WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls. WhatsApp stores all your messages, media and call history on your phone by default. So if you lose your phone or switch to a new one, you risk losing all your WhatsApp data unless you have a backup.
Why should you backup your WhatsApp data?
Here are some key reasons why you should regularly backup your WhatsApp data:
- Preserve chat history – Backing up lets you preserve your chat history including text messages, photos, videos and voice messages you have exchanged over time.
- Retrieve deleted messages – If you accidentally delete an important chat or media, the backup allows you to retrieve it.
- Migrate to a new phone – When you get a new phone, a backup makes it easy to transfer and restore your WhatsApp account with all messages and media.
- Recover from a lost or damaged phone – If you lose your phone or it gets damaged, the backup acts as a lifesaver to restore your data on a new device.
How often should you backup WhatsApp data?
To ensure you have a recent copy of your messages and files, it’s recommended to backup your WhatsApp data at least once a week. If you use WhatsApp extensively and have important or time-sensitive conversations, consider backing up even more frequently, such as once every 3-4 days.
Whenever you switch phones is also a key time to backup so you can transfer your account. Before major updates like OS upgrades or new WhatsApp versions roll out is another good time to backup your data.
Where does WhatsApp store your backup data?
WhatsApp gives you two options for where to store your backups – iCloud for iPhone users and Google Drive for Android users. Each platform loads your backup data into its respective cloud storage service.
- iPhone – iCloud – When you backup WhatsApp on an iPhone, the messages, media and data get stored in your iCloud account storage. You get up to 5GB of free iCloud space by default.
- Android – Google Drive – On Android devices, your WhatsApp backups get saved to your linked Google account’s Drive storage. You get 15GB of free Google Drive space.
How to backup WhatsApp messages on iPhone
Here are step-by-step instructions to backup your WhatsApp data on iPhone to iCloud:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Tap on Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap on “Backup Now” to manually trigger an instant backup.
- Choose whether to backup over cellular data or WiFi only.
- Tap “Back Up Now” to confirm and start the backup process.
- Wait for WhatsApp to complete the backup to iCloud.
This will save a copy of your most recent WhatsApp data to iCloud. WhatsApp automatically schedules daily backups at 2AM by default, but you can also manually backup anytime.
Checking WhatsApp backup size on iPhone
To check how much iCloud storage your WhatsApp backup is taking:
- Go to iPhone Settings > [your name] > iCloud.
- Scroll down and tap on Manage Storage > Backups.
- Look for the WhatsApp backup listed here to see its size.
If your backup size approaches or exceeds your available iCloud quota, you may need to upgrade your iCloud storage plan.
How to backup WhatsApp on Android
On Android phones, WhatsApp allows you to backup your data to Google Drive. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp and go to More options > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap on “Back Up” to manually trigger an instant backup to Drive.
- Choose whether to backup over cellular data or WiFi only.
- Tap “Back up” again to confirm and start the process.
- Wait for WhatsApp to complete the backup to your Google Drive.
WhatsApp will do daily auto backups to Drive by default. But you can also manually backup as needed.
Checking WhatsApp backup size on Android
To check the backup size on Android:
- Open the Drive app > Backups.
- Look for the WhatsApp backup folder.
- Check the size listed for the folder.
If your backups start exceeding 15GB, you may need to upgrade Google Drive storage.
How to restore WhatsApp backup from iCloud
If you get a new iPhone or need to restore your backup from iCloud, here are the steps:
- Install WhatsApp on your new iPhone.
- Open WhatsApp and verify your phone number.
- On the prompt to restore from iCloud, tap “Restore”.
- Select the iCloud account with your WhatsApp backup.
- Tap on the backup to restore and hit Next.
- Wait for WhatsApp to restore your chats and media from iCloud.
Your iPhone WhatsApp account will now have all your previous messages, files, settings etc extracted from the iCloud backup.
How to restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive
To restore your WhatsApp data from Google Drive on a new or factory reset Android phone:
- Install and open WhatsApp on your Android device.
- Enter your phone number and tap Next.
- On the “Restore chats” prompt, tap Restore.
- Select the Google account with your Drive backup.
- Pick the WhatsApp backup to restore.
- Hit Restore to start the process.
- Wait for your chats, media files, settings etc to be extracted from the Drive backup.
This will reload your WhatsApp account from Google Drive onto your new Android device.
How to transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android
To move your WhatsApp data from an iPhone to a new Android phone:
- Backup WhatsApp on your iPhone to iCloud.
