This tutorial will walk you through different ways to backup your WhatsApp chat history on iOS and Android devices.
How to Backup WhatsApp Data on Android
If you use WhatsApp on an Android phone, you can backup WhatsApp messages and media files to your phone’s internal storage or Google Drive.
Backup WhatsApp Data to Your Device
WhatsApp has a local backup option that saves your conversation on your device’s storage. The backup process is quick, convenient, and you don’t need an internet connection to backup or restore your WhatsApp data. However, the major limitation is that it’s a manual process. Additionally, local backup isn’t reliable. Say you lose your phone, you also lose your WhatsApp data. Local backup is best for restoring your data if you want to reinstall WhatsApp on your device. Or, if there’s a problem with the WhatsApp app on your device. The best and most reliable option is to backup your WhatsApp data to the cloud. That way, you can create a schedule that automatically backs up your WhatsApp data to your cloud storage account. Additionally, you can easily transfer your WhatsApp data to a new phone or restore your data if you lose your device.
Backup WhatsApp Data to Google Drive
You can backup your data to the cloud using cellular data and Wi-Fi but WhatsApp strongly recommends using a Wi-Fi connection. That’s because WhatsApp backup files vary in size—large backup files could result in excessive data charges. Connect your phone to a cellular or Wi-Fi network follow the steps below. Select Only when I tap “Back up” if you don’t want your WhatsApp data uploaded to Google Drive automatically. That means you’ll have to manually backup your WhatsApp data to Google Drive from the chat settings menu. You shouldn’t worry about the size of your WhatsApp backup if you’re hosting the data in Google Drive—except if you’re using a capped cellular data plan. That’s because WhatsApp backup no longer counts against your Google Drive storage quota. It’s important to note that WhatsApp backups in Google Drive have a 1-year expiration period. Backup files that aren’t updated in over a year are removed from Google Drive automatically. By default, WhatsApp will automatically back up your data to Google Drive at 2 A.M. every morning. The first cloud backup might take a while to reach completion, so make sure your phone is plugged into a power source. You should see the upload progress in the Chat backup menu and your device’s notifications center.
Backup WhatsApp Data on iPhone
Unlike Android, WhatsApp on iOS devices doesn’t support local backup. There’s no Google Drive support, so you can only backup WhatsApp data to iCloud. Connect your iPhone or iPad to a Wi-Fi network and follow the steps below to backup your WhatsApp data. You should now see the size estimate of the backup file as well as a progress bar on the backup settings menu. WhatsApp will upload your data to the iCloud or Apple ID account connected to your iPhone/iPad. You can continue using WhatsApp while the upload is in progress. Create a schedule if you’d rather have WhatsApp automatically backup your data to iCloud. See step #4 to learn how to enable automatic backup in WhatsApp.
WhatsApp End-to-End Encrypted Backup
Encrypting your WhatsApp backup adds an extra layer of security and privacy to data—messages, media files, voice messages, etc. Enabling end-to-end backup encryption lets you “lock” the backup with a password or 64-bit encryption key before uploading them to Google Drive or iCloud. This means no one—not even your backup service provider—can access the content of the WhatsApp backup. You’ll need to provide the password or encryption key when you want to restore the backup. Follow the steps below to enable end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp backup (in Android and iOS). Note: WhatsApp cannot help recover your backup if you forget your password or lose your encryption key. So, ensure you keep your password and encryption key safe. If you use an iPhone or iPad, disable iCloud backup for WhatsApp after setting up end-to-end encryption for WhatsApp. That’s because backups automatically generated by iCloud aren’t secured by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption. Go to Settings, tap your Apple ID name, select iCloud, and toggle off WhatsApp.
Backup and Restore WhatsApp Data with Ease
To restore a WhatsApp backup, your device needs to be linked to the same Google or iCloud account used to create the backup. Additionally, the device has to be linked to the same WhatsApp account or phone number used when creating the backup. Go through this guide on restoring WhatsApp to learn how to transfer WhatsApp to a new device.
