Yes, it is possible to transfer your WhatsApp data like your chat history, media, settings etc. to a new phone number. WhatsApp provides a few different ways to migrate your account information when you get a new device or change your phone number.
Overview of WhatsApp Data Transfer Options
Here is a quick overview of the main ways to transfer your WhatsApp data to a new number:
- Local Backup – Transfer using a local backup saved on your device or SD card
- Google Drive Backup – Transfer using a Google Drive backup of WhatsApp
- Move to iOS App – Transfer from Android to iPhone
- WhatsApp Business Transfer – Available for WhatsApp Business accounts
The best option depends on whether you’re switching from Android, moving from iPhone to Android, getting a new phone number, or replacing your current device. We’ll go into more details on each method below.
Transfer Using Local WhatsApp Backup
The easiest way to transfer your WhatsApp data is to use a local backup. WhatsApp automatically saves daily backups to your device storage or SD card depending on your settings. You can also manually backup anytime by going to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
To restore a local backup on your new device:
- First install WhatsApp and verify your new number
- On the initial launch screen, tap “Restore” when prompted
- Select the location of your local backup and tap Next
- Wait for WhatsApp to restore your chats and media from the local backup
This will transfer your entire chat history, contacts, settings and media seamlessly to your new phone number. The main limitations are:
- Your old number and new number need to be on the same mobile platform (Android or iPhone)
- Device change is not supported when transferring between phone numbers
- Encrypted backups cannot be transferred across operating systems
Using Local Backup to Restore iPhone WhatsApp Data
To use a local iPhone backup for WhatsApp:
- Create an iCloud or iTunes backup from your old iPhone
- Restore this backup to your new iPhone
- Install WhatsApp and log in with your new number
- When prompted, tap Restore to recover chats from iCloud backup
This will migrate your iPhone WhatsApp data including iCloud-based end-to-end encrypted backups.
Using Local Backup to Restore Android WhatsApp Data
For Android, you need to backup WhatsApp to your Google Drive or to local storage:
- On your old phone, backup WhatsApp chats via Settings > Chats > Chat backup
- Copy the WhatsApp backup files from your phone storage to a computer
- On your new Android phone, install WhatsApp and verify new number
- Copy the backup files from computer to your new phone storage
- Open WhatsApp, tap Restore when prompted and select the backup
This will transfer your chats, media, settings from an Android phone to another via local backup.
Transfer Using Google Drive Backup
WhatsApp also gives you the option to backup your chats and data to Google Drive. This can be useful to transfer WhatsApp from one Android device to another or to restore after uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp.
To use Google Drive backup:
- On your old device, enable chat backups to Google Drive in WhatsApp settings
- Verify backup is working and latest backup is recent
- On your new device, install WhatsApp and verify new number
- Select Restore when prompted and tap “Restore from Google Drive”
- Log into your Google account if required and select the backup to restore
Google Drive backup is convenient but has some limitations:
- Only available for Android to Android transfers
- Media/attachments are not included, only chat history
- Encryption is not as robust as local backups
Using Move to iOS App to Transfer from Android
For switching from Android to iPhone, you can use the Move to iOS app developed by Apple. This will transfer not only your WhatsApp data but also contacts, photos, videos, email accounts, calendars etc.
To use Move to iOS for WhatsApp:
- On your Android phone, backup WhatsApp chats to Google Drive
- Download Move to iOS app on Android and follow data transfer steps
- On iPhone, install WhatsApp and log in with new number
- Allow WhatsApp access to photos & files when prompted
- Tap Import when prompted and select the Android backup from Google Drive
This makes it easy to migrate WhatsApp along with all your other data directly from Android to iOS. One thing to note is media/attachments will not be transferred over.
Using WhatsApp Business Transfer
WhatsApp also provides an option to transfer chats between WhatsApp Business accounts. This is useful when wanting to transfer account info like product catalogues between business phone numbers.
To use WhatsApp Business Transfer:
- Make sure both old and new numbers have WhatsApp Business accounts
- In WhatsApp Business on new device, go to Menu > Business Tools > Transfer Chats
- Enter your old business phone number and tap Continue
- Confirm the transfer process and wait for completion
This will migrate your business profile information, product catalogues, chat history and other account data to your new WhatsApp Business number.
