Extract text from Nova Launcher backups (NOVABACKUP)
To convert NOVABACKUP backups to another format, you need Nova Launcher or other Backup software.
To convert other file formats to the "Android App Configuration" file type, you need software like Nova Launcher or a similar tool.
A .novabackup file is a proprietary archive format generated by Nova Launcher, a highly customizable home screen replacement for Android devices. These files serve as a snapshot of your phone's interface, storing data such as icon layout, widget placement, dock configurations, folders, and gesture settings.
The main limitation for users is that .novabackup files are effectively "black boxes" outside of the Nova Launcher environment. You cannot open them in standard text editors, view your layout on a Windows or macOS desktop, or import the settings directly into competing launchers like Samsung One UI or Google Pixel Launcher. This proprietary lock-in means that if you switch devices and forget to install Nova Launcher first, the file appears useless.
However, technically, these files are often just renamed ZIP archives containing XML configuration files and database assets. If you need to inspect specific settings or retrieve data without an Android phone, you can rename the extension from .novabackup to zip and open it with tools like 7-Zip or WinRAR. For general use, the only way to "convert" the file back into a functional home screen is to utilize the "Restore or manage backups" feature within the Nova Launcher settings menu.
Convert.Guru analyzes your NOVABACKUP file, detects the exact format, and lets you read the text inside.
Users also converted UNF, RB3 and V2B files.
If you want to convert NOVABACKUP file to BAK, BACKUP, OLD, TMP, TEMP, ARC, ZIP, TAR, GZ, 7Z, RAR or ISO, you can use Nova Launcher or similar software from the "Android Settings Backup" category. In the File menu, look for Save As… or Export….
To convert SNAPSHOT, OLD, IMG, RESTORE, ISO, COPY, VMDK, TMP, VHD, BAK, ARCHIVE or BACKUP files to NOVABACKUP, try Nova Launcher or another comparable tool in the "Android Settings Backup" category.
The history of Convert.Guru began over 25 years ago in California with Tom Simondi’s file-format database. A former contributor to Space Shuttle development and a software pioneer of the 1980s, Simondi established a trusted resource for file type analysis that was even referenced by Microsoft Windows XP. Today, we use modern technology to process and convert thousands of file formats while continually improving our NOVABACKUP converter.