WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features that makes WhatsApp so useful is its ability to automatically back up your messages to the cloud. This ensures that even if you lose your phone, switch devices, or uninstall the app, you won’t lose your chat history and media. But how exactly does WhatsApp’s backup system work? And are your messages really automatically backed up by default?
How WhatsApp Backups Work
WhatsApp gives users two ways to back up their data – via Google Drive for Android users, and iCloud for iOS users. Here is a quick overview of how it works on each platform:
Android Backups
For Android phones, WhatsApp backs up your messages, media, and settings to your linked Google Drive account. Backups occur daily when your phone is charging, connected to WiFi, and the screen is locked. The backup contains the following data:
- Your chat history and messages
- Your media files – photos, videos, voice messages, etc.
- Your WhatsApp settings and preferences
The backup does not contain your call history. The size of your backup depends on how much media you have shared and will be counted towards your Google Drive storage quota.
iOS Backups
For iPhones, WhatsApp uses iCloud to manage backups. Backups include:
- Chat history and messages
- Media files
- WhatsApp settings
Backups occur daily when your phone is connected to power and WiFi. The backup does not count against your iCloud quota. However, the maximum backup size is limited to 2GB.
Are Backups Automatically Enabled?
Now that we know how WhatsApp backups work, are they turned on automatically so your chats are always saved? The short answer is no, backups are optional and disabled by default when you first install WhatsApp.
On Android, you need to manually enable Google Drive backups in WhatsApp’s Settings. On iOS, you have to enable iCloud backups from your device settings.
This means if you do not explicitly turn backups on, your WhatsApp chats will only be stored locally on your phone and you could lose them if you lose your device. Enabling backups is essential if you want your chat history protected.
How to Check If Backups Are Enabled
Here are the steps to verify if backups are currently enabled for your WhatsApp account:
On Android
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Tap Chats > Chat backup
- Check if ‘Back up to Google Drive’ is enabled
On iPhone
- Go to iPhone Settings > [your name] > iCloud
- Check if WhatsApp is listed under Apps Using iCloud
If WhatsApp does not appear under the iCloud or Google Drive backup lists, then backups are currently turned off.
How Frequently Are Backups Done?
WhatsApp configures backups to occur at daily intervals automatically when certain conditions are met. Here is the backup frequency:
| Platform | Backup Interval | Required Conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Android | Daily | Phone charging, connected to WiFi, screen locked |
| iPhone | Daily | Connected to power, connected to WiFi |
So your chats and media are backed up to the cloud once per day. Note that WhatsApp will not back up over cellular data – a WiFi connection is required. The daily backup runs automatically and does not require the app to be open.
How Many Backups Are Saved?
WhatsApp maintains a limited history of backup versions on Google Drive and iCloud. Here is how many backup versions are available:
- Android: The most recent 7 daily backups are kept. Older backups are automatically deleted.
- iPhone: Only the most recent daily backup is stored. Previous backups are overwritten.
So while backups run daily, you only have access to 7 days of backup history on Android. For iOS, you can only restore from the latest iCloud backup.
How Far Back Do Restored Chats Go?
When you restore chats from a backup, you only get back chat history up to the date of the latest backup. The restored chats and media will only go as far back as that backup.
For example, if your latest backup was from 3 days ago, restoring it will only get you back chats from the last 3 days. Any new messages sent since the last backup will not be recovered.
Therefore, the restore gives you back chat history up to the date of the backup – not your full message history if your last backup was weeks or months ago.
WhatsApp Backup Size Limits
Since backups take up cloud storage, there are size limits in place for WhatsApp backups:
- Android: Backups are limited to the size of your Google Drive storage plan. If you have 15GB total space, your backup can use up to 15GB.
- iPhone: Backups are capped at 2GB maximum. If your backup reaches 2GB, older content will be deleted.
The backup size depends entirely on how much media content (photos, videos, audio files) you have in your chats. Text messages take up very little space.
Can You Manually Trigger a Backup?
