WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the great features of WhatsApp is that you can link your account to multiple devices so your chats and data sync across them. This allows you to seamlessly switch between using WhatsApp on your smartphone and tablet or computer. If you’re getting a new phone, you may want to link your existing WhatsApp account to it so you can transfer your chats and continue messaging without interruption.
Requirements for linking WhatsApp to a new phone
Before linking your WhatsApp account to a new phone, there are a few requirements to be aware of:
- You can only be logged into one phone at a time with the same number. So you’ll need to unlink your account from your old phone before linking the new one.
- Your old phone needs to remain on and connected to the internet during the account transfer process.
- You’ll need access to your old phone number during setup on the new phone.
- Both your new and old phones need to be running compatible versions of WhatsApp.
- You need the same phone number on your new phone that was associated with your WhatsApp account.
As long as you meet these requirements, you should be able to smoothly transition your WhatsApp account over to your new device.
How to link WhatsApp to a new phone
Here is a step-by-step guide to linking your WhatsApp account to a new phone:
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On your old phone, open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Linked Devices.
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Tap on “Link a Device” and point your old phone’s camera at the QR code displayed on your new phone’s screen during WhatsApp setup.
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Once linked, you may be prompted to transfer your chat history from your old device to your new device. Tap “Start” to begin the transfer.
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Leave both devices alone and connected to power and Wi-Fi during the transfer process. This can take a while depending on how much chat history you have.
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When the transfer is complete, all your WhatsApp chats, groups, and media from your old phone will appear on your new phone.
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You can now continue using WhatsApp on your new phone.
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Don’t forget to unlink your old phone by going back to Linked Devices and tapping “Unlink Device.”
And that’s it! Those are the steps to successfully link your WhatsApp account to a new phone and transfer your chat history. Just make sure your old phone remains connected during the process.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp account transfers
In some cases, you may encounter issues when trying to link WhatsApp to your new phone and transfer your account over. Here are some common problems and solutions:
WhatsApp can’t find my chat history
If WhatsApp is unable to locate your chat history on your old phone during the transfer process, try these steps:
- Make sure your old phone is connected to the internet over Wi-Fi or mobile data.
- Force close and re-open WhatsApp on both devices.
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version on both phones.
- Clear cache and data for WhatsApp on your old phone and try the transfer again.
Transfer stuck at preparing data
If your chat history transfer gets stuck, it’s likely due to connectivity issues. Try this:
- Make sure both phones are plugged into power, connected to the same Wi-Fi, and placed near each other.
- Manually connect both phones to the same mobile hotspot if Wi-Fi is unstable.
- Restart both devices and start the transfer process over.
WhatsApp verification code issues
You may run into verification code issues if your old number was ported to your new device. In this case:
- Manually request a voice call from WhatsApp on your old phone to generate the verification code.
- Tap “Didn’t get code” on new phone and request to receive the code on your old phone.
Following these troubleshooting tips should help resolve any issues that pop up when transferring your WhatsApp account to a new phone.
Backing up WhatsApp before switching phones
Before linking your WhatsApp account to a new phone, it’s highly recommended to back up your WhatsApp data. This provides an extra safeguard in case anything goes wrong during the transfer process. Here are two ways to back up your WhatsApp chats:
Local backup to Google Drive
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap “Backup” to manually start a backup to Google Drive.
- Check “Back up to Google Drive” to enable auto daily backups.
Local backup to device storage
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap “Back up to device storage” to save a local backup file on your phone.
- You can later restore from this local backup file.
Ideally, you should have both a Google Drive and local device backup before switching phones. This provides redundancy in case one backup file becomes corrupted or unavailable.
Using WhatsApp Web to message from computer
If you want to continue chatting on WhatsApp during the account transfer process, you can temporarily use WhatsApp Web to message from your computer browser:
- Go to web.whatsapp.com on your computer.
- Open WhatsApp on your old phone and tap Menu > Linked Devices > Link a Device.
- Point your phone’s camera at the QR code on the WhatsApp Web page to link.
- You can now chat from your computer while your phone is transferring your account.
This lets you avoid any messaging interruption if the account transfer is taking a long time. Just remember to unlink your computer afterwards by opening your phone’s WhatsApp, going to Linked Devices, and tapping “Unlink Device.”
Using WhatsApp on multiple devices
WhatsApp also offers a native apps for desktop and web that let you use WhatsApp on up to 4 additional linked devices. To set this up:
- On your phone, open WhatsApp Settings > Linked Devices.
- Tap “Link a Device” and scan the QR code from your computer’s WhatsApp desktop app.
- Repeat with your preferred tablets and computers to link up to 4 total devices.
With native apps linked, you can message on WhatsApp from all your devices at the same time without your phone needing to stay connected. All your chats and data will sync automatically across devices.
Transferring WhatsApp from iPhone to Android
When switching between iPhone and Android, linking your WhatsApp account works a bit differently.
To transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android:
- On your iPhone, back up chats to iCloud.
- On your Android, install WhatsApp and verify your number.
- Tap “Import” and select iPhone > Import from iCloud.
- Log into iCloud and select the WhatsApp chat backup to restore.
For going the other way:
- Back up chats to Google Drive on your Android.
- Install WhatsApp on your new iPhone and verify your number.
- Tap “Import” and choose Android > Import from Google Drive.
- Sign into your Google account and select the WhatsApp backup to restore.
This uses your cloud backups to transfer WhatsApp when switching between iPhone and Android. Make sure to back up before switching for a smooth transition.
What to do if you can’t transfer WhatsApp
In rare cases, you may not be able to transfer your WhatsApp data when linking to a new phone:
- If your old phone is damaged, lost, or wiped – Your chat history and media can’t be transferred.
- Switching operating systems – Direct WhatsApp transfers aren’t available between iPhone and Android.
- Restored factory settings – Your local WhatsApp backup was deleted.
If you can’t directly transfer your WhatsApp account, all hope isn’t lost. Here are some options:
- Restore your WhatsApp from an existing Google Drive or iCloud backup during setup on your new phone.
- Export your WhatsApp chats using a third-party app like iMyFone iTransor for iOS or ChatTransport for Android.
- Use a file manager app to locate and copy over your WhatsApp Media folder from device storage.
While you may lose your message timestamp data, at least you can recover your actual chat content and media using alternative methods.
Conclusion
Linking your WhatsApp account to a new phone is a straightforward process – just make sure your old phone stays connected during the chat history transfer. Back up your chats both locally and to the cloud for an extra layer of protection.
If you encounter any issues with your WhatsApp transfer, try the troubleshooting tips provided. In the worst case where you can’t transfer your account, your chat history and media can be retrieved from backups or by exporting chats with third-party apps.
With over 2 billion users, WhatsApp has become integral to keeping in touch for many people globally. Having the ability to seamlessly switch your WhatsApp account between phones ensures you won’t miss messages and keeps your digital life connected.