# "Add second device" should include the "export backup" option **URL:** \ **Category:** Feature Proposal\ **Created:** [May 17, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/add-second-device-should-include-the-export-backup-option/3786 "2025-05-17T19:30:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WofWca](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/wofwca/32/1702_2.png) [@WofWca](https://forum.delta.chat/u/WofWca)\ **Post date:** [May 17, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/add-second-device-should-include-the-export-backup-option/3786/1 "2025-05-17T19:30:27Z")
## Expected behavior Users are given another option to add a second device if it’s impossible for them to do it over Wi-Fi. The same should probably go for the “Add Profile” screen. ## Actual behavior If you can’t transfer over Wi-Fi, you can’t add a second device, unless you know about the backup “trick”. ---
**Author:** ![r10s](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/r10s/32/1513_2.png) [@r10s](https://forum.delta.chat/u/r10s)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 1:04pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/add-second-device-should-include-the-export-backup-option/3786/2 "2025-05-20T13:04:36Z")
ftr, we have a [“Troubleshooting”](https://delta.chat/en/help#troubleshooting) item on all devices and for sending and receiving. Troubleshooting offers different solutions first, before finally going for “Manual Transfer” (aka “Export Backup”), which arguably should really be the last resort. but, it is not a “trick”, it is clearly mentioned. surely, things can be improved, but i am not sure that pointing users to “manual transfer” before they tried everything else from Troubleshooting would improve things overall. eg. offering an option “Export Backup” directly, we would have less ppl reading troubleshouting and finding out, their issue was a different one, and getting stuck with transferring backup from android to ios … ---
**Author:** ![WofWca](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/wofwca/32/1702_2.png) [@WofWca](https://forum.delta.chat/u/WofWca)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2025, 1:20pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/add-second-device-should-include-the-export-backup-option/3786/3 "2025-05-20T13:20:30Z")
Sure, the “troubleshooting” thing is great, but it makes it seem like there is no option to add a device other than over a local network. And transferring a file to another machine is something that is usually simpler than following troubleshooting. So, something like “see troubleshooting or do manual transfer” would be great IMO. ---
**Author:** ![r10s](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/r10s/32/1513_2.png) [@r10s](https://forum.delta.chat/u/r10s)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 12:38pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/add-second-device-should-include-the-export-backup-option/3786/4 "2026-02-13T12:38:23Z")
3 posts were split to a new topic: [What are the automatic reminders that I should use “Add as Second Device”?](https://forum.delta.chat/t/what-are-the-automatic-reminders-that-i-should-use-add-as-second-device/4730) ---
**Author:** ![adbenitez](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/adbenitez/32/2323_2.png) [@adbenitez](https://forum.delta.chat/u/adbenitez)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/add-second-device-should-include-the-export-backup-option/3786/5 "2026-02-14T00:13:08Z")
since backup is also about “adding a second” device I agree the option should appear together for example offering it directly when user click “add second device” or with a button inside add second device screen, people often struggle to find the backup option in settings not to talk about coming to the idea there will be hints about it in troubleshooting ---
**Author:** ![Raiden](https://forum.delta.chat/user_avatar/forum.delta.chat/raiden/32/2544_2.png) [@Raiden](https://forum.delta.chat/u/Raiden)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://forum.delta.chat/t/add-second-device-should-include-the-export-backup-option/3786/6 "2026-02-14T16:25:07Z")
Perhaps a small help link to the FAQs would solve the problem? If the transfer fails, most users would surely click on it and learn about the alternative option. In my opinion, the profile switcher is the “natural” place for the backup feature. New profiles are created and deleted there. Therefore, it would make sense to be able to create backups there as well. Besides, a backup isn’t a setting. Maybe it would also make sense, for marketing reasons and to improve security awareness, to rename the “Add Second Device” feature to “Add Additional Device?” > [@Create backup in account switcher](https://support.delta.chat/t/create-backup-in-account-switcher/2950): > > Expected behavior Backups can be created using the context menu of the account switcher. Actual behavior Backups cannot be created via the context menu of the account switcher. Explanation Regular backups are important. So far, a user has to create a backup via settings. With many accounts, this can be very tedious. Apart from that, a backup is actually not a setting. Using the account switcher’s context menu would make creating backups much quicker and more convenient. Basically, this would…