Restoring WhatsApp Backups with Google Drive & iCloud

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Everything you need to know to recover backed-up WhatsApp chats
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This wikiHow guide will teach you how to restore your messages in a WhatsApp backup. As long as you have set up a backup on Android with Google Drive or on iOS with iCloud , then you should be able to restore your chats.

Quick Steps

  1. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
  2. Tap Restore when prompted.
  3. If you have a new phone, use the Transfer chats option.
Section 1 of 5:

Restoring from Google Drive (Android)

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  1. 1
    Make sure you have a backup of your existing Google account. To do this, go to â‹® > Settings > Chats > Chat backup in WhatsApp. Look next to "Google Account" for any account listed; if you don't see one, tap it and select one, then tap Back up .
    • You can also choose to set up automatic backups if you don't want to worry about coming into this menu and tapping Back up manually. Do this by tapping "Automatic backups" and picking Daily , Weekly , Monthly , or Off.
    • If you want your videos backed up, tap the toggle next to Include Videos to turn it on. By default, your chats and media are stored as a WhatsApp backup in your Google account's Google Drive. This also takes up space in your Google Drive. [1]
  2. You can open the Google Play Store and type "WhatsApp" into the search bar at the top of your screen. When you tap on the search result for WhatsApp from WhatsApp, Inc., you'll need to tap Uninstall and then Install again.
    • Your most recent backup will restore automatically when you open the app if you are using the same phone number and have the same Google account.
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  3. This app icon looks like a telephone receiver in a speech bubble that you'll find on one of your Home screens, in the app drawer, or by searching.
    • Tap Agree and Continue to agree with the privacy policy and accept the terms of service, then verify your phone number. The app will text that number with a code to confirm that you've entered the correct phone number.
  4. You might have to tap Allow to give the app permission to access your media files to continue.
    • You will be asked to pick the appropriate Google account if you have multiple accounts.
  5. WhatsApp will display the messages and chats it will restore in the restoration process.
    • Your chats will be restored before any media files inside them. Don't worry if your media files take a little longer to restore. [2]
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Section 2 of 5:

Restoring from iCloud (iPhone or iPad)

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  1. Go to WhatsApp > Settings > Chat > Chat Backup in WhatsApp to see when your last backup was. [3]
  2. You can tap and hold the existing WhatsApp icon on your Home screen until all the apps begin to jiggle, then tap the x in the top left corner of the app to uninstall it.
    • To install the app, open the App Store and tap the search icon along the bottom of your screen, then type "WhatsApp" to search for it and tap Get to re-download the app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch.
    • You'll get the prompt to restore a WhatsApp backup immediately as long as you meet these requirements:
      • Using the same phone number and iCloud account that you created the backup with
      • Your iPhone has the latest iOS
      • Your iCloud account and iPhone storage is at least 2.05 times bigger than the size of your backup.
  3. This app icon looks like a telephone receiver in a speech bubble that you'll find on one of your Home screens.
    • Tap OK to allow WhatsApp access to your contacts, then tap Don't Allow or Allow if you want to let WhatsApp send you notifications.
    • Tap Agree & Continue to agree with the privacy policy and accept the terms of service, then verify your phone number. The app will text that number with a code to confirm that you've entered the correct phone number.
  4. You'll see the progress of the restore in the main window. [4]
    • Tap Next in the top right corner of your screen once the restoration process is finished.
  5. Tap the text field to enter your name as you want others to see it.
    • You can also tap the blue edit text to change your profile picture if you want to.
    • Tap Done in the top right corner of your screen to finish editing your profile name and picture.
    • You'll be directed to a listing of all your chats that WhatsApp has recovered from your iCloud backup.
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Section 3 of 5:

Troubleshooting on Android

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  1. 1
    Close and reopen WhatsApp. If the app isn't responding, force it to close, then open it again. You can try the backup again once WhatsApp is re-opened.
  2. 2
    Restart your device. Whether you're using Android or iOS, simply restarting can fix many issues, including software glitches.
  3. 3
    Check your internet connection. If you're connected to a Wi-Fi network that has a poor internet connection, it can cause your backups to fail on WhatsApp.
    • If you are using data, connect to a Wi-Fi network.
  4. 4
    Make sure your phone or tablet has enough room for the backup. For Google Drive to store backups, you have to have 2.05 times more than the size of the backup free. If you don't, you'll need to free up space or make the backup smaller.
  5. 5
    Log out and back into your Google account. Relogging can clear some software glitches preventing you from completing a backup.
  6. 6
    Make sure your phone is fully charged or plugged into a power source. Many functions on your Android will not work if it's running low on power.
  7. 7
    Update Google Services. Go to Settings > Apps > Google Play Services > App Details > Update .
  8. 8
    If you don't see Update , your version is up-to-date.
  9. 9
    Make sure the digital encryption key is correct. If you're trying to restore a backup and can't, you need to make sure the encryption key is right. You have five tries to enter it before you'll see a message that you have to wait.
    • Don't remember your password? You can change it from Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > End-to-end encrypted backup > Change Password > I forgot my password . [5]
  10. 10
    Check your WhatsApp permissions. In Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Permissions , make sure "Photos and videos" are allowed.
  11. 11
    Make sure your Google account is selected and synced in WhatsApp. You might be seeing an error that WhatsApp can't find your Google account. In that case, go to Settings > Accounts > Manage Accounts > Your Google Account > Sync account > Menu > Sync now .
  12. 12
    Remove and re-add the Google account. If nothing else worked, there might be a glitch connecting your accounts. To fix this, disconnect the account and connect it again. Go back to the menu above at Settings > Accounts > Manage Accounts > Your Google Account and select Remove account .
    • Close and re-open WhatsApp to add your account back in Settings > Chat > Chat backup > Google Account . [6]
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Section 4 of 5:

