WhatsApp has become an essential communication tool for millions of users around the world — not just for keeping in touch with friends and family, but also for running businesses. Whether you’re using a personal or business account, regularly backing up your WhatsApp chat history ensures that you don’t lose important messages, photos, or documents.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to back up WhatsApp chats on iPhone and Android, as well as on WhatsApp Business. You’ll also learn how to transfer your chat history between devices, turn on end-to-end encrypted backup, and troubleshoot common issues.
Note: If you’re using a Huawei device or run into problems not covered here, we recommend contacting Huawei Customer Service Hotline for personalised support.
For businesses looking to centralise communication across devices, Omnichat offers advanced WhatsApp Business integration with cloud-based chat history and shared access for authorised team members — ideal for sales and customer support teams operating across multiple locations.
Backing up your WhatsApp chat history ensures you don’t lose your conversations, media, or files if you change phones or encounter a system error. Here’s how to do it depending on your device:
iPhone Users
To back up WhatsApp on an iPhone:
1. Open WhatsApp and go to Settings (bottom right).
2. Tap Chats > Chat Backup.
3. Tap Back Up Now to manually back up your chats to iCloud.
4. Under Auto Backup, choose a frequency (Daily, Weekly, Monthly) to set up automatic backups.
5. Toggle on Include Videos if you want to back up media files too.
⚠️ Make sure iCloud Drive is enabled and that you have enough storage space on your iCloud account, otherwise the WhatsApp backup may fail.
Android Users
To back up WhatsApp on Android:
For more information and troubleshooting tips, visit the WhatsApp Help Centre. Want to manage WhatsApp from your browser or computer? Check out our step-by-step guide on using WhatsApp Web.
Backing up your WhatsApp Business chat history is essential for safeguarding important conversations with customers — especially when handling orders, support queries, or sales leads.
The backup process is similar to the personal WhatsApp app:
However, there’s one major limitation for business users:
Only the device owner has access to the backup. This means chat history cannot be shared or accessed across multiple users or devices, which can be problematic for teams managing customer communication collaboratively. If your business needs multi-user access and centralised chat backup, using a platform like Omnichat is a better solution. It allows WhatsApp Business conversations to be stored securely in the cloud, with authorised team access anytime, anywhere — making it ideal for sales, customer service, and marketing teams working across locations.
As an official WhatsApp Business Platform (API) Solution Provider, Omnichat has helped hundreds of companies securely manage and retain their customer chat data. While WhatsApp’s default backup options are limited to individual devices, Omnichat offers a powerful cloud-based alternative that overcomes these limitations — enabling centralised access, multi-user collaboration, and long-term data ownership for businesses of all sizes.
With Omnichat:
This centralised approach ensures your WhatsApp communications are not only secure, but also fully accessible for internal collaboration, reporting, and customer service management. Businesses can also streamline customer interactions further with Omnichat’s WhatsApp chatbot solution for automated replies and lead capture. Plus, with Omnichat’s Social Customer Data Platform (Social CDP), businesses can unify customer identities and improve personalisation across WhatsApp and other channels.
Backing up your chat history is a simple but essential step to safeguard important WhatsApp messages — whether for personal use or business operations. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can ensure your chats are safely stored on iCloud or Google Drive.For businesses that require multi-user access and cloud-level control, Omnichat’s WhatsApp Business API integration provides the scalability and security needed to deliver fast, reliable customer support and conversational sales — across all devices, anytime.
If you’re switching from an iPhone to an Android device, transferring your WhatsApp chat history is now possible — but only under specific conditions. Here’s what you need to prepare before starting the transfer:
The Android device must be either brand new or factory reset
Open WhatsApp on your new Android device and log in using the same phone number. Tap “Restore your chats” when prompted.
Note: Media files and chat history will transfer, but peer-to-peer payment messages or call logs may not be included.
This feature offers a convenient way to preserve your conversations when moving from iOS to Android — no need to rely on third-party tools or cloud-based exports.
