WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It offers end-to-end encryption for chats, voice calls and video calls. One of the key features of WhatsApp is the ability to back up your chat history to Google Drive or iCloud. This allows you to restore your chats if you lose your phone or switch to a new device. However, sometimes the WhatsApp backup can get stuck on “preparing” and not complete successfully.
Common reasons for WhatsApp backup getting stuck
There are several potential reasons why your WhatsApp backup may be getting stuck on preparing:
- Poor internet connection
- Insufficient storage space
- Large backup size
- Google Drive/iCloud issues
- WhatsApp glitch
Let’s look at each of these in more detail:
Poor Internet Connection
Backing up your WhatsApp chat requires a stable internet connection. If you have a poor WiFi or mobile data connection, the backup process may fail to complete and get stuck. This is one of the most common reasons for a stuck backup. Try moving closer to your router or switching to a better mobile data connection.
Insufficient Storage Space
Your phone needs to have enough free storage space available to create the WhatsApp backup. A very large chat history will result in a large backup file size. If your phone is low on storage, WhatsApp may not be able to complete the backup process. Try freeing up storage space on your phone and then retry the backup.
Large Backup Size
WhatsApp has a backup size limit of 2GB on Android devices and 1GB on iOS. If your backup file exceeds this size limit, the backup will fail. You may need to delete old chats, media, and messages to reduce the size of your backup file below the limit.
Google Drive/iCloud Issues
The WhatsApp backup is saved to your Google Drive account (on Android) or iCloud (on iOS). Any issues with your cloud storage can prevent a successful backup. Make sure you have enough free space in Google Drive or iCloud. Also check if there are any server problems with the cloud services.
WhatsApp Glitch
In some cases, the backup may fail to complete due to a glitch or bug in WhatsApp. Closing the app entirely and restarting your phone before trying the backup again may resolve such temporary glitches.
How to Fix WhatsApp Backup Stuck on Preparing
If your WhatsApp backup is stuck on preparing, there are a few troubleshooting steps you can try to resolve it:
- Check your internet connection and switch to a better WiFi or mobile data if needed.
- Free up storage space on your phone.
- Delete old chats and media to reduce backup size.
- Verify you have enough free space in Google Drive/iCloud.
- Force close and restart the WhatsApp app.
- Restart your phone.
- Clear WhatsApp cache and data.
- Unlink and relink your Google Drive/iCloud account.
- Contact WhatsApp support if the issue persists.
Let’s look at these troubleshooting steps in more detail:
Check Internet Connection
As mentioned before, a poor internet connection is one of the main reasons for backup failure. Make sure you are connected to a good WiFi network or have decent cellular data connectivity. Move closer to the WiFi router or try switching mobile data off and on to get a fresh connection.
Free Up Storage Space
Delete unused apps, photos, videos and files to free up internal storage space on your phone. WhatsApp needs empty space to create the backup file. Having at least 500MB of free space is recommended.
Delete Old Chats
If your backup size is too large due to a very long chat history, you may need to delete old chats and media to shrink the backup size. WhatsApp lets you bulk delete old chats that you don’t need anymore. This can significantly reduce your backup size.
Verify Cloud Storage Free Space
Make sure that your Google Drive or iCloud account has sufficient free storage space to complete the backup. WhatsApp will show you the estimated backup size before starting the process. So verify that your cloud account has at least that much space free.
Force Close WhatsApp
Sometimes a minor software glitch can also prevent backup. Force closing the WhatsApp app entirely and restarting your phone can help eliminate such glitches. Open your phone’s Settings -> Apps -> WhatsApp -> Force Stop to force close the app before retrying the backup.
Clear WhatsApp Cache & Data
Clearing the app cache and app data for WhatsApp will delete temporary files and reset the app to default. This can fix bugs that may be preventing successful backup. Note that this will also delete your WhatsApp chat history, so only do this if the above steps don’t work.
Unlink and Relink Cloud Account
Go to WhatsApp Settings -> Chats -> Chat Backup and tap on the linked Google Drive/iCloud account. Tap UNLINK ACCOUNT and then log in again and relink it. This resets the account sync and often resolves backup issues.
Contact WhatsApp Support
If none of the above fixes work, you can contact WhatsApp directly for further troubleshooting. Go to WhatsApp Settings -> Help -> Contact Us to get in touch with their support team. They may be able to identify and provide a solution for any unresolved software bugs.
How to Prevent WhatsApp Backup Issues
Here are some tips to avoid WhatsApp backup failures happening in the first place:
- Set backups to happen only over WiFi to ensure good connectivity.
- Regularly clear old chats and media to reduce backup size.
- Maintain sufficient free space on your phone and cloud storage.
- Update to the latest WhatsApp version for bug fixes.
- Disable battery optimizations for WhatsApp so backups are not interrupted.
- Manually backup chats occasionally instead of only relying on automated backups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my WhatsApp backup stuck in preparing state?
The most common reasons for a WhatsApp backup stuck in preparing are poor internet connection, insufficient storage space, large backup size, Google Drive/iCloud issues or a WhatsApp glitch.
How can I fix if WhatsApp backup stuck at 12%?
Try switching to a better WiFi or cellular data connection. Also clear up storage space on your phone, delete old chats to reduce backup size, and force close and restart the WhatsApp app.
Why is WhatsApp backup not working?
WhatsApp backup may fail due to connectivity issues, low storage space, exceeding the backup size limit, or bugs in the app. Try the troubleshooting steps outlined above to resolve backup problems.
How do I restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive?
On an Android phone, install WhatsApp > Verify your number > On the Backup found screen, tap Restore to restore your chats and data from the Google Drive backup.
How can I make my WhatsApp backup smaller?
Delete old chats, delete large video/audio files, clear chat histories with non-contacts, and enable auto-delete old messages to reduce WhatsApp backup size.
Conclusion
WhatsApp backup getting stuck on preparing can be frustrating, but the issue can usually be resolved. The most common fixes are checking your internet connection, freeing up storage space, reducing backup size, restarting your phone, and clearing WhatsApp data. Prevent backup issues by setting backups to WiFi only, deleting old chats regularly, maintaining adequate free space, and updating WhatsApp. With some targeted troubleshooting, you should be able to get your WhatsApp chat backup working again smoothly.