Troubleshooting on iPhone & iPad

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  1. 1
    Close and reopen WhatsApp. If the app isn't responding, force it to close, then open it again. You can try the backup again once WhatsApp is re-opened.
  2. 2
    Restart your device. Whether you're using Android or iOS, simply restarting can fix many issues, including software glitches.
  3. 3
    Check your internet connection. If you're connected to a Wi-Fi network that has a poor internet connection, it can cause your backups to fail on WhatsApp.
    • If you are using data, connect to a Wi-Fi network.
  4. 4
    Make sure your device has enough room for the backup. For iCloud to store backups, you have to have 2.05 times more than the size of the backup free. If you don't, you'll need to free up space or make the backup smaller.
  5. 5
    Make sure your phone is fully charged or plugged into a power source. Many functions on your iPhone or iPad will not work if it's running low on power.
  6. 6
    Restart iCloud. Go to your iPhone/iPad's Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Sync This iPhone/iPad .
  7. 7
    Stop and restart iCloud syncing for WhatsApp. Go to your iPhone/iPad's Settings > Your Name > iCloud > iCloud Drive > Apps Syncing to iCloud Drive and turn off the toggle next to WhatsApp, then turn it back on.
  8. 8
    Make sure you're using the same number and iCloud account. You won't be able to create or restore backups from another account or phone number.
  9. 9
    Make sure the digital encryption key is correct. If you're trying to restore a backup and can't, you need to make sure the encryption key is right. You have five tries to enter it before you'll see a message that you have to wait.
    • Don't remember your password? You can change it from Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > End-to-end encrypted backup > Change Password > I forgot my password . [7]
  10. 10
    Sign out of iCloud, restart your iPhone/iPad, and try again. Go to Settings to sign out of iCloud, then power off your device. Once off, turn it back on and sign back into iCloud to see if your WhatsApp backup will download or upload.
  11. 11
    Delete your iCloud backup. If your backup or restore still won't complete, it might be corrupted. Your chats won't be deleted from WhatsApp as long as you don't uninstall it before you can make another backup.
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Section 5 of 5:

FAQ

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  1. 1
    Why aren't my latest chats restored? Any chats sent or received after your latest backup will not be saved or restored. For example, if you have WhatsApp automatically backing up every day, week, or month, the messages in your chats sent the day after the backup will not be saved.
  2. 2
    Can I restore a backup that I skipped to restore? Yes! All you need to do is uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp again to see the prompt.
  3. 3
    Can I restore an old WhatsApp backup if it was overwritten? No. According to WhatsApp policies, old backups are deleted. [8]
  4. 4
    Can I get my WhatsApp messages back without backup? WhatsApp does not have any way to restore your chats without a backup.
  5. 5
    How can I restore my WhatsApp chats on a new phone? Backups may not work if you have a new number, so before you ditch the old phone, use the Transfer chats option in the Settings > Chats menu.
  6. 6
    What do I do if I get an error while trying to back up my chat history on WhatsApp? In this case, try the troubleshooting steps above for your OS (Android, iPhone, or iPad). This also applies if you get any of the following errors:
    • "WhatsApp seems to be having trouble reading your chat history and will try to recover it. This can take several minutes."
    • "Unfortunately, WhatsApp was unable to recover your chat history. Please delete and reinstall WhatsApp.”
    • "Sorry, something went wrong while trying to recover your chat history. Please try again.”
    • “Couldn’t restore your chat history.”
    • “Couldn’t complete backup.”
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      References

      1. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/618575946635920/?cms_platform=android&helpref=platform_switcher
      2. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/android/20887921/
      3. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/iphone/26000285
      4. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/en/iphone/20888066
      5. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/639067727894647/?helpref=faq_content&cms_platform=android
      6. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/589979312881396/?cms_platform=android&helpref=platform_switcher
      7. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/639067727894647/?helpref=faq_content&cms_platform=android
      8. ↑ https://faq.whatsapp.com/589979312881396/?cms_platform=android

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
      2. Open WhatsApp.
      3. Tap Restore .
      4. Tap Next .

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