► In brief
- WhatsApp offers a backup tool
- It is available on iOS and Android
- It allows you to restore an account on a new smartphone
Over the years, WhatsApp has become a central tool in our communications. Present on smartphones, tablets, but also PCs, the Meta group’s messaging offers a complete and feature-rich environment. As useful in professional and personal life, the application has established itself as an almost essential solution. So, logically, no one wants to take the risk of losing any conversation if they lose their device or change their smartphone. Good news, WhatsApp has a built-in backup tool.
How to make a backup on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp backup is essential to secure your conversations and avoid data loss. WhatsApp offers a built-in feature that lets you automatically backup your chats and media files, which you can easily restore when needed. Here’s how to do it depending on your OS.
WhatsApp backup on Android
By default, you can back up your WhatsApp conversations on Android via your Google account. Storage takes place in the Cloud, via Drive. After checking that your smartphone is connected to the account, and that your Drive has sufficient space, here is how to configure recurring backups:
From your WhatsApp application
- Go to the options via the three vertical dots at the top right
- Navigate to Settings
- Select tab Discussions
- Press Saving chats
- Configure your backup options:
- Frequency
- Taking videos into account or not
- Backup or not via mobile data
- Whether or not to enable end-to-end secure backup
At any time, from this screen, you can also press the Save button to automatically save your conversations and media.
WhatsApp backup on iOS
If backup on Android works via Google Drive, the functionality on iOS relies on its Apple equivalent, iCloud. Before you activate the feature, make sure you are using the correct account and operating system version. Is it all good? So here is the procedure for automatic backup:
- From the WhatsApp application
- Meet in the Settings
- Meet in the Discussions
- Access the Saving chats
- Access the menu Autosave
- Set the backup frequency
- Validate the backup iCloud account
- Select whether or not videos are present in backups
In addition to automatic WhatsApp backup, the iOS application also allows manual recordings. To use this option, from the Chat Backup menu, tap the Back Up Now button.
Where to find WhatsApp backup?
To access your backups, you need to know where they are stored. On Android, they are saved in Google Drive, while on iOS, they are saved in iCloud.
Find your WhatsApp backup on Android
On Android, WhatsApp backup is stored on Google Drive. For some time now, the two companies have also signed a partnership excluding this file from the calculation of occupied storage space. To find it, here’s how:
- Go to your Drive on Android
- Press the “burger” menu, the three horizontal lines at the top left
- Select menu Backups
- Your most recent WhatsApp backup appears in Other backups
Find your WhatsApp backup on iOS
On iPhone, it is Apple’s Cloud solution, iCloud, which allows WhatsApp backups to be stored. Accessing the backup on this medium is not as easy, however. Indeed, on iOS as on macOS, the document is saved in a hidden folder in the Cloud. However, it is possible to access the backup information:
- From your iPhone, go to the Settings of the device
- Select iCloud
- Press Manage above Storage to access space settings
- Find the space dedicated to WhatsApp
- Tap it to see the weight and date of your last save
How to recover WhatsApp backup on another device?
When you change your phone, restoring your WhatsApp backup allows you to find all your chats and files. In a few simple steps, it is possible to recover all your conversations on your new smartphone.
Restore WhatsApp Backup on Android
To use a WhatsApp backup on your Android device on a new device, the procedure is simple. Here are the steps to follow:
- Install WhatsApp on your new device
- Log in to the app with your phone number
- Make sure you are signed in to the correct Google account on your device
- When the app prompts you, tap Restore from backup
Please note that it is also possible to restore a backup on the same device, simply by uninstalling then reinstalling the WhatsApp application.
Restore WhatsApp Backup on iOS
On iPhone too, it is possible to restore your WhatsApp backup in a simple and accessible way. To do this, here is the process:
- Download and install WhatsApp from the App Store
- Confirm your phone number and Apple ID
- Make sure you are using the same account as on your previous device
- Press Restore chat history
And there you have it, you have mastered WhatsApp backups! Please note, the restoration does not work on the PC version of the messaging, and can therefore only be used on a smartphone.
