How do I backup, restore or transfer my WhatsApp data?
You can back up your WhatsApp data using Google Drive and/or a local backup. Local backups will run automatically every day at 2am and save your database in a file on the phone itself.
Google Drive
Restoring or transferring a backup
Troubleshooting backup and restoration issues
Google Drive
You can back up your chats and media to Google Drive, so if you switch Android phones or get a new one, your chats and media are transferrable. To use Google Drive, make sure the following is true:
Your device must be synced with Google Drive.
Google Play Services must be installed (only available for Android 2.3.4 and later).
Your Google Drive Account must have enough space for all of your WhatsApp data.
Your phone must have enough free space to create the backup.
How to back up to Google Drive
Open WhatsApp.
Go to Menu Button > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
Tap on Back up to Google Drive and set up the backup frequency to your liking, or tap Back Up to do an immediate backup.
You will be prompted to select a Google account that you will back up your chat history to. If you do not have a Google account, tap Add account when prompted. Please remember the Google account you are using for the backup.
Tap on Back up over to choose the network you wish to use for backup. Please note that backing up over cellular may result in additional data charges.
Important notes about Google Drive
The first complete backup may take a while. Please leave your phone connected to a power source.
You can change your chat backup frequency, the account you back up to and which connection to use for backup at any time in Menu Button > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
Every time you run a Google Drive backup on a Google account, the previous Google Drive backup will be overwritten. There is no way to restore an older Google Drive backup.
Restoring or transferring a backup
WhatsApp will ask you to restore your chats and media from a backup when you verify your number. Simply tap "Restore" when prompted to do so. If WhatsApp does not detect a backup, it could be that:
You are not logged into the same Google account.
You are not using the same phone number that was used to create the backup.
Your SD card and/or chat history is corrupted.
A backup file does not exist on the Google Drive account or locally on the phone.
Note: The easiest way to transfer data to a new phone is using Google Drive. If you want to use a local backup, you will need to transfer the files to the new phone using a computer, file explorer or SD Card. If your data is not stored on the /sdcard/WhatsApp/ folder, you may see internal storage or main storage folders.
To restore a less recent local backup
Your phone will store up to the last 7 days worth of local backup files (Google Drive will only have the most recent). If you wish to restore a local backup which is not the most recent, you will need to do the following:
Download a file manager. Here are some choices: File Managers and Explorers.
In the File Manager, navigate to sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. If your data is not stored on the SD card, you may see internal storage or main storage instead of sdcard.
Rename the backup file you wish to restore from msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12 to msgstore.db.crypt12. It is possible that your earlier backup may have been on an earlier protocol, such as crypt9 or crypt10. Do not change the number of the crypt extension.
Uninstall WhatsApp.
Install WhatsApp.
Tap Restore when asked.
Troubleshooting backup and restoration issues
If you are unable to create a Google Drive backup, please try the following:
Verify that you have a Google account added to your phone.
Verify that you have enough available space in your Google Drive account to create a backup. You can see how much space is available on your Google Drive at the bottom left of your screen.
Verify that you have Google Play services installed on your phone. Note: Google Play services is only available on Android 2.3.4 and higher.
If you are attempting to back up on a cellular data network, make sure that you have data for both WhatsApp and Google Play services. Contact your provider if you are unsure.
Attempt to do a backup on a different network (for example, try connecting to Wi-Fi if you are unable to back up on a cellular network).
If you are unable to restore a Google Drive backup, please try the following:
Verify that you are attempting to restore data from the same phone number and Google account that the backup was created on.
Verify that there is enough space on your phone to restore the backup.
Verify that you have Google Play services installed in your phone. Note: Google Play services is only available on Android 2.3.4 and higher.
Make sure your battery is fully charged or your phone is plugged in to a power source.
Make sure your phone is connected to a strong and stable network. If restoring using cellular network does not work, please try Wi-Fi.
