Quick Answer
Yes, it is possible to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp without losing your messages, media, and other data. WhatsApp has a built-in backup feature that saves your chat history, photos, videos and other data to Google Drive or iCloud. As long as you have a recent backup, you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp and restore your data.
Detailed Answer
When you uninstall WhatsApp, it simply removes the app from your phone but does not delete the data stored on your phone by default. Your messages, media, contacts and settings remain saved in the app storage.
However, when you reinstall WhatsApp, it will treat your phone as a new device. WhatsApp cannot automatically access the chat history and data associated with your old install. This is where the backups come in handy.
Backing Up Your WhatsApp Data
WhatsApp gives you two options to backup your data – to Google Drive for Android users and iCloud for iPhone users. Here are the steps to backup your chats:
- Open WhatsApp and go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Select the backup frequency – Daily, Weekly or Monthly.
- Tap Back Up to create a manual backup instantly.
WhatsApp will now regularly backup your messages, media files, group info and other data to the cloud. The frequency depends on your selection – daily, weekly or monthly. Each account can store up to 2 GB of backup data for free.
Uninstalling WhatsApp
Once your chat history is safely backed up, you can uninstall WhatsApp by:
- Going to your phone’s Settings app > Apps > WhatsApp > Uninstall
- On iPhone, hold the WhatsApp icon until it starts wiggling, then tap the X icon to delete
This will remove WhatsApp from your phone but retain all the locally stored data and settings.
Reinstalling WhatsApp
Now you can simply reinstall WhatsApp from the app store. Download and install it like a fresh app. Upon opening, WhatsApp will ask you to verify your phone number.
WhatsApp will then detect your old backup associated with that number on Google Drive or iCloud. It will give you the option to restore from that backup. Tap Restore to get back your old chats.
That’s it! Within a few minutes, your chats, media files, contacts etc. will be restored. You may need to reconnect to any active group chats again.
When Can Your WhatsApp Data Be Lost?
In most cases, the above steps are enough to retain your WhatsApp data when reinstalling the app. However, here are some cases where you may lose your WhatsApp history and media:
- No recent backup – If you haven’t backed up your chats in a long time, the backup may be outdated. Any recent messages will be lost.
- Backup deleted – WhatsApp backups can be deleted from Google Drive or iCloud if the storage is full. So your old backups may get removed after some time if unused.
- Moving from Android to iPhone – Backups are platform specific. So when switching from Android to iPhone, your chat history cannot be restored.
- Deleting app data before uninstall – Any locally stored WhatsApp files will be deleted if you clear app data before uninstalling.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup on Reinstall
When you reinstall WhatsApp and verify your number, it should automatically detect your Google Drive or iCloud backup and give you the restore option. However, if it does not, follow these steps to restore:
On Android
- Open restored WhatsApp, skip through the initial pages
- On the ‘Chat History Restore’ page, tap RESTORE
- Select the backup source as Google Drive and tap RESTORE to confirm
On iPhone
- Open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Restore
- Select the backup date to restore from iCloud
- Tap Restore to complete the process
This will restore your old chats, media, settings etc. within a few minutes. Do not uninstall WhatsApp again during this time.
Tips to Successfully Restore WhatsApp Data
Follow these tips for a smooth and successful WhatsApp restore when reinstalling:
- Backup chats regularly – Automate daily or weekly backups
- Ensure backup completes fully – Check for backup notifications
- Don’t delete backup from cloud storage
- Don’t clear app data before uninstalling
- Use same phone number when reinstalling WhatsApp
- Connect to stable WiFi for restore process
- Keep phone untouched till restore completes
- Re-verify account if prompted after restore
Alternative Methods
If for some reason your WhatsApp backup does not restore properly, here are some other methods you can try:
Restore from Local Backup
WhatsApp also saves a local backup on Android devices. To restore from it:
- Browse to WhatsApp folder in phone storage > Databases
- Copy the latest .crypt12 file to another location like laptop
- After reinstalling WhatsApp, replace the new .crypt12 file with the backed up file
Extract Chats from Backup Files
You can use third-party apps like ChatBak to extract your chat history, media files and documents from either Google Drive or local WhatsApp backups. These can then be viewed on a computer.
Migrate from iPhone to Android
To move your WhatsApp data from an iPhone to new Android phone:
- Back up iPhone chats to iCloud
- Install Move to iOS app on Android device
- In it, select WhatsApp as data to transfer
- Follow app instructions to transfer WhatsApp chats and media
Conclusion
Reinstalling WhatsApp does not have to mean losing all your important chats, media and data. As long as you have a recent backup, you can easily restore your WhatsApp account when switching phones or reinstalling the app. Remember to frequently backup chats and media, do not delete backups, and avoid clearing app data before uninstalling.
Following the right steps to backup before uninstall and restore after reinstall saves you the headache of losing your WhatsApp data and starting all over again. This makes transitioning to a new phone or troubleshooting WhatsApp issues much easier.