WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, documents and voice messages for free. However, WhatsApp does not provide a built-in option to backup chats and media. If you lose your phone or switch devices, you risk losing all your WhatsApp data unless you have a backup.
Thankfully, there are several free software options that allow you to easily backup your WhatsApp data either to your computer or to a cloud storage service. In this article, we will look at the best free software choices for backing up your WhatsApp chats and media.
Why You Should Backup WhatsApp
Here are some key reasons why it’s important to backup your WhatsApp data regularly:
- If you lose, break or upgrade your phone, a backup ensures you don’t lose your chat history. WhatsApp does not store your messages on their servers.
- Switching from Android to iPhone or vice versa will require you to backup chats to transfer them to your new device.
- Backups serve as an archive of important conversations, photos, videos and files you’ve exchanged over time.
- You have a safe copy of your data in case your phone is stolen or damaged.
- WhatsApp only provides the option to restore from Google Drive or iCloud backups which have limited capacity. Software backups provide more flexibility.
Software Comparison
Here is a comparison of the top free software options for backing up your WhatsApp data:
| Software | Platforms | Backup Features | Restore Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| dr.fone – Backup & Restore (Android) | Windows and Mac | Backs up WhatsApp chats, photos, videos, audio and other files | Restores WhatsApp data to the same phone or a new Android phone |
| iMyFone iTransor (iPhone) | Windows and Mac | Backs up WhatsApp chats, photos, videos and voice messages | Restores WhatsApp data to the same iPhone or a new iPhone |
| Google Drive | Android | Backs up WhatsApp chats and media to Google Drive cloud storage | Restores WhatsApp backup from Google Drive to same or new Android phone |
| iCloud | iPhone | Backs up WhatsApp chats and media to iCloud | Restores WhatsApp iCloud backup to same or new iPhone |
dr.fone – Backup & Restore (Android)
dr.fone – Backup & Restore is a desktop software available for both Windows and Mac. It provides an easy way to comprehensively back up your WhatsApp data on Android devices to your computer.
With dr.fone you can backup WhatsApp chats, photos, videos, audio files, document attachments and other media exchanged on WhatsApp. The backup includes your full WhatsApp chat history even if you have cleared chats on your phone.
dr.fone stores the WhatsApp backup as a file on your computer. You can then restore this backup to the same phone or to a new Android phone if you lose your old device. It works for any Android device including Samsung, Huawei, Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo, OnePlus, LG, HTC, Sony and more.
The main benefits of using dr.fone for WhatsApp backup include:
- Provides full backup of WhatsApp data with no restrictions on backup size
- Encrypts your WhatsApp backup for security
- Allows restoring data to any Android device even with different phone number
- Easy to use with step-by-step guide for backing up and restoring
- Free version available to backup, preview and selectively restore WhatsApp data
iMyFone iTransor (iPhone)
iMyFone iTransor is the best WhatsApp backup software designed for iPhone users. It can backup your WhatsApp chats, photos, videos, voice messages and attachments on iPhone devices.
The backup is saved to your computer so you can always restore it even if you don’t have iCloud storage space. iTransor also encrypts your WhatsApp backup for security.
With iTransor you can transfer and restore WhatsApp data from one iPhone to another. This allows you to seamlessly move your WhatsApp history when upgrading to a new iPhone model.
Key features of iMyFone iTransor include:
- Backs up all WhatsApp data from iPhone with no limit on backup size
- Secures WhatsApp backup with encryption
- Restores WhatsApp chats, media and attachments to same or new iPhone
- Provides preview of WhatsApp backup content
- Ability to selectively restore parts of WhatsApp backup
- Available for both Windows and Mac
Google Drive
Android users have the option to backup WhatsApp chats and media to Google Drive. This integrated cloud backup feature provides seamless WhatsApp backup without needing third-party software.
To use Google Drive backup, you need to first enable chat backups in WhatsApp Settings and choose a backup frequency – daily, weekly or monthly. WhatsApp will then automatically backup your data based on your set frequency.
The limit for free Google Drive storage is 15GB which may not be enough for extensive WhatsApp backups with lots of media. You can purchase additional storage but it comes at a cost.
