WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows easy communication between friends, family, colleagues, and more through instant messaging, voice and video calls. One of the best things about WhatsApp is that it synchronizes all your messages and data across devices so that your chats are backed up and stay in sync.
However, when switching between Android and iOS devices, transferring your WhatsApp data can be tricky. The platforms use different backup formats and don’t allow direct transfers between operating systems. So how do you transfer years’ worth of conversations, photos, videos, and other media between devices?
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk you through all the possible methods to transfer WhatsApp chats and data from Android to iOS, and vice versa. We have covered manual backups, third-party apps as well as cloud services to help you find the best solution to migrate your WhatsApp seamlessly.
Transfer WhatsApp from Android to iOS
Here are the steps to move your WhatsApp data from an Android device to an iPhone:
Method 1: Transfer via Google Drive
WhatsApp has built-in support to backup and restore chats on Google Drive. Here is how to use it:
- On your Android phone, open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap BACK UP to Google Drive and set it to backup daily.
- Leave your phone connected to WiFi until the latest backup is completed.
- On your iPhone, install WhatsApp from the App Store but don’t open it.
- Navigate to Settings > Facebook.
- Tap Log In, enter the same phone number again, and tap Log In again.
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone, verify your phone number, and wait for the restoration process to complete.
This will restore your chats and data from your latest Google Drive backup to your new iPhone. Media files may take time to download in the background.
Method 2: Transfer via Local Backup
You can also transfer WhatsApp chats using a local backup file:
- On your Android phone, go to WhatsApp > More options > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap Backup to create a local backup file on your phone’s storage.
- Copy the backup file to your computer using a USB cable or cloud storage.
- Install and set up WhatsApp on your new iPhone.
- On the iPhone, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Import from Android.
- Select the backup file from your computer to import chats & data.
This method lets you transfer WhatsApp even without Google Drive but is more manual. You need to regularly copy updated backups from your Android phone to your computer.
Method 3: Use Third-Party Apps
For a quick and easy transfer, you can use third-party apps and software that specialize in moving WhatsApp chats between different platforms:
- Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Transfer: This dedicated app lets you seamlessly move WhatsApp data between Android, iOS and Windows Phone. It transfers all chats, images, videos, and attachments with a few clicks. Support for encrypted iTunes and iCloud backups makes Dr.Fone the most reliable solution.
- MobileTrans: Wondershare’s MobileTrans offers a WhatsApp Transfer tool to copy chats, photos, videos, attachments, call history etc. between Android, iOS and Nokia. Works without WiFi or cables.
- CopyTrans Contacts: Allows migrating WhatsApp messages from Android to iPhone locally over WiFi. Can transfer 10,000 messages in one go.
These apps provide hassle-free WhatsApp migration without manual backups and save you time. However, some of them are paid tools or offer limited trial versions.
Method 4: Export Chat History
You can export your WhatsApp chat history as a text file and email it to yourself:
- On your Android phone, open WhatsApp and go to More options > Settings > Chats > Chat history.
- Tap Export chat and select the conversations you want to export.
- The app will export chat history as a .txt file which you can email to yourself.
- Open the file on your computer and use a desktop app like Dr.Fone to transfer it to iPhone.
While you’ll be able to transfer chat texts, this method does not support transfer of media files or attachments. It’s best for small amounts of chats.
Transfer WhatsApp from iOS to Android
Switching WhatsApp data from an iPhone to Android involves a few extra steps due to the differences in backup formats between the platforms. Here are the easiest ways to make the switch:
Method 1: Transfer via iCloud
You can use your iCloud backup to move WhatsApp from iOS to Android:
- On your iPhone, go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and ensure backups are enabled.
- Connect to WiFi to allow WhatsApp to create the latest iCloud backup.
- On your Android phone, install WhatsApp but don’t open it yet.
- Install the Move to iOS app from Google Play Store and launch it.
- Follow the on-screen instructions to move data from your iPhone. Make sure you select WhatsApp.
- Once transfer is complete, open WhatsApp on your Android to initialize restoration from iCloud.
This uses your encrypted iCloud backup to restore WhatsApp chats on the new device. Media and files will slowly download in the background.
Method 2: Local Backup Transfer
You can also use local iOS backups for WhatsApp transfer to Android:
- On your iPhone, go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap Back Up Now to create a manual local backup on your iPhone.
- On your computer, copy the WhatsApp chat backup from your iPhone using iTunes File Sharing.
- Install and set up WhatsApp on your new Android device.
- Use a third-party app like Dr.Fone to import the local iOS backup to Android.
This gives you full control over your chats backup but requires manually copying it from your iPhone to computer using iTunes.
Method 3: Transfer Using Third-Party Apps
For maximum convenience, use dedicated third-party WhatsApp transfer apps like:
- Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Transfer: It seamlessly transfers WhatsApp data from iPhone to any Android with support for iCloud and iTunes backups. Media files and attachments are fully preserved.
- MobileTrans – WhatsApp Transfer: Allows direct phone-to-phone transfer of WhatsApp chats, photos, videos between iPhone and Android over WiFi. No computer needed.
- CopyTrans Contacts: Lets you migrate WhatsApp messages from iOS to Android locally or via iCloud. Maintains complete data integrity.
These dedicated apps provide the safest and easiest way to switch WhatsApp data from iPhone to Android phone.
Method 4: Email Chat Export
You can export and email your iOS WhatsApp chat history as a text file:
- On your iPhone, go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat History.
- Select the chats you wish to export. Tap Export Chat and email it to yourself.
- Open the .txt file on your computer. Use an Android file transfer app to copy it to your phone.
- The file contains just text messages. Media content cannot be transferred.
Email chat export should only be used for small amounts of simple text conversations. It does not support media or attachments.
Bonus Tips
Follow these additional tips for a smooth WhatsApp transfer between devices:
- Create a backup before transferring – Losing chat history is frustrating. So backup your WhatsApp chats on the old device before beginning any migration.
- Transfer over WiFi – As chat histories and media can be large in size, use WiFi to avoid mobile data charges during WhatsApp transfer.
- Install WhatsApp first – WhatsApp must be installed on the new phone before beginning restoration to allow data transfer.
- WhatsApp Web sessions – Your existing WhatsApp Web sessions will automatically disconnect once you activate the app on the new device.
- Clear some storage – Ensure you have enough free storage space on the new phone to handle your chat history and media files from WhatsApp.
- Be patient – Depending on the chat size, give WhatsApp sufficient time to restore and download all your chats, videos, images and other data in the background.
Conclusion
Switching phones doesn’t mean you have to lose your WhatsApp data. With the app’s built-in chat backup options for Google Drive and iCloud, you can easily transfer WhatsApp chats between Android and iOS. For maximum convenience, dedicated third-party WhatsApp transfer tools are your best bet for quickly and securely migrating your chat history with full preservation of data.
We hope this guide helps you understand the various methods to transfer WhatsApp chats and media files from Android to iOS or vice versa. Taking a current backup before switching phones allows you to seamlessly move years’ worth of conversations to your new device. So go ahead and enjoy your new phone, without having to start your WhatsApp chats all over again!