Your WhatsApp conversations can contain useful information, photos, videos, and messages you want to keep. Making a backup gives you another copy of your chat history, so you may be able to restore it if you change phones or reinstall WhatsApp.
The backup process depends on whether you use an iPhone or an Android phone. iPhone backups use iCloud, while Android backups use your Google Account storage. Follow the section for your phone.
Before you start: Make sure you know which Apple Account or Google Account is signed in on your phone. You will generally need access to the same account when restoring your WhatsApp chats later.
1. Check a few things before backing up
First, connect your phone to a reliable Wi-Fi network. A chat backup can include photos and videos, so it may use a significant amount of data if you back up over a mobile connection.
Make sure your phone has enough free storage and that WhatsApp is updated. Your cloud account also needs enough available space for the backup.
It is worth checking your phone’s date and time settings too. Automatic date and time settings help avoid problems with account services.
2. Back up WhatsApp chats on an iPhone
On an iPhone, WhatsApp saves chat backups to iCloud. Check that iCloud Drive is enabled and that WhatsApp is allowed to use iCloud.
- Open the iPhone Settings app.
- Tap your name at the top to open your Apple Account settings.
- Tap iCloud and check that iCloud Drive is turned on.
- Look for WhatsApp in the apps using iCloud and make sure its access is enabled, if that option appears.
- Open WhatsApp.
- Tap Settings in the bottom-right corner.
- Tap Chats, then Chat Backup.
- Tap Back Up Now to create a backup.
Keep WhatsApp open and your iPhone connected to Wi-Fi while the backup runs. A large backup may take some time.
Screenshot suggestion: Show WhatsApp’s Settings > Chats > Chat Backup screen, with account details and personal chat information hidden.
3. Set up automatic backups on an iPhone
You can arrange for WhatsApp to back up your chats automatically rather than relying on a manual backup.
- Open WhatsApp and tap Settings.
- Select Chats, then Chat Backup.
- Tap Auto Backup.
- Choose how often you want backups to happen: daily, weekly, or monthly.
Choose a schedule that suits how often you use WhatsApp. If you exchange important messages regularly, a more frequent backup can reduce how much recent chat history you might lose if you need to restore.
4. Back up WhatsApp chats on an Android phone
On Android, WhatsApp uses your Google Account to store chat backups. The exact menu wording can vary slightly by phone and WhatsApp version.
- Open WhatsApp.
- Tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
- Choose Settings.
- Tap Chats, then Chat backup.
- Select the Google Account you want to use, if prompted.
- Tap Back up to start a backup.
If no Google Account is listed, add one to your phone through its Settings app, then return to WhatsApp’s Chat backup screen. Make sure you have enough available Google Account storage.
Important: Remember which Google Account you choose. You will need access to that same account when you want to restore the backup.
5. Turn on automatic backups on Android
WhatsApp can also back up your chats automatically on Android.
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings.
- Tap Chats, then Chat backup.
- Tap Back up to Google Account or the frequency option shown on your screen.
- Choose a schedule, such as daily, weekly, or monthly.
- Confirm the Google Account and any other backup preferences shown.
Some Android versions offer a choice about whether to include videos. Videos can make a backup much larger, so include them only if you want them saved and have enough cloud storage.
6. Check that your backup has completed
Do not assume a backup has finished just because you tapped the button. Return to the Chat Backup screen and look for the date and time of the latest backup.
On iPhone, check the Last Backup information in WhatsApp’s Settings > Chats > Chat Backup screen. On Android, check the last backup details in Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
If the date and time have updated to the recent backup, that is a useful sign that the process completed. If the screen still shows an old backup, try again while connected to Wi-Fi and check your available storage.
7. Understand what a WhatsApp backup includes
A WhatsApp chat backup is intended to preserve your chat history and, depending on your settings, media such as photos and videos. The size and contents depend on your choices.
WhatsApp also offers end-to-end encrypted backups as an optional extra layer of protection. With this feature, the backup is protected so that only you can access it using the password or key you set. WhatsApp cannot retrieve that password or key for you if you lose it.
If you enable encrypted backups, store the password or key somewhere secure that you can access later. Do not share it in a message or with someone who should not have access to your backup.
Security reminder: A backup is another copy of your conversations. Protect the Apple Account or Google Account that stores it, and keep any encrypted-backup password or key private.
Troubleshooting: WhatsApp will not back up
The backup is stuck or takes a long time. Use a stable Wi-Fi connection, keep your phone connected to power if the backup is large, and give it time to finish. Check that WhatsApp is updated.
There is not enough storage. Check the available space in iCloud or your Google Account. You may need to free up space or choose not to include large videos in the WhatsApp backup.
Your Google Account does not appear on Android. Add the account to your phone in Android Settings, confirm that you can sign in, and then reopen WhatsApp’s Chat backup screen.
iCloud backup is unavailable on iPhone. Check that you are signed in to your Apple Account, that iCloud Drive is enabled, and that WhatsApp is allowed to use iCloud. Also check your available iCloud storage.
You cannot find the backup when changing phones. Confirm that you are using the same phone number and the same Apple Account or Google Account used to create the backup. WhatsApp generally needs these details to find and restore the cloud backup.
You forgot the encrypted-backup password or key. WhatsApp cannot tell you what it was. Check the secure place where you saved it. Without the required password or key, you may not be able to access that encrypted backup.
A little preparation can protect your chats
Backing up WhatsApp is a straightforward way to prepare for changing phones or reinstalling the app. Choose the correct instructions for your device, set a regular backup schedule, and check the latest backup date from time to time.
Most importantly, keep access to the Apple Account or Google Account used for the backup. If you enable end-to-end encrypted backups, keep the password or key safe as well.
