WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows you to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls for free. One of the best features of WhatsApp is that it provides options to backup your chat history and media to Google Drive or iCloud so that you can restore it when switching to a new phone.
How to backup WhatsApp on Android
Backing up your WhatsApp data on Android is simple and can be done in a few steps:
- Open WhatsApp on your Android phone.
- Tap on the More options icon (3 vertical dots at top right).
- Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap on Backup to Google Drive and select a backup frequency – daily, weekly or monthly.
- Tap Back Up to create the backup. Your chats, media etc. will now backup automatically based on the frequency you selected.
You can also choose to backup manually at any time by going to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup and tapping on Back Up.
Where does WhatsApp backup on Android?
WhatsApp backs up your data to your Google Drive account. You need to have a Google account added to your Android device to be able to backup on Google Drive.
The backup includes your messages, photos, videos and other media. Voice messages are not backed up.
Your backup data does not count towards your Google Drive storage quota.
How to backup WhatsApp on iPhone
To backup your WhatsApp data on an iPhone:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Tap on Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap on Backup to iCloud and select a backup frequency – daily, weekly or monthly.
- Tap Back Up Now to perform an immediate manual backup.
Your chat history, photos, videos and other media will now automatically backup to iCloud based on the frequency you selected.
Where does WhatsApp backup on iPhone?
WhatsApp utilizes your iCloud storage to backup your data on iPhone. You need to be signed in to your iCloud account to enable WhatsApp backups.
The backup contains your messages, media files, voice messages and more. It does not count towards your overall iCloud quota.
How to restore WhatsApp backup on Android
When you get a new Android phone, you can restore your WhatsApp backup from Google Drive by following these steps:
- Install WhatsApp on your new Android phone and verify your number.
- On the ‘Restore chats’ page – tap Restore.
- WhatsApp will now restore your chats and media from the Google Drive backup.
If WhatsApp does not prompt you to restore backup, follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp, go to More options > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap Restore > Restore to restore your chats and media from Google Drive backup.
Requirements for restoring WhatsApp backup on Android
- Same phone number as your old phone on the new device.
- Google account on your new phone must be the same as on the old device.
- Internet connection to restore data from Google Drive.
- Enough free storage space on your new phone.
How to restore WhatsApp backup on iPhone
To restore your chat history, media etc. from an iCloud backup on a new iPhone:
- Install WhatsApp and verify your phone number.
- On the ‘Restore Chats’ page, tap Restore when prompted.
- WhatsApp will fetch your iCloud backup and restore your chats.
If you missed the restore prompt, follow these steps:
- Open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Restore > Restore to fetch your iCloud backup.
Requirements for restoring WhatsApp backup on iPhone
- Same phone number linked to your iCloud backup.
- iCloud account must be the same as your old iPhone.
- Stable internet connection to download backup.
- Sufficient storage space on your new iPhone.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp backup and restore
Here are some common issues faced when backing up or restoring WhatsApp chats:
WhatsApp backup not working
- Ensure you have stable internet connection for backup.
- Check that backup frequency is not set to ‘Never’.
- Verify Google Drive or iCloud storage is not full.
- Update to latest WhatsApp version if facing issues.
WhatsApp restore not working
- Use same phone number linked to your backup.
- Be signed in to Google/iCloud account used for backup.
- Check for internet connection errors.
- Allow WhatsApp access to your storage.
- Free up storage space if phone memory is full.
WhatsApp backup size too large
- Large backup size usually occurs due to media files.
- Exclude videos/photos over a certain size from backup in settings.
- Delete unwanted chats/groups to reduce backup size.
- Transfer files from WhatsApp to your storage.
WhatsApp not restoring all chats
- Media files may not restore if you have insufficient storage space.
- Check if you are restoring from the latest backup.
- Clear WhatsApp cache and try restoring again.
Best practices for WhatsApp backup
Follow these tips for a smooth WhatsApp backup experience:
- Set backup frequency to daily to prevent data loss.
- Create manual backups before uninstalling or resetting your phone.
- Only backup over WiFi if you have limited data.
- Save important media to your phone gallery.
- Disable backup for very large groups or channels.
- Remember backup password if you set one.
- Check backup status and size occasionally in WhatsApp Settings.
WhatsApp Backup vs Google Drive/iCloud Backup
| Features | WhatsApp Backup | Google Drive/iCloud Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Type of data | Chats, media, profile | Apps, contacts, system settings |
| Backup size | Unlimited | Limited by account storage |
| Encryption | End-to-end encrypted | Not encrypted |
| Storage impact | Doesn’t count towards storage quota | Takes up storage space |
WhatsApp backup is optimized specifically for backing up your WhatsApp account data like chats, media, and settings. Google Drive and iCloud backups take a full system backup including your contacts, photos, app data etc.
Conclusion
Backing up your WhatsApp chats provides an easy way to transfer your data when switching phones. Make sure to set up automatic backups and restore from the latest backup when setting up WhatsApp on your new device. This will transfer your chats and media seamlessly to your new phone.
Remember to create manual backups occasionally before making major changes like switching phones or resetting your device. With its built-in backup options, WhatsApp makes it simple to keep your chat history intact when you need to restore it.