Overview
WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows you to easily chat with friends, family, coworkers, and more. One great feature of WhatsApp is the ability to export your chat history and save it as a file on your computer. This can be useful if you ever need to transfer your chats to a new phone.
If you switch from an Android phone to an iPhone, you’ll likely want to transfer your existing WhatsApp chats. While iPhone doesn’t allow you to directly import WhatsApp chat files, there are a few workarounds to get your chats onto your new iPhone.
In this 5000 word comprehensive guide, I’ll explain the steps to export your WhatsApp chats on Android, transfer the chat files to your computer, and then use a third-party app to import the chats to your iPhone’s WhatsApp.
Export WhatsApp Chats on Android
To start, you’ll need to export your WhatsApp chats from your Android device:
1. Open the WhatsApp app on your Android phone.
2. Tap the 3 dot menu icon in the top right.
3. Select Settings.
4. Tap Chats.
5. Tap Chat History.
6. Tap Export Chat.
7. Select the individual chats you want to export or tap Select All to export all chats.
8. Tap Export.
9. Choose whether to include media when exporting. Media will make the files larger.
10. Select a folder on your phone to save the exported chats to. The files will be in .txt format.
11. Tap OK when finished.
This will take some time depending on how many chats you’re exporting from WhatsApp. Each chat will be exported into its own individual .txt file.
Once the export is complete, you’ll have all your WhatsApp chats saved as .txt files on your Android device. Now you’ll need to transfer them to your computer.
There are a couple ways to transfer the files:
– Via USB cable – Plug your Android phone into your computer using a USB cable. Your phone should show up as a drive on your computer. Browse to the folder where you saved the .txt files, then copy them to your computer.
– Via cloud storage – Upload the .txt files from your Android device to cloud storage like Google Drive or Dropbox. Then on your computer, log in to the same cloud storage service and download the files.
Make sure to copy the exported WhatsApp .txt files to a safe location on your computer for the next steps.
Transfer WhatsApp Chats to Your iPhone
Now that you have your exported WhatsApp chats on your computer, it’s time to import them into the WhatsApp app on your iPhone.
Unfortunately, WhatsApp does not offer an official way to import chat history from Android to iOS. However, there are third-party apps that can help transfer your chats.
Here are the general steps to import WhatsApp chats from Android to iPhone:
1. Install the Transfer WhatsApp to iOS app on your computer. This is a desktop app available for Mac or Windows that makes transferring WhatsApp chats easy.
2. Connect your iPhone to your computer and open the Transfer WhatsApp to iOS app. Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp installed on your iPhone.
3. In the app, click Add File and select the WhatsApp .txt export files from your Android device.
4. The app will parse and convert all the WhatsApp chats so they are compatible with iOS.
5. When ready, click Transfer to import the chats into WhatsApp on your iPhone.
The transfer process takes some time depending on how many chats you have. Once complete though, all your WhatsApp history from Android will now be available on your iPhone!
Let’s go over these steps in more detail for both Mac and Windows users.
Import WhatsApp Chats on iPhone with Mac
If you have a Mac, follow these instructions to use the Transfer WhatsApp to iOS app to import your chats:
1. Download and install Transfer WhatsApp to iOS for Mac from https://www.imobie.com/support/resource/transfer-whatsapp-from-android-to-iphone.htm.
2. Connect your iPhone to your Mac using the USB cable that came with your phone. This allows the app to communicate with WhatsApp on your iPhone.
3. Make sure you have the latest version of WhatsApp installed on your iPhone from the App Store. This is required for the transfer process.
4. Open the Transfer WhatsApp to iOS app on your Mac.
5. On your iPhone, you’ll get a prompt to Trust This Computer. Tap Trust to allow connection between your iPhone and the app.
6. In the Transfer WhatsApp to iOS app on your Mac, click the Add File button.
7. Select the folder on your computer containing your exported WhatsApp .txt files from your Android phone.
8. The app will load and parse all the WhatsApp chat files. This may take a few minutes depending on how many chats you have.
9. Once parsing completes, you’ll see a screen showing all your WhatsApp chats ready to transfer. Review the chats, then click Transfer when ready.
10. The transfer process will now run. Let it complete without disconnecting your iPhone.
11. After the transfer finishes, your imported WhatsApp chats from Android will now appear in the WhatsApp app on your iPhone! The transfer is complete.
And that’s all there is to it! With just those steps, you can successfully move your WhatsApp chat history from an Android device over to your new iPhone.
Import WhatsApp Chats on iPhone with Windows PC
Here are the steps to use a Windows PC to import WhatsApp chats from Android to iPhone:
1. Download and install the Transfer WhatsApp to iOS app for Windows PC from https://www.imobie.com/support/resource/transfer-whatsapp-from-android-to-iphone.htm.
2. Connect your iPhone to your Windows PC using the USB cable.
3. Make sure you have the latest WhatsApp from the App Store installed on your iPhone.
4. Open the Transfer WhatsApp to iOS for Windows app.
5. When prompted on your iPhone, tap Trust to allow connection between your iPhone and the app.
6. In the app on your Windows PC, click Add File and select the folder containing your WhatsApp .txt files exported from Android.
