WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows you to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls. WhatsApp automatically backs up your chat history to iCloud (for iOS devices) or Google Drive (for Android devices) to preserve your data in case you lose your phone or switch to a new one.
However, there are a few reasons why you may want to backup WhatsApp to your Gmail account instead of using the default iCloud backup:
- You have an iPhone but don’t want to pay for iCloud storage
- You want to preserve chat history when switching from iPhone to Android
- You want a backup separate from iCloud for extra redundancy
The good news is you can easily backup WhatsApp to your Gmail account instead of iCloud on your iPhone. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll explain step-by-step how to backup WhatsApp chats, media, and settings to Gmail.
Prerequisites
Before backing up WhatsApp to Gmail, make sure:
- You have a Gmail account set up on your iPhone
- You have a Google Drive account with enough storage space
- Your iPhone has a recent backup in iCloud or iTunes
- Your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi for large backups
- Your iPhone is plugged in and charging to complete the backup
- You have the latest version of WhatsApp installed
Verify these prerequisites first as they ensure the backup to Gmail goes smoothly and without disruptions.
Step 1 – Backup WhatsApp Chat History
The first step is to backup your WhatsApp chat history which contains all your conversations, text messages, shared media and files. Here’s how to do it:
- Open WhatsApp on your iPhone
- Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Tap on Backup Now to manually backup chats to iCloud
- Wait for the backup to complete. The Last Backup date and time will update when finished.
This backs up your chat history to iCloud. Now we’ll transfer the backup to your Gmail account.
Step 2 – Transfer WhatsApp Backup to Gmail
Once your chat history is backed up on iCloud, transfer the backup files to Gmail using these steps:
- Install the Google Drive app on your iPhone
- Open the Google Drive app and log in to your Gmail account
- Tap on the + button in the top right and select Upload
- In the file manager, go to On My iPhone > WhatsApp > Chat Storage > ChatBackup.crypt12 file
- Select the most recent ChatBackup.crypt12 file and tap on Upload
This will upload your encrypted WhatsApp backup from iCloud to Google Drive linked to your Gmail account.
Step 3 – Create Google Drive Backup
Now that the chat history is on Google Drive, you need to enable WhatsApp backup to Google Drive:
- Open WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Tap on Backup to Google Drive and log in to your Google account
- Select a backup frequency – daily, weekly, monthly or never
- Tap Account to select a Google account linked to Gmail
- Tap Back Up over to choose cellular data or Wi-Fi only
This will setup automated WhatsApp backups to your Google Drive storage linked to Gmail.
Step 4 – Verify Gmail Backup
To confirm your WhatsApp data is properly backing up to your Gmail account, follow these verifications:
- Check Google Drive storage usage to see WhatsApp backup size
- Verify Last Backup date/time in WhatsApp matches Google Drive
- Open chat history and media files from Google Drive backup
- Restore Google Drive backup to another device and check chats
If new chats and media are appearing in Gmail backup, then your WhatsApp data is successfully being saved to your Google account instead of iCloud.
Advantages of Gmail Backup
Backing up WhatsApp to Gmail has several advantages compared to iCloud:
- Free 15GB storage on Google Drive vs limited 5GB with iCloud
- Works cross-platform for iPhone & Android switch
- Separate backup from iCloud provides redundancy
- Easy to restore from Google Drive to any device
- Access WhatsApp backup files directly from Gmail
With free storage and cross-platform access, Google Drive backup is useful for both iPhone and Android users.
What Data is Included in Gmail Backup?
The WhatsApp backup to Gmail contains:
- Chat history and conversations
- Media files – photos, videos, voice messages, GIFs, documents
- Contact names and numbers
- Call history and logs
- Group names and participants
- Personal settings and preferences
All your chats, contacts, groups, media files and settings will be preserved in the Gmail backup. User profiles and statuses are not backed up.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup from Gmail
If you lose your iPhone or switch phones, restore your WhatsApp backup from Gmail using:
- Install WhatsApp on your new device
- Enter your phone number and verify it
- On the Restore Chat History page, tap Restore
- Log in to your Google account with the WhatsApp backup
- Select the backup to restore from Google Drive
All your chats, data and media will be restored to your device from the Gmail backup.
Important Backup Tips
Follow these tips for a successful WhatsApp backup to Gmail:
- Backup over Wi-Fi to avoid mobile data charges
- Keep your iPhone plugged in until backup completes
- Schedule regular auto backups to Gmail eg. weekly
- Create Google Drive backup after local iCloud backup
- Check Google Drive for recent backups after major chats
- Back up conversations before uninstalling or switching phones
- Enable encryption for added security to Gmail backup
Troubleshooting Gmail Backup Issues
If you encounter problems backing up WhatsApp to Gmail, try these troubleshooting steps:
- Update WhatsApp to latest version
- Check internet connection and retry backup
- Restart your iPhone and try backup again
- Ensure Google Drive app installed and logged in
- Delete old backups and redo Gmail backup
- Free up space on Google Drive for backups
- Toggle WhatsApp’s permissions in iPhone settings
- Contact WhatsApp support if issue persists
Following these tips should help resolve any errors faced while backing up WhatsApp chats and data to your Gmail account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to some common questions about backing up WhatsApp to Gmail:
Is WhatsApp backup to Gmail free?
Yes, WhatsApp backup to Google Drive is free up to 15GB storage. You only need a Gmail account to backup WhatsApp chats and media.
Can I backup WhatsApp while phone is locked?
No, your iPhone needs to remain unlocked and connected to Wi-Fi during the entire backup process for it to fully complete.
Does WhatsApp backup use mobile data?
WhatsApp will use mobile data instead of Wi-Fi for backup if you have that setting enabled. It’s best to restrict backup to Wi-Fi only.
How to password protect WhatsApp Gmail backup?
You can encrypt WhatsApp backup to Gmail by enabling password protection in WhatsApp settings before backup. This secures the backup files.
Is Google Drive backup same as Gmail backup?
Yes, since Google Drive uses your Gmail account. So WhatsApp backup to Google Drive means the data is saved to your Gmail storage.
Conclusion
Backing up WhatsApp chats and media to Gmail instead of iCloud provides you greater flexibility, free storage and convenience. Follow the step-by-step guide outlined above to successfully set up WhatsApp backup to Google Drive linked to your Gmail account. Enable auto backup on Wi-Fi and verify it periodically to remain protected against data loss. With your chat history securely backed up to Gmail, you can comfortably switch phones or restore data if needed.
