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How to back up WhatsApp chats on iPhone and Android

WhatsApp doesn't keep your chats on its servers, so if you lose your phone without a backup, your messages go with it. Here is how to back up on iPhone and Android.

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  1. How do I back up WhatsApp on an iPhone?
  2. How do I back up WhatsApp on Android?
  3. Does a WhatsApp backup use my iCloud or Google storage?
  4. Things WhatsApp says you should know
  5. Should I turn on end-to-end encrypted backup?
  6. How do I check my backup will restore?
  7. Common questions
  8. Related guides

Quick answer: on an iPhone, WhatsApp backs up to iCloud: in WhatsApp tap Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back up now, then turn on Auto backup. On Android, it backs up to your Google Account: tap the three dots, then Settings > Chats > Chat backup, choose a Google Account and a schedule, and tap Back up. Check the date of the last backup now and then.

WhatsApp says it can't restore your chats for you, because your chat history isn't stored on its servers. The backup in your iCloud or Google Account is the only copy that survives a lost, stolen or broken phone.

How do I back up WhatsApp on an iPhone?

WhatsApp says there are two ways to back up WhatsApp on an iPhone: its own in-app backup to iCloud, and Apple's iCloud Backup of the whole iPhone. You can use either, or both.

WhatsApp's own backup to iCloud

Before you start, WhatsApp says to check that:

  • you're using the same phone number and iCloud account the backup will be restored with
  • your iPhone is updated to the latest iOS
  • your free space in iCloud and on your iPhone is at least 2.05 times the size of the backup.

Back up now:

  1. In WhatsApp, tap Settings (or your profile picture).
  2. Tap Chats > Chat backup > Back up now.

Set it to happen automatically:

  1. Tap Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
  2. Tap Auto backup and choose how often.

You can also choose to Include videos in chats and Include status archive. If your iCloud storage is tight, you can leave videos out.

Apple's iCloud Backup

Apple says iCloud Backup includes app data for apps you've downloaded, including messaging apps. So if Back Up This iPhone is on under Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup, WhatsApp is included in that backup too. Our guide to backing up your phone and computer explains how to turn it on.

WhatsApp points out two things to know if you use both:

  • Using both needs extra iCloud storage, because you're storing two copies of WhatsApp.
  • If you turn on end-to-end encrypted backup in WhatsApp, you can't use the iPhone backup for WhatsApp as well.

How do I back up WhatsApp on Android?

WhatsApp on Android backs up to your Google Account. Before you start, WhatsApp says you need a Google Account on the phone, Google Play services installed, enough free space on the phone and in your Google Account, and a good internet connection.

Set up regular backups:

  1. In WhatsApp, tap the three dots, then Settings > Chats.
  2. Tap Chat backup > Back up to your Google Account.
  3. Choose a schedule other than Never or Only when I tap "Back up".
  4. Choose the Google Account to back up to, or tap Add account.
  5. Turn Include videos in chats, Back up using cellular and Include status archive on or off.

Back up now: tap the three dots, then Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back up.

WhatsApp suggests connecting to Wi-Fi before you back up, because backups can be large and use mobile data. It also says the first backup can take a while, so leave the phone on charge.

Does a WhatsApp backup use my iCloud or Google storage?

Yes. The backup is stored in your own cloud account, and it counts towards that account's storage:

  • iCloud: Apple says iCloud comes with 5 GB of storage for free. Photos, iPhone backups and WhatsApp all share it.
  • Google: Google says each Google Account includes up to 15 GB, shared across Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. WhatsApp says that if you go over the limit, you'll need to free up space before backups resume.

If you're short of space, you can leave videos out of the backup by turning off Include videos in chats, or free up space in the cloud account.

Things WhatsApp says you should know

  • Only the latest backup can be restored. On Android, WhatsApp says each new backup to the same Google Account replaces the previous one, and there's no way to restore an older one. On iPhone, it says chats can only be restored from the last successful backup.
  • Messages after your last backup are lost if you restore. Back up before you change phones.
  • Old Google backups can disappear. WhatsApp says backups that haven't been updated in 5 months might be deleted by Google automatically.
  • The phone number must match. The number you restore with must be the same one you backed up with.
  • Videos only come back if they were included in your latest backup.
  • Computers can't do it. WhatsApp says you can't back up or restore chats from WhatsApp on the web, Mac or Windows. It has to be your phone.

Should I turn on end-to-end encrypted backup?

WhatsApp says chats backed up to your Google Account aren't protected by WhatsApp's end-to-end encryption unless you turn on end-to-end encrypted backup. The option protects the backup with a passkey, a password or a 64-digit encryption key.

To turn it on, go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > End-to-end encrypted backup and tap Turn on.

WhatsApp's warning matters: your password or key is the only way to get into the backup later. If you lose it, you lose the backup. Store it somewhere safe, such as a password manager.

How do I check my backup will restore?

  • iPhone: in WhatsApp, open Settings > Chats > Chat backup. WhatsApp says you'll see the time and size of your last backup.
  • Android: WhatsApp says to open the Google One app, sign in, and tap Storage > Other. Your WhatsApp backup is listed there if it exists.

To restore on a new or reset phone, install WhatsApp, verify the same phone number, and tap Restore (Android) or Restore Chat History (iPhone) when it's offered. WhatsApp says you may be asked to verify your identity with a code by text or call first.

If your old phone still works, WhatsApp also lets you transfer chats directly from it to the new one without a cloud backup.

Common questions

Where is my WhatsApp backup stored?

On an iPhone, in your iCloud account. On Android, in your Google Account. WhatsApp doesn't store your chat history on its own servers, so it can't restore chats for you if you have no backup.

How do I back up WhatsApp on an iPhone?

In WhatsApp, tap Settings, then Chats, Chat backup, and Back up now. To keep it up to date, tap Auto backup and choose how often. WhatsApp says you need free space in iCloud and on your iPhone of at least 2.05 times the size of the backup.

How do I back up WhatsApp on Android?

In WhatsApp, tap the three dots, then Settings, Chats, Chat backup. Choose Back up to your Google Account, pick a schedule and a Google Account, then tap Back up. Connect to Wi-Fi first, because backups can use a lot of mobile data.

Can I restore an older WhatsApp backup?

No. On Android, WhatsApp says each new backup to your Google Account replaces the old one, and there's no way to restore an older backup. On iPhone, chats can only be restored from the last successful backup.

Is my WhatsApp backup encrypted?

WhatsApp says backups to your Google Account aren't protected by its end-to-end encryption unless you turn on end-to-end encrypted backup, under Settings, Chats, Chat backup. The same option is on the iPhone. Keep the password or key safe: WhatsApp says it's the only way to access the backup.

Sources

Last checked: 25 September 2026

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