NB: These notes are for Android devices

Getting a new phone? Backing up your contacts, apps and photos is a breeze; isn't technology grand? Good thing LINE is here to remind us how stupid and ponderous software can be.

What you'll need

• the DropBox app
• a file system explorer -- I suggest ES File Explorer
• patience

How exporting works

There's no bulk import/export functionality, so you'll export each chat history one by one. That way, you can condemn to deserving oblivion the backlog to your spammy Idolmaster chatroom, while preserving in-depth discussions about allusions to early Gnosticism in Oshiete! Galko-chan. Note that video and audio messages will not be exported, so save them manually.

Once you've decided which chats to export, follow these instructions. After a chat is backed up, LINE offers to let you email the archive file. Select that option, then choose DropBox from the list, and add the file. I suggest making a separate DropBox folder for the backups.

How importing works

Install LINE on your new phone, but don't log in yet. Then, install DropBox and ES File Explorer, follow the steps under "Restoring backed-up chats" here. Make sure you know which path points to your SD Card top directory (e.g. /sdcard or /InternalSDCard/). Create the folder LINE_Backup as per the instructions. If you did it in the right place, it will be marked by a green LINE icon in the file explorer.

Then, download all the files from DropBox into LINE_Backup. Now, log into LINE, and for each friend or chatroom, follow the import instructions. There it is! All that's left now is to download your grotesque sticker collection to the new device, and you are ready to resume shitposting.