WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps across the world, with over 2 billion users. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, documents and more, all for free (apart from data charges). One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to backup your messages to Google Drive or iCloud, allowing you to restore your chat history if you ever switch phones or lose your device.
However, many Android users report problems backing up their WhatsApp messages, with errors occurring during the backup process. There are a few potential reasons why you may be unable to backup WhatsApp on your Android device.
Insufficient Storage Space
One of the most common reasons for WhatsApp backup failures on Android is having insufficient storage space available. WhatsApp backups can be quite large, potentially hundreds of MB or even GB in size depending on how much media and messages you have. Before attempting a backup, you should ensure you have enough free space available.
Here are some tips for freeing up storage space on Android:
- Delete old photos and videos from your device’s internal storage
- Uninstall unused apps
- Clear cache and data for apps using large amounts of space
- Move files and media to external SD card if available
- Delete downloaded files you no longer need
- Disable auto-download for media in WhatsApp settings
After freeing up space, try restarting your device and then initiate the WhatsApp backup again. Having at least a few GB of available storage is recommended.
Google Drive Quota Exceeded
WhatsApp backups are saved to your Google Drive storage by default. However, Google Drive only provides 15GB of free storage, which can easily be filled up with backups from multiple apps over time.
If you exceed the 15GB quota, your WhatsApp backups may fail with errors like “backup could not be completed” or “no backup found”.
To resolve this, you will need to:
- Delete old files and backups from Google Drive to free up space
- Purchase a Google One paid storage plan to expand your quota
- Change your backup settings to save directly to device storage instead
Note that saving backups to your device takes up local storage space instead. But it can allow backups to succeed if Google Drive quota is full.
Corrupt Backup Files
In some cases, your WhatsApp backup files may have become corrupted or damaged, preventing successful backups.
Potential solutions include:
- Delete existing backup files and restart backup process
- Clear WhatsApp data/cache and re-link account
- Try switching between WiFi and cellular data
- Restart your Android device
If backups continually fail, you may need to setup your WhatsApp account on the device as new, which will lose your existing chat history.
Network Connection Issues
Backing up WhatsApp requires a stable internet connection, as a considerable amount of data has to be uploaded to the cloud.
Network issues like poor WiFi reception or cellular data connectivity can disrupt the backup process and cause it to fail.
Solutions include:
- Trying again with a stronger WiFi or cellular data signal
- Connecting device to computer via USB and using Windows network sharing
- Enabling Airplane mode during backup to avoid network interruptions
Switching between WiFi and cellular data can also help if one network is providing poor connectivity.
Incorrect Backup Settings
WhatsApp allows configuring various settings related to backups, like frequency, network usage and destination. If you have disabled backups or configured them incorrectly, this can naturally lead to backup failures.
Be sure to check your WhatsApp backup settings and ensure:
- Backups are enabled
- Backup frequency is set to daily or weekly as desired
- WiFi or cellular data usage for backups is allowed
- Correct backup destination is selected (Google Drive or local storage)
Enabling automated daily backups to Google Drive with unrestricted data usage is recommended for most users.
Unsupported Android Version
WhatsApp ends support for older Android versions over time. Using a very outdated Android OS can lead to app performance issues and broken functionality like backups.
Ensure your Android device is running at least Android 4.1 Jelly Bean or newer. Updating to the latest Android version recommended by your device manufacturer is ideal.
App Permissions
For backups to work correctly, WhatsApp requires access to external storage as well as reliable network connectivity. If you have disabled any required app permissions, backups may fail.
Check WhatsApp’s app permissions and ensure the following are enabled:
- Storage
- Microphone
- Camera
- Contacts
- Phone
- SMS
- Location
Re-enabling any disabled permissions can help resolve backup failures in some cases.
Conflict With Security Apps
Some aggressive anti-virus, security and privacy apps may block WhatsApp from accessing files and networks needed for backups.
Try disabling such apps temporarily and see if WhatsApp backups start working normally. You can then re-enable the security apps and exclude WhatsApp from their restrictions.
WhatsApp Version Incompatibility
Using an outdated version of WhatsApp itself can also lead to backup issues in rare cases. Ensure you are running the latest version of WhatsApp available for your Android device.
You can update WhatsApp by checking for updates in the Google Play Store. Automating app updates in the Play Store settings can ensure WhatsApp stays up to date automatically.
Device Cloning Issues
If you used unauthorized phone cloning or dual WhatsApp tools for your Android device, this can cause conflicts with Google Drive backups. Avoid using such tools where possible.
Performing a factory reset and clean WhatsApp install may help resolve backup issues caused by device cloning.
Server-Side Problems
In rare cases, there may be temporary backup failures due to issues on WhatsApp’s servers. Usually trying again later resolves such problems automatically when servers are restored.
You can also check the WhatsApp status page to look out for any acknowledged server outages related to backups.
Exhausted Google Drive Backup Quota
WhatsApp only allows taking backups of the most recent 7000 messages per chat. Older messages are deleted from backups over time to stay within this limit.
If you have chats with over 7000 messages, the backup may fail with an error once the WhatsApp backup quota is reached. Try deleting some very old chats to reduce backup size.
Conclusion
WhatsApp backups failing on Android is usually down to insufficient storage, network issues, incompatible app versions or incorrect settings. Following the troubleshooting steps outlined can help you successfully take backups of your WhatsApp data.
Backups are an important tool to preserve your WhatsApp chat history. Take the time to configure automated backups to Google Drive or local storage on your Android device.