Why Move WhatsApp Storage to iCloud?
WhatsApp can take up a significant amount of storage space on your iPhone, especially if you have a lot of media like photos and videos in your chats. Here are some key reasons why you may want to move your WhatsApp storage from your iPhone to iCloud:
- Free up storage space on your iPhone. Offloading the WhatsApp media to iCloud frees up space on your device for other apps, photos, videos, etc.
- Have a backup of your WhatsApp data. Storing your WhatsApp media in iCloud provides a handy backup if you ever need to restore or transfer the data.
- Sync WhatsApp across devices. With your WhatsApp data in iCloud, it stays synced across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc. so you always have access.
- Enhanced security. The data is encrypted by Apple for added security and privacy in iCloud.
In summary, offloading WhatsApp to iCloud is recommended to free up local storage, keep a backup, sync across devices, and enhance security.
How to Move WhatsApp to iCloud
Moving your WhatsApp data from your iPhone to iCloud involves a few simple steps. Here is an overview of the process:
- Make sure you have enough available iCloud storage for your WhatsApp data.
- Connect your iPhone to a WiFi network.
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap “Back Up Now” to create a current backup of your WhatsApp data.
- Go to iPhone Settings > your name at the top > iCloud.
- Tap “Manage Storage” under the iCloud storage bar.
- Tap “WhatsApp” then enable “iCloud Backup”.
That’s all it takes! WhatsApp will now backup your chat history, media, and other data to iCloud rather than local iPhone storage when it does its routine backups.
Let’s elaborate on a few of these steps:
1. Check Available iCloud Storage
Your free iCloud account comes with 5GB of storage by default. If you have a lot of WhatsApp data to offload, you may need to purchase additional iCloud storage.
You can check your available iCloud storage by going to Settings > your name > iCloud > Manage Storage. Review how much space you have left.
Upgrading iCloud storage is inexpensive. For example, you can get an additional 50GB for just $0.99 per month. Other tiers up to 2TB are also available if needed.
2. Connect to WiFi for Backup
It’s recommended to backup over WiFi so you don’t use up cellular data. WhatsApp backups can be large, easily in the range of 100MB to over 1GB for most users.
3. Force a WhatsApp Backup
Before switching your backups to iCloud, do a manual WhatsApp backup to your iPhone storage first. This makes sure you have the latest copy of your local WhatsApp data.
In WhatsApp go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and tap “Back Up Now”. It will back up your messages, media, and other data.
4. Enable iCloud Backup in WhatsApp
Once your local iPhone backup is done, you can enable iCloud backups:
- Go to iPhone Settings > your name > iCloud > Manage Storage
- Tap “WhatsApp” then turn on “iCloud Backup”
That’s it! WhatsApp will now backup your data to iCloud instead of your iPhone storage.
5. Check Backup Settings
While still in WhatsApp settings, check a few other backup-related options:
- Auto Backup – Enable auto backups so WhatsApp backs up periodically to iCloud, not just when you manually backup.
- Include Videos – Make sure this is enabled so your media is included in iCloud backups.
You can also check the “Last Backup” date to confirm the change to iCloud was successful.
WhatsApp iCloud Backup Details
Now let’s go over some more details about how WhatsApp leverages iCloud for backups and syncing your data across devices.
What Data is Backed Up
The following WhatsApp data will be included in your iCloud backups:
- Chat history and conversations
- Media like photos and videos in chats
- WhatsApp settings and preferences
- Group names and profile photos
This allows you to retain your full WhatsApp experience when restoring from iCloud.
Backup Frequency
By default, WhatsApp will backup daily to iCloud when these conditions are met:
- Your iPhone is plugged in, on WiFi, and idle overnight
- Auto backup is enabled in WhatsApp settings
- Your iCloud account has enough available storage space
You can also initiate a backup manually at any time by using the “Back Up Now” option.
iCloud Sync Across Devices
With WhatsApp backups in iCloud, your chats, messages, and media are synced across devices including:
- iPhone
- iPad
- Mac
- iPod Touch
This allows seamless switching between your Apple products while retaining your WhatsApp data.
