WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion active users. It allows users to send messages, make voice and video calls, and share photos, videos, documents and more. One of the great features of WhatsApp is its ability to backup chats and media to the cloud. This allows users to restore their chat history if they lose their phone or switch to a new device.
Many users utilize iTunes to manage and backup data from their iPhones and iPads. So a common question arises – can you use iTunes to backup your WhatsApp data? The short answer is no, iTunes does not directly backup WhatsApp. However, there are some indirect ways to backup WhatsApp data using iTunes.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover:
- Whether iTunes can directly backup WhatsApp
- Indirect methods to backup WhatsApp using iTunes
- Best practices to backup WhatsApp chats
- How to restore WhatsApp backup from iCloud or Google Drive
- Alternative apps for backing up WhatsApp chats
Does iTunes Directly Backup WhatsApp Data?
The simple answer is no. iTunes does not directly backup your WhatsApp chats or media when you sync or backup your iPhone.
iTunes backs up information stored in the iOS file system, which includes contacts, messages, photos, videos, device settings, app data, and other files. However, WhatsApp stores your chats, media, and settings in its own sandboxed storage that is separate from the iOS file system.
So when you connect your iPhone and backup to iTunes, it does not access or include your WhatsApp data in that backup. Your WhatsApp chats and history remain solely on your phone storage and iCloud/Google Drive backup.
What iTunes Backups Do and Don’t Include
Here is a quick overview of what is and isn’t included in an iTunes backup of an iPhone or iPad:
Items included in iTunes backup:
- Device settings and preferences
- Text/iMessages and SMS messages
- Call history
- Safari bookmarks and browsing history
- Email accounts and contacts
- Camera roll photos and videos
- Calendars and events
- Apple Health and Activity data
- Home screen and app organization
- Keychain passwords and logins
- Music, audiobooks, and podcasts synced from iTunes
- Ringtones
- Notes
- Reminders
- Voice memos
- Apps and app data
Items NOT included in iTunes backup:
- WhatsApp chats/media
- Facebook data
- Instagram data
- iCloud Photo Library
- Email content from IMAP/POP accounts
- Touch ID/Face ID settings
- Apple Pay information
So in summary, an iTunes backup contains important device data and history, but third-party app data located in sandboxed storage like WhatsApp is not included.
How to Indirectly Backup WhatsApp Data Using iTunes
While iTunes does not directly backup WhatsApp, there are a couple indirect ways you can utilize iTunes to preserve your WhatsApp chats:
1. Create iTunes Backup Before WhatsApp iCloud/Google Drive Restore
One method is to create an iTunes backup of your iPhone before you restore your WhatsApp data from iCloud or Google Drive.
Here is a step-by-step process:
- Connect your iPhone to your computer and open iTunes
- Create an iTunes backup by going to Summary > Back Up Now
- After iTunes completes the backup, you can then restore your WhatsApp chats
- On your iPhone, open WhatsApp and tap Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Restore
- Select the backup to restore from either iCloud or Google Drive
- WhatsApp will then download and restore your chats and media from the cloud backup
This allows you to have your latest WhatsApp data along with an iTunes backup of your device system files, settings, app data, messages, photos and more.
2. Encrypted iTunes Backups
Beginning with iOS 10 and iTunes 12.7, you can create encrypted backups of your iPhone or iPad. This stores a backup of your device and its data in an encrypted state that cannot be accessed without your password.
To create an encrypted iTunes backup:
- In iTunes, go to Edit > Preferences > Devices
- Check the box for “Encrypt iPhone/iPad backup”
- Enter a strong backup password and click OK
- Connect your iPhone and perform a backup as normal
This will backup and encrypt your entire iPhone data, including WhatsApp chats stored on the device. The backup will be encrypted with your password and inaccessible without it.
However, keep in mind this does not backup WhatsApp data stored in iCloud or Google Drive. It only encrypts a backup of WhatsApp data currently on your phone.
Best Practices for Backing Up WhatsApp Data
While you cannot directly backup WhatsApp chats and media in iTunes, WhatsApp does provide excellent built-in tools to backup your data:
Use WhatsApp Cloud Backups
The best way to backup your WhatsApp data is to use the app’s built-in chat backup options:
- iCloud – WhatsApp can automatically backup your chats daily to iCloud. Enable this in WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Google Drive – You can also backup WhatsApp to your Google Drive account. Enable this in WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
This will safely store your WhatsApp chats and media in iCloud or Google Drive storage. If you lose your phone or get a new one, simply install WhatsApp and restore your backup during setup.
Schedule Regular Local Backups
In addition to cloud backups, you may want to schedule regular local backups of WhatsApp to your computer:
- On your iPhone, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now
- This will create a local encrypted backup file on your phone
- Connect your phone to your computer and copy this WhatsApp backup file to your computer
- Save these backup files in a safe place in case you need to restore
Creating occasional local WhatsApp backups provides an extra level of safety beyond relying solely on cloud backups.
Back Up Full iPhone Regularly
While iTunes does not directly backup WhatsApp, it’s still a good idea to perform regular full iPhone backups to iTunes or iCloud. This provides a comprehensive backup of your iOS system, app data, messages, settings and more.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup from iCloud or Google Drive
If you lose your phone or switch to a new iPhone, restoring your WhatsApp backup is easy:
Restore WhatsApp from iCloud
- Install WhatsApp on your new device
- Open WhatsApp and enter your phone number when prompted
- Tap “Restore” when asked if you want to restore existing chats
- Sign into iCloud and select the WhatsApp backup to restore from
Restore WhatsApp from Google Drive
- Install WhatsApp and verify your number
- Tap Restore when prompted
- Sign into your Google account and select the WhatsApp backup to restore
That’s all there is to it! WhatsApp will download your backup from iCloud or Google Drive and restore your chats and media files.
Third-Party Apps to Backup WhatsApp Chats
Here are some popular third-party apps that allow you to backup your WhatsApp chats and messages:
dr.fone – WhatsApp Transfer
dr.fone is a robust tool for managing data on your iPhone, including backing up WhatsApp. It allows you to backup WhatsApp chats, photos, videos, voice memos and more to your computer. You can also transfer WhatsApp between different phones.
iMazing
iMazing provides extensive iPhone and iPad backup and management capabilities. You can use it to backup your WhatsApp data locally to your computer, with end-to-end encryption. It also allows transferring WhatsApp data to a new device.
AnyTrans
AnyTrans lets you backup your entire iPhone or iPad to your computer, including WhatsApp chats, history, photos and more. It also provides the ability to transfer WhatsApp data between different devices.
MobileTrans – WhatsApp Transfer
MobileTrans is a phone data transfer tool that can backup WhatsApp chats, photos, videos, audio files and more from your iPhone. You can also use it to migrate WhatsApp between iOS, Android and other platforms.
Conclusion
While iTunes does not offer direct WhatsApp backup capabilities, you still have several solid options for preserving your WhatsApp chats:
- Use WhatsApp’s built-in tools to backup your chats to iCloud or Google Drive
- Create occasional local WhatsApp backups to your computer
- Backup your full iPhone data to iTunes or iCloud
- Utilize third-party iOS tools like dr.fone, iMazing or AnyTrans to backup WhatsApp
Following this comprehensive WhatsApp backup strategy will ensure your chats, photos, videos and other critical data are protected in case anything happens to your phone. Relying solely on iTunes is not sufficient to backup WhatsApp. But with the right tools and techniques covered here, you can effectively safeguard your important WhatsApp data for the long-term.