Backing up your WhatsApp messages is an important way to safeguard your chat history and media in case you lose your phone or switch to a new device. Here are some key things to know about what happens after you back up your WhatsApp data.
Your messages are stored in the cloud
When you back up your WhatsApp chats, they are stored remotely in the cloud. By default, WhatsApp uses Google Drive for cloud backups on Android devices and iCloud on iOS devices. Your messages themselves are not stored directly in Google Drive or iCloud, but in encrypted WhatsApp-owned cloud servers that integrate with these platforms. This provides added privacy and security for your chats.
Backups happen automatically on a regular basis as long as you are connected to the internet. You can also manually back up at any time by going into WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Backups over WiFi are recommended to avoid mobile data charges.
Media and files are also backed up
It’s not just your chat messages that get backed up, but also any media and files exchanged in WhatsApp like photos, videos and documents. Media attachments are treated the same as messages during the backup process. All data is encrypted before going to the cloud servers.
One exception is audio messages which have to be manually backed up on iOS devices due to an iOS restriction. On Android, audio files are included in the backup automatically.
Backup size is limited
WhatsApp currently limits the size of backups to 2GB on Android devices and for iCloud backups on iOS. This allows storing thousands of messages, over a year’s worth of data for most users. If you reach the limit, older backups will start getting overwritten with newer chat data.
For iOS users, you can pay for additional iCloud storage to accommodate larger WhatsApp backups beyond 2GB if needed. There is no expanded storage option for Google Drive backups yet.
You can restore your chats on a new device
The main purpose of backing up your WhatsApp data is to be able to restore it when switching to a new device or reinstalling the app after losing your phone. During setup on the new device, you will be prompted to restore your backup from the cloud.
The most recent backup will be retrieved containing all your messages, media files, contacts and settings. You can also restore older backups if needed. The restoration process is usually quick and seamless provided you are connected to the internet.
Backups do not switch devices automatically
It’s important to note that WhatsApp backups are device-specific. Each device has its own backup file in the cloud that does not automatically sync across devices. So if you back up chats on your old phone, you still need to manually restore the backup on your new phone during setup – it does not happen automatically.
Your chat history remains private
WhatsApp emphasizes that your chat history and exchanged media is only stored in encrypted form that cannot be read by anyone else, including WhatsApp and third-party cloud services like Google and Apple. The encryption keys are only stored on your personal device. This ensures strong privacy protection for your conversations.
Media quality may be reduced
To save on storage space, WhatsApp may compress or reduce the quality of media like photos and videos when backing them up. So when restoring backups, some media files may lose their original quality. But the reduction is usually minimal visually. Text messages are always preserved perfectly.
Backups do not count against cloud storage
A great advantage of WhatsApp backups is that on both Android and iOS, your backup data does not count towards your Google Drive or iCloud storage quota. So it’s essentially free added cloud space to store your WhatsApp chat history securely. Just make sure to enable backups appropriately.
Set backups to happen automatically
To make sure your WhatsApp chats are always backed up, it’s recommended to enable automatic backups in Settings. This will periodically back up your new messages and data changes automatically to the cloud. No manual intervention is required.
You can also schedule auto backups to happen only when connected to WiFi to avoid mobile data usage. Enable notifications to confirm backups complete successfully.
Your chat history remains accessible
Even if you delete WhatsApp itself from your device and take a break from using it, your entire chat history remains safely backed up in the cloud. When you reinstall WhatsApp and restore your data, all your conversations and files will reappear as they were previously saved.
Backups can help migrate chats between platforms
An advantage of WhatsApp backups is that they make it easy to migrate your chat history across mobile platforms. For example, you can switch from iPhone to Android and restore your iOS WhatsApp backup onto the new Android phone, transferring all your chats seamlessly in the process via the cloud.
Manually back up for extra reassurance
While automatic backups are great for set-and-forget convenience, you can also manually back up your WhatsApp data any time for extra assurance. This can be helpful before a major OS update, switching phones, or traveling internationally in case connectivity issues arise.
Monitor your backup status
To check the details of your last successful WhatsApp backup, go into WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Here you can view the date of the latest backup as well as how much backup data quota you have used. Tap “Back Up” to manually trigger an update.
Backups do not transfer your SIM – your number remains yours
When you back up and restore your WhatsApp data on a new device, it does not port or transfer your SIM card or phone number to that device. Your mobile number remains associated with your old SIM. The new device will have a new number linked to its SIM unless you request your carrier to formally transfer it.
You can still use WhatsApp before restoring backup
On a new phone, you can start using WhatsApp right away even before restoring your backup. You will not see any of your chat history, but can start new conversations which will then merge with your historic data once your backup from the cloud is applied.
