information and paste it into the Home Assistant setup dialog.

Configuring Audience and Test Users

To actively use the authentication, you still need to add your email address as a test user on the Google side.

In the Google Cloud Console, navigate from Clients to Audience in the left sidebar.
Scroll down to Test Users.
Click Add Users and enter your Google email address.
Confirm your entry.

Enabling the Google Drive API

Before everything works, you need to enable the Google Drive API in the Google Cloud Console so that Home Assistant can use it after authentication.

In the Google Cloud Console, switch from Google Authentication Platform to APIs & Services in the left navigation bar.
Click Enable APIs and Services.
Type Drive into the search field.
Select Google Drive API from the search results.
Click Enable.

This may take a few seconds. Afterwards, you’ll be redirected to a screen showing details about the Google Drive API usage.

Completing the Connection with Home Assistant

Return to Home Assistant and click Open Website.
Select your Google account again if prompted.
Confirm Google’s warning that this application has not been verified by clicking Continue.
On the next screen, confirm that you want to link your Google account with Home Assistant and click Continue.

At this point, a wizard to open My Home Assistant Links may appear.

Enter your Home Assistant URL once and confirm with Save.
Finally, the prompt Link Account Home Assistant will appear, which you can confirm by clicking Link Account.

Completing the Setup in Home Assistant

Return to Home Assistant, where you’ve already entered the API Key, OAuth Key, and Client Secret.
Click Open Website.
Select your Google account and confirm that the app has not been verified by clicking Continue.
Confirm once more that you want to proceed with the configuration.
Finally, click Link Account.

If everything has been set up correctly, you’ll receive a Success message in Home Assistant confirming that the Google Drive configuration has been created.

Configuring Backup Settings in Home Assistant

You can now – as you may already know from the previous video – go to Settings > System > Backups, then Backup Settings > Backup Locations and enable Google Drive there.

From now on, your backups will be saved not only locally, but also to Google Drive.

→ If you want to understand why it’s important not to rely solely on manufacturer clouds, this article is worth a read: Wenn dein Smart Home plötzlich dumm wird – und was du dagegen tun kannst

Home Assistant Backups in 2025.1 – Your Data Safe and Recoverable at Any Time

Sun, 02 Mar 2025 00:00:00 +0000

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Why Are Backups Important?

Imagine your Home Assistant system stops responding. Your automations, devices, and integrations are gone — everything you set up over months or even years, lost. That thought alone is unsettling, isn’t it? But that’s exactly what can happen if you don’t make regular backups.

Fortunately, Home Assistant version 2025.1 introduces an improved backup system that is simpler, more secure, and more powerful than ever before. In this article, I’ll explain why backups are essential, how to set them up in Home Assistant, and which strategies you can use to best protect your data.

What’s New in Home Assistant 2025.1?

The new backup feature makes it even easier to secure your installation. Here are the key improvements:

Automated backups can be scheduled directly within the system.
Cloud storage without extra add-ons — now directly to Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, or a Synology NAS.
Encryption by default protects your backups from unauthorized access.
Easy restoration — regardless of which installation method you use for Home Assistant.

This eliminates the need for external scripts or community add-ons to create regular backups.

Comparison: Old vs. New Backup Method

Previous Method

In the past, the backup functionality in Home Assistant was fairly rudimentary. You had to trigger backups manually through the interface or rely on add-ons like Google Drive Backup to store backups automatically in the cloud. A simple, integrated solution for regular, secured backups simply didn’t exist.

New Method in 2025.1

With the new backup feature, you can:

Run backups automatically on a schedule
Store backups directly in the cloud, without third-party add-ons
Selectively back up or exclude specific components
Perform an easy restoration with just a few clicks

In short: it has never been this easy to secure your Home Assistant system!

Step by Step: How to Create a Backup

Watch the video above for a detailed walkthrough of the process.

Tip: Occasionally test the restoration on a separate system to make sure your backups actually work.

Backup Storage Locations – What’s the Best Option?

Home Assistant 2025.1 offers various options for storing your backups:

Local (SD card or SSD) → Quickly accessible, but vulnerable to hardware failures.
Cloud (Google Drive, OneDrive, Synology NAS) → Safe from hardware issues, but dependent on internet access.
Hybrid solution (local + cloud) → The best strategy for maximum security!

Recommendation: Keep at least 7–10 backups to have multiple restore points available.

Best Practices for Your Backup Strategy

To make sure you’re always on the safe side, keep these tips in mind:

✔ Schedule regular backups: Daily or weekly, depending on your usage. ✔ Use encryption: Especially when storing backups in the cloud. ✔ Diversify backup storage locations: Local + cloud for maximum security. ✔ Store important passwords securely: Especially for encrypted backups.

Conclusion: Backups Are a Must for Your Smart Home!

With Home Assistant 2025.1, there are no more excuses to skip backups. The new features make securing your system enormously easy and turn restoration into a breeze when things go wrong.

Try out the new backup feature and make sure your smart home stays protected at all times!

Backing Up Home Assistant to Google Drive – Step-by-step guide to the Google Drive integration, including OAuth setup
Cloud vs. Local – What You Need to Know About Storing Your Data – Why local backups alone aren’t enough and when cloud storage makes sense

Backups on Smart Home? Sure — But Secure!

Backing Up Home Assistant to Google Drive

Home Assistant Backups with Google Drive

Prerequisites

What you need to set up in Google and why:

Integrating Google Drive into Home Assistant

Google Cloud Platform Login

Creating a Google Project

Registering an OAuth Application with Google

Creating the OAuth Configuration

Creating an OAuth Client

Configuring Audience and Test Users

Enabling the Google Drive API

Completing the Connection with Home Assistant

Completing the Setup in Home Assistant

Configuring Backup Settings in Home Assistant

Home Assistant Backups in 2025.1 – Your Data Safe and Recoverable at Any Time

Why Are Backups Important?

What’s New in Home Assistant 2025.1?

Comparison: Old vs. New Backup Method

Previous Method

New Method in 2025.1

Step by Step: How to Create a Backup

Backup Storage Locations – What’s the Best Option?

Best Practices for Your Backup Strategy

Conclusion: Backups Are a Must for Your Smart Home!

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