Encryption and Security
iCloud backups are encrypted and cannot be read by Apple. This provides an enhanced level of privacy and security for your WhatsApp data stored in iCloud. Only you can access and restore your iCloud WhatsApp backup.
Managing Your iCloud WhatsApp Backups
Here are some tips for managing your WhatsApp backups in iCloud:
- Check backup status regularly in WhatsApp settings.
- Make sure adequate iCloud storage is available when backup size increases.
- Back up manually before updating iOS or your iPhone.
- Disable iCloud backup temporarily if you need to conserve iCloud storage.
- Restore from iCloud if you ever lose your iPhone or switch devices.
Troubleshooting Tips
If you encounter issues enabling or restoring from iCloud backups, here is some troubleshooting advice:
- Update to the latest version of iOS and WhatsApp.
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app.
- Toggle iCloud Backup off and on in WhatsApp settings.
- Sign out then back into your iCloud account on your device.
- Check your internet connection and WiFi.
- Contact Apple support for further assistance.
Following these tips will typically resolve most errors with WhatsApp iCloud Backup.
Restoring WhatsApp from iCloud Backup
If you ever need to restore your WhatsApp data from an iCloud backup, here is the process:
- Reinstall WhatsApp if needed and launch the app.
- Enter your phone number when prompted.
- On the Restore Chat History screen, tap “Restore”.
- Select the desired backup to restore from iCloud.
WhatsApp will fetch your backup data from iCloud and restore your chats, media, settings etc. You can also restore during iPhone setup when activating a new device.
Choosing Which Backup to Restore
If multiple WhatsApp backups exist in your iCloud storage, you will need to select the appropriate one to restore from.
Things to consider when picking a backup:
- Date – Pick the most recent backup unless you need an older one.
- Size – Larger backups typically contain more data.
- Device name – Useful for identifying the source device.
Preview the details of each available backup to determine the right one to use for restoring your WhatsApp data.
Migration or Transfer Tips
If you are moving your WhatsApp data to a new iPhone, or transferring your number to a new device, here are some handy tips:
- Use iPhone-to-iPhone data migration to transfer WhatsApp during setup.
- Backup to iCloud right before changing devices.
- Temporarily keep same number on both old and new iPhones.
- Transfer SIM card to new device when ready to switch.
This will enable a smooth transition while retaining your full WhatsApp chat history.
Using WhatsApp Web to Transfer Conversations
Another option is using WhatsApp Web to move chats to a new device:
- On old device, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Linked Devices.
- Tap “Link a Device” and scan the QR code from web.whatsapp.com on your new phone.
- On the new device, open individual chats and tap “Export Chat”.
- Save the exported chat to your iCloud Drive.
- On your new phone, go to the chat and tap “Import Messages”.
- Select the chat file from your iCloud Drive.
While more tedious, this guarantees no messages are lost when transferring devices.
Conclusion
Moving your WhatsApp storage from your iPhone to iCloud provides a variety of benefits including:
- Freeing up local storage space on your iPhone.
- Keeping a secure backup of your WhatsApp data.
- Syncing your chats across all your Apple devices.
- Easy restoration if you ever need to recover or transfer your data.
By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily offload WhatsApp to iCloud for backup and syncing purposes. Just take care to have enough iCloud storage, enable auto backups, and periodically verify your data is being saved.
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Free up space | Offloading media frees up local iPhone storage. |
| Backup | iCloud provides a handy backup of your WhatsApp data. |
| Sync | Data remains synced across iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc. |
| Security | iCloud encryption keeps your WhatsApp data secure. |
With your WhatsApp content safely stored and synced via iCloud, you can chat, share photos, and message to your heart’s content without worrying about running out of local storage!