While backups run automatically everyday, you may want to manually trigger a WhatsApp backup anytime like before a big trip or when switching phones. Here is how to manually backup WhatsApp chats:
On Android
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Tap Back Up Now
On iPhone
- Go to iPhone Settings > [your name] > iCloud > iCloud Backup
- Tap Back Up Now to trigger iCloud backup
Manually backing up ensures your latest chats are saved since the automatic backups only run once daily.
How to Restore Backed Up Chats
If you get a new phone or delete and reinstall WhatsApp, you can restore your chats and media from the Google Drive or iCloud backup. Here’s how:
On Android
- Install WhatsApp and verify your number
- On the Restore Chat History screen, tap Restore to retrieve backup
- Select the backup date to restore
On iPhone
- Install WhatsApp and verify number
- WhatsApp will automatically restore the latest iCloud backup
- Wait for all chats and media to be restored
That’s it! Your chat history will be retrieved from the latest backup. Keep in mind only the latest 7 backups are available on Android.
Can You Transfer Backups Between Platforms?
Unfortunately, you cannot directly transfer a WhatsApp backup between Android and iPhone. However, there are a few workaround options:
- Use a third-party app like iCareFone to transfer WhatsApp chats between devices via a computer.
- Email chat history to yourself as a text file attachment, then import it.
- Use a cloud storage service like Dropbox to upload chats from one device and download to another.
While not as seamless as a direct backup transfer, these options do allow you to migrate your chat history between platforms.
Backup Security and Encryption
WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for messages, so the message contents in the backup are also encrypted. However, other data like contacts and group information is not encrypted.
Here are some key backup security considerations:
- Set a password to encrypt Android backups for extra security
- iCloud backups are not password protected
- Manually back up sensitive chats you don’t want stored in the cloud
- Revoke access for WhatsApp web sessions after restoring to prevent unauthorized access
While backups are convenient, be mindful of what data you are storing in the cloud if privacy is a concern.
Limitations of WhatsApp Backups
While WhatsApp’s backup feature is useful for restoring your chats, there are some limitations to be aware of:
- No backup of call history
- Media quality reduced to save space
- Only 7 daily backups available on Android
- Backups count towards your cloud storage quota
- No automatic backup over cellular data
- No easy way to transfer backup across platforms
Given these constraints, it’s a good idea to supplement WhatsApp backups with occasional manual exports of your chat history and media.
Third-Party Backup Solutions
Aside from the built-in WhatsApp backup feature, there are third-party apps that offer enhanced backup capabilities:
- WhatsApp Transfer: Transfers chats between different phones.
- SMS Backup & Restore: Backs up chats outside of WhatsApp.
- CoolMuster Android Assistant: Retrieves and exports WhatsApp data.
- iMyFone iTransor: Transfers WhatsApp backup from Android to iPhone.
While convenient, be cautious when using third-party apps and giving access to your chat data. Make sure to evaluate security and privacy protections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is my WhatsApp backup protected by encryption?
WhatsApp backups are encrypted end-to-end for message contents but not for other metadata like contacts and chat lists. You can add a password for encryption on Android backups but not for iPhone backups.
Can I backup WhatsApp without Google Drive or iCloud?
You can manually export your WhatsApp chat history and media to store locally on your computer or a different cloud service. However, you’ll lose out on automatic daily backups.
How can I reduce the size of my WhatsApp backup?
Clear large media files, reduce backup frequency, and enable lower quality media uploads in settings to reduce WhatsApp backup size.
Can I merge two WhatsApp accounts from different backups?
No, merging WhatsApp accounts from two separate backups is not directly supported. You would need a third-party app to transfer and combine chat histories.
How far back are deleted WhatsApp messages restored?
Deleted WhatsApp messages will only be restored if they existed in the chat history at the time the backup was created. They won’t reappear from before a backup.
Conclusion
WhatsApp provides a handy built-in backup feature to preserve your chats and media. However, backups are not enabled by default so you need to explicitly turn them on.
Backups run once daily provided your phone meets the charging and WiFi conditions. Only the latest 7 backups are retained on Android while iOS can restore only from the latest.
While backups are encrypted, also be mindful of sensitive media being stored in the cloud. Periodically exporting your chat history also helps overcome some limitations of WhatsApp’s built-in backup.