How to Back Up Honista Settings (2026)

Honista backup settings take a while to get right. You pick a theme, you turn on the Ghost Mode switches you actually want, you set your download folder, you hide the bits of the feed you do not want to see. Then you update the app — or you buy a new phone — and it is all gone, because nobody told you to back it up first.

This guide takes five minutes and saves you that rebuild. Do it before every update and before every phone switch.

Honista backup settings: the short answer

Honista backup settings include a built-in backup option in the app’s settings. Use it to save your preferences to a file, then move that file somewhere safe — outside the app’s own folder. On a new phone or after an update, restore from that file instead of setting everything up again.

One honest warning up front: a backup saves settings, not your account. Your login, your followers and your messages live on Instagram’s servers, not in this file. And not every single setting transfers perfectly between very different versions — check the switches that matter most to you after restoring.

Step 1: Open Honista’s settings

Open Honista, go to your profile, and open Settings. Look for a section about backup, data or storage — the exact label can differ slightly between builds, because different Honista versions arrange their menus differently. If you cannot find it at first glance, check inside the general or advanced settings area rather than giving up.

Step 2: Create the backup

Tap the Honista backup settings option and let the app create the file. This usually takes a few seconds. If the app asks where to save it, pick a folder you can find again.

Step 3: Move the copy somewhere safe

This is the step most people skip when saving Honista backup settings, and it is the one that matters.

• Copy the backup file to Google Drive, or to another cloud folder you use.
• Or send it to yourself on WhatsApp or Telegram, or move it to an SD card.
• Why: cleaning apps, a factory reset, or uninstalling Honista can wipe the app’s own folders. A backup that lives only inside the app is not really a backup.

Also keep your downloaded Reels, photos and stories in a separate folder. The settings backup does not include your media — if you delete the app, downloaded media in the app’s folder can go with it.

Step 4: After updating — restore, then check

After you install the new version:

1. Open Settings and restore from your backup file.
2. Check the three things that matter most: your theme, your Ghost Mode switches, and your download folder.
3. If one switch did not carry over — this happens when a new version renames or moves a setting — turn it back on by hand. That is still far faster than rebuilding everything.

Step 5: Switching to a new phone

The process is the same, with one extra step:

1. Back up on the old phone and move the file to the cloud (step 3).
2. Install Honista on the new phone — see our How to Update Honista guide for the install steps, and our Is Honista APK Safe? guide before you log in.
3. Download the backup file on the new phone, restore it in Settings, and check your theme and Ghost Mode switches.
4. Log in with your Instagram account. If anything looks off, keep the official Instagram app installed as a fallback until you are sure Honista is working — the same precaution we recommend in our Honista not working guide.

What a backup does NOT save

Be clear about this before you rely on it:

• It does not save your Instagram login, followers or messages — those come back when you log in.
• It does not save downloaded media unless you moved that media to a separate folder yourself.
• It may not transfer every setting between very different versions (for example, jumping from v8.2 to v13.0 — see our old versions page if you are on an older build).
• It does not protect you if the backup file itself is lost — which is why step 3 exists.

How often should you back up?

• Before every Honista update — always.
• Before switching phones — always.
• After you finish a big round of customization — once, so you have a good copy to return to.
• Otherwise, once in a while is enough. Settings do not change on their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I lose my settings if I update Honista without a backup?

Often, yes — at least some of them. Updates can reset themes and privacy switches, and a fresh install almost always does. Back up first; it takes a few minutes.

Does the backup include my downloaded Reels and photos?

No. Back up your settings file, and separately keep downloaded media in a folder outside the app — for example, move it to your gallery folder or cloud storage.

Can I use a backup from an old Honista version on v13.0?

Usually the main settings transfer, but some switches may not, because newer versions rename or move settings. Restore, then check your theme and Ghost Mode switches by hand.

Where should I keep the backup file?

Somewhere an app cleaner or an uninstall cannot reach: Google Drive, another cloud folder, an SD card, or a message to yourself. Never only inside the app’s own folder.

Do I need to back up if I am not updating or changing phones?

Not urgently. But one backup after you finish customizing costs nothing and saves a full rebuild if anything ever goes wrong.

The bottom line

Use Honista backup settings before you update, before you switch phones, and keep the copy outside the app. Five minutes now saves a full rebuild, and our How to Update Honista guide walks through the update itself step by step. If something goes wrong after restoring, the Honista troubleshooting hub covers the other common problems.