Quick answer
A design appearing in your Gallery does not prove it is backed up outside your device. Before reinstalling, changing phones or clearing data, find out where the app stores saved widget documents and whether it supports export. Make a test backup and confirm you can reopen it without losing images or settings. Remember that restoring a Google Play purchase is different from restoring your personal files.
Local is not the same as backed up
A widget design saved on your phone can survive everyday editing and app restarts while still being vulnerable to an app-data wipe or device reset. A Gallery and a draft recovery feature help organize work, but neither automatically proves a cloud copy exists.
WidgetCraft does not require an account or provide a mandatory cloud-sync service. Authored photos and designs are not uploaded to a developer backend. Some network features, templates and ads can still contact outside services, so “local designs” is not the same as “the app never uses the network.”
Before changing phones or clearing data
Check whether your current app version has a supported export or transfer workflow. If it does, verify that the exported file opens correctly before wiping the source device. If it doesn't, do not assume Android backup will recreate every imported template, edited layer or local unlock.
Write down which widgets you actively use and keep any original photos safely in your chosen photo backup system. A thumbnail or screenshot of the widget may help recreate a design but is not necessarily an editable document.
Purchases are separate from documents
A one-time Google Play Pro purchase can normally be restored through the eligible purchasing Google account in the app. That entitlement is different from restoring your local designs. Reinstalling and restoring Pro does not magically bring back Gallery content that was never backed up.
If you're unsure, preserve app data and contact verified support before using “Clear storage.” Read Gallery management to reduce risky cleanup.
Moving to a new phone is not the same as restoring a purchase
Buying Pro through Google Play can restore an eligible purchase using the same purchasing Google account. That restores entitlement, not necessarily your custom widget files. A cloud account for billing and a backup service for artwork are separate systems. Do not rely on one to do the other's job.
If you are changing phones, inventory your important designs first: photos, custom fonts if relevant, personal notes, data connections and template edits. Record which pieces the app actually exports. An image-only export may preserve appearance without keeping editable layers or the original source connection.
Test an export before you need it
- Create or choose one non-sensitive widget that contains more than plain text.
- Use the app's documented export/share function only if it exists. Do not assume every widget app provides a full editable export.
- Check where the exported file is saved and whether you can open it with the appropriate app.
- Verify that any images and editable layers are present, not merely a flattened preview.
- Keep the original app data intact until the receiving phone shows a successful import.
For WidgetCraft, the Gallery holds locally saved authored and imported designs. There is no mandatory account or automatic developer cloud synchronization of user designs. Template unlocks and local drafts should not be treated as remote backups.
Protect secrets before sharing a design
If a widget connects to a custom HTTPS service, an exported design should not be published with usable private tokens or personal query parameters. Check what the receiving app asks to reconnect and whether any credential is embedded. The fact that credentials are encrypted in local app storage does not prove every exported format excludes them; verify the behavior before sharing publicly.
For a safer overview, see widget privacy checklist and custom HTTPS data. If you are switching the home-screen launcher rather than the entire phone, read what changes with a new launcher.