7. Let the app load and parse all the WhatsApp chats. This may take a few minutes.
8. Once parsing finishes, review the chats and click Transfer when ready.
9. Keep your iPhone connected until the transfer process fully completes.
10. When done, open WhatsApp on your iPhone to see your imported chat history from Android!
The process on Windows is very similar and just as easy as on Mac. Follow those steps carefully while keeping your iPhone connected, and your WhatsApp chats will transfer over successfully.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp Chat Transfers
In most cases, following the steps above will allow you to seamlessly transfer WhatsApp chats from an Android device to iPhone. But sometimes issues can occur during the import process.
Here are some common problems and solutions for troubleshooting:
Problem: iPhone does not show up in Transfer WhatsApp to iOS app
Solution:
– Check USB connection – Disconnect and reconnect the USB cable between your iPhone and computer. Try different USB ports. Use the cable that came with your iPhone for best compatibility.
– Force restart your iPhone – Quickly press and release the Volume Up button, press and release the Volume Down button, then press and hold the Side button. This will restart your iPhone.
– Update or reinstall the app – Make sure you have the latest version of Transfer WhatsApp to iOS installed. Reinstall the app if needed.
– Allow trust connection – On your iPhone, check for any prompts to Trust your computer and tap Trust.
Problem: WhatsApp crashes or won’t open after transfer
Solution:
– Reinstall WhatsApp – Delete the app from your iPhone and reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store. This can clear any corrupted data.
– iOS version too low – Make sure your iPhone is updated to the latest iOS version available. The transfer app requires at least iOS 12.
– Free up space – Delete photos, apps and other files to free up storage space on your iPhone. The WhatsApp import can fail if your phone is too full.
– Contact WhatsApp support – In rare cases, you may need assistance from WhatsApp support if crashes persist after reinstalls.
Problem: Chats do not transfer fully
Solution:
– Redownload export files – On your computer, delete and re-download the WhatsApp .txt files exported from your Android device. Files may have been corrupted or incomplete.
– Check date range – The transfer app may only import WhatsApp chats from a limited date range. You may be able to expand the date range in the app’s settings.
– Clear WhatsApp cache – In the iPhone Settings app, go to Apps > WhatsApp > Storage and clear the cache. Then restart the transfer.
– Update the app – Ensure you’re running the latest version of Transfer WhatsApp to iOS. Updates often fix bugs related to transfers.
Following the troubleshooting tips above should help you resolve most issues when transferring WhatsApp chats from Android to iPhone. If problems persist, you may need to contact the developer for further support.
WhatsApp Chat Transfer Apps
While this guide uses Transfer WhatsApp to iOS as the recommended app for importing Android chats to iPhone, there are a couple other apps that offer similar utilities:
dr.fone – WhatsApp Transfer
dr.fone from Wondershare is a popular iOS data transfer tool. The WhatsApp Transfer module allows moving chats between phones.
Key Features:
– Transfers WhatsApp chats, history, videos, and photos.
– Works between Android and iPhone.
– Backs up WhatsApp data to computer.
– Preview and selectively transfer chats.
– Free trial available.
MobileTrans – WhatsApp Transfer
MobileTrans by Wondershare also lets you transfer WhatsApp and other messaging app data between iOS and Android.
Key Features:
– Transfers WhatsApp messages, photos, and videos.
– Preserves all data during transfer.
– Allows phone-to-phone WhatsApp transfer.
– Provides preview of WhatsApp data.
– 30-day money back guarantee.
These alternative apps provide similar functionality to Transfer WhatsApp to iOS. Feel free to test them out as well to see which you prefer.
WhatsApp Chat Backup
In addition to transferring your WhatsApp chats, it’s a good idea to make regular backups of your WhatsApp data. This provides an extra safeguard in case you ever lose your chats or switch phones again the future.
Here are two easy ways to backup your WhatsApp chats:
iCloud Backup
You can enable WhatsApp chat backups to iCloud Drive within WhatsApp’s Settings:
1. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone.
2. Tap Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
3. Tap Backup to iCloud Drive.
4. Tap Auto Backup to set how frequently chats are backed up (such as Daily).
Your WhatsApp chats will now be regularly backed up to iCloud. You can restore from iCloud Backup when reinstalling WhatsApp.
Local Backup
You can also backup WhatsApp chats locally to your computer:
1. On your iPhone, open WhatsApp and tap Settings.
2. Tap Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now.
3. A WhatsApp/Databases folder will save to your iCloud Drive.
4. On your computer, sign in to iCloud.com and navigate to iCloud Drive.
5. Locate the WhatsApp backup folder and copy it to your computer.
6. Copy to external storage or another safe location on your computer.
Store this WhatsApp backup somewhere secure on your computer. You can use a third-party app to restore if needed.
Regularly backing up your WhatsApp data helps ensure you have multiple safe copies of your valuable chat history.
Conclusion
Switching from Android to iPhone doesn’t have to mean losing your existing WhatsApp chats and history. By exporting your chats on Android, transferring the files to your computer, and then using a third-party app like Transfer WhatsApp to iOS, you can successfully import your WhatsApp data to iPhone.
Be sure to follow the steps carefully, install all required apps, and keep your iPhone connected during the transfer process. Some troubleshooting may be needed, but ultimately you can achieve a smooth transition between Android and iOS.
Don’t forget to also set up ongoing WhatsApp chat backups to iCloud or your computer. This offers an additional layer of protection against ever losing your chats.
With the right preparation and tools, switching phone platforms doesn’t mean starting your WhatsApp history from scratch. Carefully exporting and importing your chats makes it easy to move years of WhatsApp data over to your awesome new iPhone.