WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. Over time, you may have changed various preferences in WhatsApp, like notification settings, chat wallpaper, font size, etc. Resetting the app to its default settings can help fix issues caused by incorrect preferences or improve performance. Here are the steps to reset WhatsApp preferences on both Android and iOS devices.
Quick Steps to Reset WhatsApp on Android
Here is a quick overview of the steps to reset WhatsApp on Android phones:
- Open WhatsApp and tap the 3-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap on “Back Up Chats” and wait for backup to complete.
- Once backup completes, go back and tap Settings.
- Scroll down and tap “Clear Data.”
- Open WhatsApp again and verify your phone number.
- All your preferences will now be reset to default.
Detailed Steps to Reset WhatsApp on Android
Here are the detailed steps to reset WhatsApp on your Android smartphone:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone.
- Tap on the 3-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Go to Settings.
- Tap on Chats.
- Tap on Chat backup.
- Tap on Back Up Chats and wait for the backup to complete.
Backing up your chats is recommended before resetting WhatsApp to avoid losing your chat history.
- Once the backup is completed, go back to Settings.
- Scroll down and tap on Storage Usage.
- Tap on Clear Data at the bottom.
- Confirm that you want to clear all WhatsApp data.
This will clear all your WhatsApp preferences and settings. You will have to reverify your phone number once you open WhatsApp after the reset.
- Open WhatsApp on your phone again.
- Enter your phone number and tap ‘Next.’
- You will receive an OTP on your number. Enter it and tap ‘Next’ to verify.
That’s it! Your WhatsApp should now be reset with default settings. You can start using it like new.
Quick Steps to Reset WhatsApp on iPhone
Here is a quick overview of how to reset WhatsApp on your iPhone:
- Open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap “Back Up Now” and wait for backup to complete.
- Go to iPhone Settings > WhatsApp.
- Tap “Delete App” and then reinstall WhatsApp.
- Verify your phone number when prompted.
- Your WhatsApp preferences will now be reset.
Detailed Steps to Reset WhatsApp on iPhone
Follow these detailed steps to reset WhatsApp on your iPhone or iPad:
- Open WhatsApp on your iOS device.
- Tap Settings in the bottom right.
- Go to Chats.
- Tap on Chat Backup.
- Tap on Back Up Now and wait for it to complete.
This will backup your chat history before resetting WhatsApp. Your chat history will stay intact.
- Once the backup is completed, go to iPhone Settings.
- Scroll down and tap on WhatsApp.
- Tap on Delete App and confirm deletion.
This will completely remove WhatsApp along with all its data and settings from your iPhone.
- Now, reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store.
- Open WhatsApp and enter your phone number.
- Verify the number via OTP to register it again.
That’s it! WhatsApp will now be completely reset to factory settings. You can start using it like new.
Reset Network Settings (Alternative Method)
An alternative way to reset WhatsApp on iPhone is to reset the network settings. Here are the steps for that:
- Go to Settings > General on your iPhone.
- Scroll down and tap on Reset.
- Tap on Reset Network Settings.
- Enter your passcode if prompted.
This will reset all network-related settings, including WhatsApp. You can then open WhatsApp and reverify your number.
What Gets Reset When You Reset WhatsApp?
Resetting WhatsApp restores it to default factory settings. Here are some of the preferences that get reset:
- Notification settings and tones
- Chat wallpaper and theme
- Media auto-download settings
- Font size and style
- Privacy settings
- Groups settings
- Profile photo, name, about
Your contacts, chat history, groups, and media will remain intact as they are backed up. But all personalized settings will be reset.
When Should You Reset WhatsApp?
Here are some common cases when resetting WhatsApp can help resolve issues:
- Notifications issues like missing notifications
- Slowdowns, freezes, or crashes
- Weird behaviors like texts going to wrong people
- Battery drain due to constant WhatsApp wakelocks
- Forgotten passcode and can’t log in
- Want to erase all WhatsApp data before selling your phone
Resetting should be one of the first troubleshooting steps taken in the above cases before trying more complex solutions.
Will Resetting WhatsApp Delete My Chats?
No, resetting WhatsApp does not delete or remove your chats or groups. As long as you backup your chats before resetting, all your conversations remain intact.
The reset simply restores all WhatsApp settings to their defaults. So you do not lose any actual chat data or media.
However, any unsaved media like photos or videos that are only present in your phone’s WhatsApp folder and not backed up will be deleted.
How to Backup WhatsApp Before Resetting
To make sure your chats and media are not lost, it is highly recommended to take a backup before resetting WhatsApp. Here is how to backup on Android and iPhone:
On Android:
- Open WhatsApp > Tap 3-dot menu > Settings.
- Go to Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap Back Up chats.
- Select a backup frequency – daily, weekly or monthly.
- Tap Back Up over mobile data if you want backups even when WiFi disconnected.
- Tap Back up to Google Drive if you want backups stored on Google Drive.
On iPhone:
- Open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Back Up Now to manually backup chats.
- Enable auto-backup by tapping Auto Backup.
- Select backup frequency – daily, weekly or monthly.
- Choose whether to backup when on WiFi only, or include cellular data.
- Tap Backup to iCloud Drive to store chat backups on iCloud.
As long as you have taken a recent backup, you won’t lose any chats or media when resetting WhatsApp.
Pro Tips When Resetting WhatsApp
Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when resetting WhatsApp:
- Take a manual chat backup before resetting even if you have auto-backup enabled.
- Memorize or note down important group invite links before resetting WhatsApp.
- Remember your existing WhatsApp passcode if you have two-step verification enabled.
- Check that you have enough storage space for WhatsApp to take a backup.
- Connect to a WiFi network before taking a backup to avoid mobile data charges.
- Reset WhatsApp during non-peak hours to avoid missing important chats.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about resetting WhatsApp:
Does WhatsApp backup save my chat history?
Yes, WhatsApp backups include your entire chat history along with photos, videos and other media files you have exchanged. As long as you backup before resetting, your chat history will remain intact.
Will my groups still be there after resetting WhatsApp?
The groups themselves will still be present after resetting from the backup. However, any new messages or media shared in the groups after you reset will be lost.
Can I restore my chat history after resetting WhatsApp?
Yes, when you reinstall WhatsApp after resetting and verify your number, you will get an option to restore chats and media from your backup. Tap on Restore to get back your old chats.
Will my WhatsApp call history be deleted if I reset?
Your WhatsApp call history will also be erased when you reset WhatsApp. Call history is not included in WhatsApp backups. So you cannot restore your past WhatsApp calls after resetting.
Is there any way to reset WhatsApp without a backup?
Without a proper backup, resetting WhatsApp will delete all your local WhatsApp data like chats, media, starred messages, etc. You should always backup before resetting unless you do not mind losing all WhatsApp data.
Conclusion
Resetting WhatsApp can help fix a variety of issues with the app and restore it to default settings. The process is simple on both Android and iOS devices. Just remember to backup your chats first. With a full chat backup, you can reset WhatsApp hassle-free without losing your precious conversations or media.