Learn how to restore messages on: iPhone | Windows Phone | BlackBerry | Nokia S60 | BlackBerry 10
You can back up your WhatsApp data using Google Drive and/or a local backup. Local backups will run automatically every day at 2am and save your database in a file on the phone itself.
Google Drive
Restoring or transferring a backup
Troubleshooting backup and restoration issues
Google Drive
You can back up your chats and media to Google Drive, so if you switch Android phones or get a new one, your chats and media are transferrable. To use Google Drive, make sure the following is true:
Your device must be synced with Google Drive.
Google Play Services must be installed (only available for Android 2.3.4 and later).
Your Google Drive Account must have enough space for all of your WhatsApp data.
Your phone must have enough free space to create the backup.
How to back up to Google Drive
Open WhatsApp.
Go to Menu Button > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
Tap on Back up to Google Drive and set up the backup frequency to your liking, or tap Back Up to do an immediate backup.
You will be prompted to select a Google account that you will back up your chat history to. If you do not have a Google account, tap Add account when prompted. Please remember the Google account you are using for the backup.
Tap on Back up over to choose the network you wish to use for backup. Please note that backing up over cellular may result in additional data charges.
Important notes about Google Drive
The first complete backup may take a while. Please leave your phone connected to a power source.
You can change your chat backup frequency, the account you back up to and which connection to use for backup at any time in Menu Button > Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
Every time you run a Google Drive backup on a Google account, the previous Google Drive backup will be overwritten. There is no way to restore an older Google Drive backup.
Restoring or transferring a backup
WhatsApp will ask you to restore your chats and media from a backup when you verify your number. Simply tap "Restore" when prompted to do so. If WhatsApp does not detect a backup, it could be that:
You are not logged into the same Google account.
You are not using the same phone number that was used to create the backup.
Your SD card and/or chat history is corrupted.
A backup file does not exist on the Google Drive account or locally on the phone.
Note: The easiest way to transfer data to a new phone is using Google Drive. If you want to use a local backup, you will need to transfer the files to the new phone using a computer, file explorer or SD Card. If your data is not stored on the /sdcard/WhatsApp/ folder, you may see internal storage or main storage folders.
To restore a less recent local backup
Your phone will store up to the last 7 days worth of local backup files (Google Drive will only have the most recent). If you wish to restore a local backup which is not the most recent, you will need to do the following:
Download a file manager. Here are some choices: File Managers and Explorers.
In the File Manager, navigate to sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. If your data is not stored on the SD card, you may see internal storage or main storage instead of sdcard.
Rename the backup file you wish to restore from msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12 to msgstore.db.crypt12. It is possible that your earlier backup may have been on an earlier protocol, such as crypt9 or crypt10. Do not change the number of the crypt extension.
Uninstall WhatsApp.
Install WhatsApp.
Tap Restore when asked.
Troubleshooting backup and restoration issues
If you are unable to create a Google Drive backup, please try the following:
Verify that you have a Google account added to your phone.
Verify that you have enough available space in your Google Drive account to create a backup. You can see how much space is available on your Google Drive at the bottom left of your screen.
Verify that you have Google Play services installed on your phone. Note: Google Play services is only available on Android 2.3.4 and higher.
If you are attempting to back up on a cellular data network, make sure that you have data for both WhatsApp and Google Play services. Contact your provider if you are unsure.
Attempt to do a backup on a different network (for example, try connecting to Wi-Fi if you are unable to back up on a cellular network).
If you are unable to restore a Google Drive backup, please try the following:
Verify that you are attempting to restore data from the same phone number and Google account that the backup was created on.
Verify that there is enough space on your phone to restore the backup.
Verify that you have Google Play services installed in your phone. Note: Google Play services is only available on Android 2.3.4 and higher.
Make sure your battery is fully charged or your phone is plugged in to a power source.
Make sure your phone is connected to a strong and stable network. If restoring using cellular network does not work, please try Wi-Fi.
Learn how to restore messages on: iPhone | Windows Phone | BlackBerry | Nokia S60 | BlackBerry 10