- Install WhatsApp on your Android phone.
- On Android, verify your number then tap “Import” > “From iOS”.
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone and use the Move to Android app to transfer data.
- Point the app to your iCloud backup to load WhatsApp data.
- Wait for your chats, files, settings to copy over to the Android device.
This will migrate your WhatsApp account from an iPhone to your new Android phone via the iCloud backup.
How to transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone
To move WhatsApp from an Android device to a new iPhone:
- Backup WhatsApp on your Android phone to Google Drive.
- On the iPhone, install WhatsApp and verify your number.
- On the prompt to Move Data from Android, tap Start.
- On the Android device, open Move to iOS app and select WhatsApp.
- The app will transfer WhatsApp data from Google Drive to the iPhone.
- Wait for your chats, media, settings to be copied over to the new iPhone.
This will enable you to move your WhatsApp account from an Android phone to an iPhone using your Google Drive backup.
How to backup WhatsApp without Google Drive or iCloud
If you don’t want to use Google Drive or iCloud, there are other ways to backup WhatsApp as well:
- Local backup – WhatsApp lets you create local backups saved to your phone’s storage. But this requires manual transfers if you change phones.
- PC/Mac backup – You can also backup WhatsApp to your computer using tools like dr.fone and copy the backup files across devices.
- Third-party apps – Some apps like iTransor for iPhone allow backing up WhatsApp to your computer or external storage.
However, local phone and computer backups require manual management. Cloud backups like Drive and iCloud offer more convenience and automation.
Important backup tips
Here are some key tips to ensure your WhatsApp backups are functioning properly:
- Frequently check backup settings and configure backups as needed.
- Ensure WhatsApp has permission to access Drive or iCloud storage.
- Connect phone to stable WiFi for backups to avoid mobile data charges.
- Check Drive or iCloud after backups to confirm new files are copied over.
- Set backups to manual rather than auto if you have limited internet bandwidth.
- Take occasional extra backups before major updates or new phone migrations.
- Back up over a secure internet connection and enable encryption for privacy.
What does WhatsApp include in backups?
WhatsApp backups include most of the key data from your account:
| Data | Items Backed Up |
|---|---|
| Messages | Text messages, photos, videos, audio files, GIFs, documents |
| Calls | Call history and call logs |
| Settings | Profile info, individual chat settings, privacy settings |
| Groups | Group info, group participants, group media, group settings |
Media like photos and videos are only backed up if under 100 MB size per file. Some items not saved include:
- WhatsApp call history older than 6 months
- Deleted media files
- WhatsApp voice messages not forwarded or saved
WhatsApp media backup sizes
WhatsApp can store a significant amount of media in your backups based on usage. Here are some typical sizes to expect:
| Media type | Typical size range |
|---|---|
| Photos | 1 – 10 MB per photo |
| Videos | 5 – 50 MB for 1 minute clip |
| Audio files | 1 – 5 MB per minute |
| Documents | 0.5 – 100 MB |
The number of files exchanged and how long you’ve used WhatsApp impact total backup size. Regularly clearing older chats can help reduce backup size.
WhatsApp backup troubleshooting
Here are some solutions for common WhatsApp backup issues:
Backups not working
- Enable backups in WhatsApp settings if disabled
- Check internet connection is working on device
- Allow WhatsApp permission to access Drive or iCloud storage
- Free up storage space on Drive or iCloud if full
- Force close and restart WhatsApp
Backups using too much data
- Set backups to WiFi only
- Limit backup frequency to reduce data use
- Clear older chats and media to reduce backup size
- Upgrade to unlimited data plan if on limited cellular data
Backups taking too long
- Use WiFi instead of mobile data for faster speeds
- Disable media or reduce number of chats being backed up
- Pause then resume backup if stalled
- Schedule backups for off-peak times
Can’t find backup files
- On iPhone, check WhatsApp in iCloud Manage Storage
- On Android, look in Google Drive under WhatsApp folder
- Check if backups enabled in WhatsApp settings
- Might need to manually copy local files after computer backup
Conclusion
Backing up your WhatsApp messages and media provides vital protection against lost or inaccessible data when you switch phones, lose your device or encounter app issues. Leverage the built-in tools WhatsApp offers for effortlessly saving your chat history to iCloud or Google Drive.
Establish a regular backup schedule, monitor your storage usage, optimize backup settings and troubleshoot any issues for smooth sailing. With your WhatsApp data securely preserved in the cloud, you can stay seamlessly connected with family, friends and work contacts without the stress of permanent data loss.