Where is my backup stored, and what does it contain?

The backup holds everything that lives only on your phone: your encryption keys first, the vital part, then your places, circles, contacts and conversation history, photos included. It is encrypted on the phone before it leaves, and nobody can read it on the way or where it is kept.

Two possible locations, your choice:

• Your personal cloud, Google Drive on Android or iCloud on iPhone: this is the default. The key protecting the backup is split into two halves, one at Fenzly, the other in your cloud. Neither is any use alone: neither Fenzly nor your cloud can read the backup, and you have nothing to remember.
• Fenzly hosting, in Switzerland: offered at setup, and automatically when your cloud is full. The backup is then protected by a 30-digit recovery code that only you hold; without it, it cannot be recovered on another phone. You can keep a copy of the code in your cloud to find it automatically; it stays unreadable to Fenzly.

In both cases the backup runs by itself when you open the app, and a banner warns you if it fails or is not set up. You can also export an encrypted file to keep wherever you like. The guide Setting up the backup details each setting.