If you’re switching from an iPhone to a Samsung Android device, you can transfer your WhatsApp chat history — including personal and group messages, media, and settings — directly during device setup. Here’s how to do it.
To transfer successfully, ensure the following:
Transferred:
Not transferred:
Pro-Tip: This transfer works best during the initial setup of your Samsung device. If you’ve already set up the device, you may need to factory reset it to restart the process.
If you’re switching from Android to iPhone, you can now transfer your WhatsApp chat history — including messages, photos, and videos — using Apple’s Move to iOS app. However, this transfer is only supported under specific conditions.
Make sure the following conditions are met:
Transferred:
Not transferred:
⚠️ Note: You cannot manually access WhatsApp files using the Files app or attempt to move the WhatsApp folder separately — this method isn’t supported and may corrupt the migration.
If you want to back up your WhatsApp chats with stronger privacy protection, WhatsApp offers an end-to-end encrypted backup feature. This means your chat backup is protected by encryption that only you can unlock — not even WhatsApp or your cloud provider (Google or Apple) can access it.
Normally, backups stored in iCloud or Google Drive are not encrypted by default. But when you turn on end-to-end encryption, your backup is secured using a password or 64-digit encryption key that only you know.
“End-to-end” encryption means your data stays private and accessible only to you — not WhatsApp, not cloud storage services, and not even hackers.
That’s why it’s critical to remember your password or key. If you forget it, you won’t be able to restore your backup, and there’s no way to reset or recover it through WhatsApp.
This feature is especially useful for users who handle sensitive personal or business conversations, adding an extra layer of control and peace of mind.
Turning on end-to-end encrypted backup is simple — and it gives your chat history an extra layer of security. Just follow these steps:
⚠️ Important: If you forget your password or encryption key, you won’t be able to restore your backup — not even WhatsApp can help recover it. Be sure to store your credentials securely.
To help users avoid losing access to their encrypted backups, WhatsApp has introduced a password reminder feature in the latest versions of WhatsApp for both iOS and Android.
This feature prompts users to re-enter their encrypted backup password periodically, especially when accessing or restoring their backup from Google Drive or iCloud. It’s a helpful way to ensure you still remember your password or 64-digit encryption key.
Important Note: If you forget your password or key, you won’t be able to restore your encrypted backup. For privacy reasons, WhatsApp cannot reset your password or recover your data.
While this reminder feature doesn’t let you reset a forgotten password, it encourages users to verify and remember their credentials before it’s too late — especially useful if you’re reinstalling WhatsApp or changing phones.
1. Why is my WhatsApp backup stuck on preparing?
If your WhatsApp backup is stuck on “preparing,” it could be due to a weak internet connection, lack of storage on Google Drive or iCloud, or corrupted data. Try restarting your device, switching networks (Wi-Fi ↔ mobile data), and ensuring you have enough cloud storage available.
2. How can I restore WhatsApp chats from Google Drive or iCloud?
To restore your WhatsApp chats, reinstall the app and log in with the same phone number. WhatsApp will detect your backup and prompt you to restore it from Google Drive (for Android) or iCloud (for iPhone). Make sure you’re logged into the same cloud account that holds your backup.
3. Why can’t I restore my WhatsApp backup on a new phone?
If you’re unable to restore your backup, check if you’re using the same phone number and cloud account. Also confirm that a backup actually exists, your app is updated, and WhatsApp has permission to access Google Drive or iCloud.
4. Can I transfer WhatsApp backup from Android to iPhone?
Yes, you can transfer WhatsApp chats from Android to iPhone using Apple’s Move to iOS app. Just make sure both devices meet the necessary system and app requirements, and follow the step-by-step instructions during setup.
5. What happens if I forget my encrypted WhatsApp backup password?
If you forget your password or 64-digit encryption key for an end-to-end encrypted backup, you won’t be able to restore your chat history. WhatsApp cannot help recover or reset this password — so keep it stored in a safe place.
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