Back up chat history from old platforms
If you are migrating from very old platforms like BlackBerry, Symbian or Windows phones, you may need to first back up your legacy WhatsApp chats using their built-in backup tools. Then on your new Android or iOS device, install WhatsApp and restore from these older backups before being able to make regular cloud backups going forward.
Export chat history additionally for records
While WhatsApp cloud backups provide an easy restore option, you may also want to export your chat history to your local device storage for record-keeping purposes before switching phones. WhatsApp allows exporting chats with media into email or document files.
Backups can consume mobile data
One thing to be aware of is that WhatsApp backups over mobile data rather than WiFi can consume part of your monthly data allotment. Large media files or long chat history in backups can quickly add up in mobile data usage. Monitor this or restrict backups to WiFi to avoid any unintended data overage charges.
Password protect backups for extra security
For additional security, you can set a custom password to encrypt your WhatsApp backups. Go into WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > End-to-end Encrypted Backup to configure this. You will then need to enter this password when restoring backups on a new device.
Set chat history backup frequency
You can configure how often WhatsApp automatically backs up your chats under Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Auto Backup. The options available are: Never, Daily, Weekly and Monthly. Set this based on your message volume and desire for up-to-date backups.
Beware of phishing scams
Watch out for fake WhatsApp backup services or tools claiming to help transfer your chats to a new device. These may be phishing scams to steal your data. It’s best to always use the official WhatsApp channels for backups and transfers.
Encrypt local database for extra security (Android only)
On Android, you can add a layer of security by encrypting your local WhatsApp database with a key. Enable this in Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Encrypt Local Backups. Your chats will then be protected even if your physical phone is compromised.
Backups do not transfer WhatsApp Plus/GB mods
Unauthorized WhatsApp mods like WhatsApp Plus or GB WhatsApp store chats in non-standard databases that cannot be backed up or transferred officially. Do not rely on these mods if you want to preserve chat history as you may lose data migrating to a new device.
Avoid deleting chats before backup
If you delete recent WhatsApp chats or media before your next backup runs, that data will be permanently deleted and not included in the backup. So avoid spring cleaning your chats right before you want to backup your data.
Be careful with remote wipe
Using WhatsApp’s remote wipe feature will erase your cloud backup associated with that device. So only use remote wipe in cases of definite phone theft rather than just misplacing your device temporarily.
Backups do not transfer payment service data
WhatsApp Payments service data including your contacts’ UPI IDs, transaction records and balance are not included in chat backups. These have to be re-added manually if switching devices.
Beware of fake WhatsApp support
Stay away from third-party services claiming to offer WhatsApp support or the ability to restore your backup. These are often scams. For support, always reach out directly to WhatsApp via official channels.
Use cloud service native apps to manage backups
To directly access, download or manage your WhatsApp backups in the cloud, use the associated native apps – Google Drive for Android backups or iCloud for iOS backups. Do not try to manually manipulate backup files as corruption can occur.
Maintain enough free cloud storage
Ensure you have adequate free storage in Google Drive or iCloud as required for WhatsApp backups. If cloud storage is completely full, your backups may fail and chat history could be lost if device fails.
Link multiple devices to one backup (iPhone only)
On iOS, you can link multiple devices like an iPhone and iPad to the same WhatsApp iCloud backup so they share one unified chat history provided they use the same phone number.
Be patient when restoring large backups
Restoring very large WhatsApp backups when switching devices can take some time to complete depending on your internet speed. Be patient and let the process fully finish before using WhatsApp on your new device.
Encryption limits backup transfers
Enabling end-to-end encrypted backups ties your WhatsApp data specifically to that device and prevents transferring backups across devices or platforms. Disable encryption to freely migrate chats.
Delete old devices from backup list
When changing devices, remember to go into WhatsApp Settings > Linked Devices and delete any old devices no longer being used. This keeps your backup list clean and device quota optimized.
Use reliable and fast internet connections
When making backups either automatically or manually, ensure you are on dependable high-speed WiFi or mobile data with good coverage to complete the backup swiftly without interruptions which could cause corruption.
Never delete WhatsApp media from phone storage
Do not delete WhatsApp media like photos or videos directly from your phone’s local storage as this can break chat backups. Always delete media within the WhatsApp chat itself for proper syncing.
Conclusion
Backing up your WhatsApp chats is simple and provides immense reassurance that your conversation history is safe. Take advantage of automatic backups, test restores when switching devices, encrypt backups for security and monitor your storage usage. With a few precautions, you can easily preserve your WhatsApp data via the cloud.