Third-Party Apps for WhatsApp Transfer
There are also a few third-party Android and iPhone apps that can help transfer WhatsApp data between devices and phone numbers:
- Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Transfer app for Android and iPhone
- iMyFone iTransor for WhatsApp on iPhone
- Mobile Trans – WhatsApp Transfer for Android
These apps provide additional features like transferring WhatsApp between cross-platform devices, retaining media files, encrypting backups and more. But the reliability may vary across apps.
What Gets Transferred in WhatsApp Data Migration?
When you transfer your WhatsApp data to a new number, here are some of the key items that can be ported across:
| WhatsApp Data | Transferred? |
|---|---|
| Chat History and Messages | Yes |
| Media Files – Photos, Videos | Partial – depends on method |
| Group Information | Yes |
| Contact Profiles | Yes |
| Call History | No |
| User Preferences and Settings | Yes |
| WhatsApp Business Data | Partial – only via Business Transfer |
So in summary, your chats, groups, contacts and settings can be restored when transferring numbers, but call history and media may not always make it across.
What Data is Not Transferred?
Here are some key items that do NOT get transferred when moving WhatsApp to a new number:
- Your account info and username
- Profile name, photo and “about” information
- Starred messages
- Your last seen status
- Your blocks and block list
Essentially your core account details, profile and privacy settings get reset when transferring your WhatsApp data to a new number. But your conversations remain intact in most cases.
Transfer WhatsApp Without Changing Numbers
In some cases, you may want to transfer your WhatsApp data to a new device without changing your phone number. For example:
- Moving from an old phone to a new phone
- Switching between Android and iPhone
- Reinstalling WhatsApp after uninstalling
For these scenarios where your number stays the same, you can use local backup and restore to transfer your WhatsApp profile seamlessly. Follow the same local backup steps outlined earlier, but with your same number instead of a new number.
Transfer WhatsApp from Android to Android
For Android to Android with same number:
- Backup chats via Google Drive or to device storage
- On new phone, install WhatsApp and enter your existing number
- Select Restore when prompted and pick backup source
Transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to iPhone
For iPhone to iPhone with same number:
- Create iCloud backup from old iPhone
- Restore iCloud backup to your new iPhone
- Install WhatsApp on new iPhone and log in
- Tap Restore when prompted to transfer from iCloud backup
This will smoothly transfer over your WhatsApp data to your new iPhone.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Transfer Issues
In some cases, you may encounter issues when transferring WhatsApp data to a new device or number. Here are some troubleshooting tips for common problems:
WhatsApp Restore Getting Stuck
If WhatsApp gets stuck on the restore screen, try the following steps:
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app
- Check your internet connection
- Verify backup integrity on Google Drive or your device
- Check for any storage restrictions on device
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, then restore again
Missing Chat History
If some of your chats are missing after transfer, this could be because:
- The backup file was corrupted
- You restored from an old backup
- Backup didn’t complete properly before transfer
Try restoring again from a recent good backup.
Transfer Taking Long Time
WhatsApp data transfer can take a while depending on your chat history. Here are some tips if it’s taking a long time:
- Use a WiFi connection as it is faster
- Pause any new messages until transfer completes
- Check you have enough storage space on your device
- Leave the app open in the foreground during transfer
Media Not Transferring
Media files like photos or videos may not always make it across. Some things to check:
- Make sure media auto-download is enabled in WhatsApp settings
- Check your device storage availability for media files
- Some transfer methods don’t include media files
- Try a third-party app for transferring media & attachments
Conclusion
Transferring WhatsApp data like your chat history, groups, and media files to a new phone number is straightforward using the built-in backup and restore options. The best method depends on whether you’re switching Android to iPhone, getting a new SIM card, or just transferring to a new device.
Be sure to use local backups, Google Drive backup or Move to iOS for a smooth WhatsApp migration without any hassle or data loss. Follow the step-by-step instructions outlined above based on your specific scenario. This will ensure a seamless transition so you can pick up right where you left off on WhatsApp even with a new number or phone.