Benefits of Google Drive WhatsApp backup:
- Seamlessly integrated into WhatsApp
- Automatic scheduled backups as per set frequency
- Easy to restore backup when setting up WhatsApp on new Android phone
- Free 15GB storage for WhatsApp backup and other Google services
iCloud
For iPhone users, your primary WhatsApp backup option is iCloud. You can configure WhatsApp Settings to automatically backup your WhatsApp chats, photos, videos and messages to iCloud.
Backups occur when your phone is charging, connected to WiFi and the phone screen is locked. You can also manually backup WhatsApp to iCloud anytime.
The free iCloud storage tier provides 5GB space. This limited capacity may fill up fast if you have a lot of media to backup. You can pay for more iCloud storage if needed.
Key advantages of iCloud WhatsApp backup:
- Seamlessly integrated into WhatsApp on iPhone
- Scheduled automatic backups when connected to power and WiFi
- Easy to restore when you setup WhatsApp on a new iPhone
- Includes latest WhatsApp chats and media in backup
How to Backup WhatsApp with dr.fone (Android)
Here is a step-by-step guide to using dr.fone to backup and restore WhatsApp data on Android:
- Download and install dr.fone on your Windows or Mac computer from https://drfone.wondershare.com
- Open dr.fone and click on “Backup & Restore” > “Backup WhatsApp”
- Connect your Android phone to the computer via USB and select “WhatsApp” on the dr.fone interface
- The app will load WhatsApp data and display all conversations. Click “Backup” to backup WhatsApp to your computer.
- Select a backup location on your computer and enter a password to encrypt the backup file.
- dr.fone will then complete the WhatsApp backup process and show you the backup file size.
To restore WhatsApp backup from dr.fone to your Android device:
- Open dr.fone and connect your Android phone via USB
- Click “Restore” > “Restore WhatsApp Backup”
- Select the backup file on your computer and enter password
- On the phone, open WhatsApp and verify your number. DO NOT start new chats
- Return to dr.fone, verify WhatsApp backup content and click “Restore” to load it onto your device
That’s all there is to it! dr.fone provides the most convenient way to comprehensively backup and restore WhatsApp on your Android phone or tablet.
How to Backup WhatsApp with iMyFone iTransor (iPhone)
Follow these simple steps to backup WhatsApp chats on your iPhone using iMyFone iTransor:
- Get iMyFone iTransor from https://imyfone.com/itransor and install on your Windows or Mac
- Connect iPhone to computer, open iTransor and select “WhatsApp Backup”
- iTransor will load WhatsApp data from your device. Click “Backup” to save it to your computer
- Choose a backup location on your computer and set a password for encryption
- iTransor will backup your WhatsApp chats, history, photos, videos and voice messages to the computer
To restore the WhatsApp backup from iTransor to your iPhone:
- Open iTransor on computer and connect your iPhone
- Click “Restore” and select the WhatsApp backup file to load
- Enter password if you encrypted the WhatsApp backup file
- On iPhone, install WhatsApp and verify your number. DO NOT start new chats.
- Return to iTransor, preview backup content and click “Restore” to transfer it to your iPhone
iMyFone iTransor delivers fast, efficient WhatsApp backup and restore for iPhone to keep your chats safely backed up on computer.
Conclusion
Protecting your WhatsApp chats, photos, videos and files is simple with the right backup tool. We recommend using dr.fone toolkit to backup WhatsApp on Android. For iPhone users, iMyFone iTransor is the best free software for comprehensive WhatsApp backups.
Both dr.fone and iMyFone provide full backups without size restrictions that are securely encrypted. This gives you total peace of mind. Your WhatsApp data stays safely backed up on your computer so you can restore it any time.
Relying solely on built-in cloud backups like Google Drive and iCloud has limitations. The free storage space runs out quickly leading to backups failing or data being deleted. The dedicated desktop software options let you take control of your WhatsApp backups.
Remember to backup your WhatsApp chats and media regularly. This will ensure you have a safe copy you can restore from should anything happen to your current device. With robust backup software protection, you can safeguard your WhatsApp data for years to come.