WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the key features of WhatsApp is its ability to backup your chat history, media, and settings, allowing you to restore them when needed. By default, WhatsApp backs up data over your mobile data connection. However, if you have limited mobile data or want to avoid using it for backups, you can switch to backing up over WiFi instead.
Why Backup on WiFi is Better
There are several advantages to switching your WhatsApp backup to WiFi:
- Saves mobile data – Backups can use up a lot of data, so sticking to WiFi helps avoid overage charges or exceeding your monthly data limits.
- Faster backups – WiFi connections are generally faster than mobile data, so your backups will complete quicker.
- Backups won’t drain phone battery – Large backups over mobile data can drain your phone’s battery. WiFi backups put less strain on your battery.
- More reliable backups – Connecting to spotty mobile networks for backups may cause them to fail. The more stable WiFi connection leads to more reliable backups.
- Flexibility in backup frequency – You can schedule more frequent backups over WiFi without worrying about mobile data limits.
Overall, switching to WiFi backups gives you more control over your data usage and leads to faster, more reliable WhatsApp backups.
How to Change to WiFi Backups on Android
If you have an Android phone, here are the steps to change your WhatsApp backups to WiFi:
- Open WhatsApp and tap the 3-dot menu icon in the top right.
- Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Tap Backup to Google Drive and select ‘Only when I’m on Wi-Fi’.
That’s it! WhatsApp will now only backup your data when connected to a WiFi network. You can also configure the backup frequency on this screen.
Scheduling Android Backups
To schedule regular backups on Android:
- In Chat backup settings, tap Back up frequency.
- Select a frequency – daily, weekly, monthly etc.
- Pick the time of day to perform the backups.
WhatsApp will now automatically backup your chats on the schedule you set whenever connected to WiFi.
Excluding Items from Android Backups
If you want to select what gets backed up on Android, you can exclude items like:
- Videos – Tap the switch next to Include Videos to not back them up.
- Larger files – Tap Exclude files larger than to set a size limit.
- Specific chats – Tap the ☰ menu on a chat and select ‘Turn off chat backup’ to exclude.
Changing to WiFi Backups on iPhone
Here are the steps to switch backups to WiFi on an iPhone:
- Go to the WhatsApp Settings tab.
- Tap Chats > Chat Backup.
- Toggle the ‘Backup Over’ switch to WIFI.
Now your chats, media etc. will backup only when connected to WiFi. You can also configure:
Scheduling iPhone Backups
To set a backup schedule on iPhone:
- Under Chat Backup, tap Auto Backup.
- Choose a backup frequency – Daily, Weekly, Monthly etc.
- Select the time of day to do the backup.
Your WhatsApp data will now backup as per the schedule while on WiFi.
Excluding Content from iPhone Backups
You can select items to exclude from iPhone backups like:
- Videos – Toggle off the Include Videos switch in Chat Backup.
- Large files – Tap Auto Backup > Exclude Files Larger Than and set a size limit.
- Specific chats – Swipe left on a chat and tap Disable > Disable Chat Backup.
Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some tips if you face any issues changing your WhatsApp backups to WiFi:
- Check for app updates – Update to the latest WhatsApp version.
- Force stop the app – Force stop and clear cache from app settings.
- Re-register number – Deregister and re-register your number in WhatsApp.
- Toggle Airplane mode – Turn airplane mode on, wait 30 seconds and turn it off.
- Restart your phone – A simple restart can fix backup issues.
- Reset app – Backup chats and reset the app from settings.
- Contact support – Reach out to WhatsApp support if issues persist.
With some troubleshooting, you should be able to sort out any problems in changing over to WiFi for your WhatsApp backups.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much data do WhatsApp backups use?
Backups can use up to 100 MB of data or more depending on your chat history size. Media files like photos and videos also increase backup sizes. Sticking to WiFi prevents large unexpected mobile data bills.
Can I password protect my WhatsApp backup?
Yes, you can encrypt your WhatsApp backups with a password for added privacy and security. Enable encryption in Chat Backup settings before creating a backup.
How far back are WhatsApp backups?
WhatsApp maintains the latest backup but may delete older backups to save space. Typically you can restore a backup up to a month old but this varies.
Is my chat history safe in the cloud backup?
WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption to secure chats, so your chat history remains private and cannot be accessed by third parties.
Can I restore a WhatsApp backup from Google Drive or iCloud?
Yes, you can use Google Drive or iCloud backups to restore your chats and media when reinstalling WhatsApp or setting up new devices.
Conclusion
Keeping your WhatsApp chat history safely backed up is essential. By changing the backup settings to WiFi only, you can ensure your important data is saved reliably and cost effectively.
Sticking to WiFi avoids surprise mobile data bills from large backups. It also gives you more flexibility to schedule regular backups that suit your usage patterns.
With encrypted cloud backups, convenient restore options, and the ability to exclude items you don’t need backed up, WhatsApp offers robust tools to keep your chats protected.
So consider switching your backup connection to WiFi today for a simpler, smoother WhatsApp experience.