What is WhatsApp?
WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that allows users to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls for free. It uses internet data connection to send messages and make calls. WhatsApp has over 1 billion users globally and is available for Android, iOS, Windows Phone and Blackberry devices.
Why make a backup of WhatsApp data?
There are a few key reasons to backup your WhatsApp data regularly:
- When switching phones: Backing up your WhatsApp data allows you to transfer your messages, media, settings etc to a new phone seemlessly.
- Recovery from data loss: If your phone is lost, stolen, damaged or undergoes a factory reset, a backup ensures you don’t lose your WhatsApp data permanently.
- Free up phone storage: WhatsApp can take up a considerable amount of storage space on your phone. Backing up to Google Drive or iCloud allows you to free up space on your phone.
Regular backups give you peace of mind that your WhatsApp data is safe and can be easily restored if needed.
How to backup WhatsApp data
Backing up WhatsApp is quick and easy to do. Follow these steps:
On Android:
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the 3 dot menu in the top right.
- Select Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap on Backup to Google Drive and select a backup frequency (daily, weekly, monthly).
- Tap Back Up to manually trigger an immediate backup.
WhatsApp data will automatically backup to your linked Google Drive account as per your selected frequency. You can also manually trigger a backup anytime.
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Chats.
- Tap on Chat Backup.
- Select Back Up Now to manually trigger an immediate iCloud backup.
Your chat history, media etc will backup to iCloud storage. You can also select auto backup options on this screen.
How to restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive
If you get a new Android phone, or need to restore a backup on the same device, follow these steps:
- Install WhatsApp on your device and verify your number.
- On the ‘Restore chats’ screen, tap Restore.
- Select the Google account your WhatsApp backup is stored on.
- Tap on the backup you want to restore.
- Wait for WhatsApp to restore the backup and your chats will be synced to the device.
Your WhatsApp messages, media, settings etc will be restored from Google Drive to your phone.
How to restore WhatsApp from iCloud backup
To restore an iCloud backup on iPhone:
- Install WhatsApp and verify your phone number.
- On the ‘Restore Chat History’ screen, tap Restore.
- Select the iCloud backup you want to restore.
- Tap Next and wait for backup restore to complete.
This will restore your WhatsApp chats, media, settings from iCloud to your iPhone.
Tips for smooth WhatsApp backup & restore
Here are some useful tips:
- Check you have enough Google Drive or iCloud storage space for WhatsApp backups.
- Connect to Wifi for backup & restore as it can use a lot of data.
- Make backups regularly, don’t just rely on automated backups.
- If restoring, use the same phone number linked to your WhatsApp account.
- Delete old backups you don’t need from Google Drive or iCloud.
- If backup size is too large, clear unwanted media/files from WhatsApp.
Troubleshooting WhatsApp backup & restore issues
Some common issues faced during WhatsApp backup & restore:
Backup not working
- Ensure you are connected to the internet.
- Check you have enough storage space in Google Drive/iCloud.
- Manually trigger a backup – automated backups can sometimes fail.
- Restart your phone and try backing up again.
Can’t restore backup
- Make sure you are using the same phone number linked to WhatsApp account.
- Delete any existing WhatsApp account and try again.
- Check date/time settings on your phone are correct.
- Try restoring on a stable WiFi connection.
Lost or overwritten backup
- Unfortunately there is no way to recover lost backups.
- Avoid backing up multiple WhatsApp accounts to the same Drive/iCloud storage.
- Backup your backup – export important chats, media to another location.
Conclusion
Regularly backing up and restoring WhatsApp ensures you never lose important messages or memories. Follow the steps outlined to seamlessly backup chats, media and settings to Google Drive or iCloud. Don’t hesitate to restore your backup if you get a new phone, or lose your existing data. With proper care you can switch phones and recover from mishaps without the headache of losing your WhatsApp data!