Losing WhatsApp messages when changing phones is a common problem that many users face. This can happen due to various reasons – from not properly backing up chats to issues with transferring the backup file over. Thankfully, with some preparation and knowledge, you can avoid losing your valuable WhatsApp messages and history when switching devices.
In this comprehensive guide, we will go over all the reasons why WhatsApp messages get lost during a phone change and provide step-by-step instructions on how to properly backup your chats, transfer them to the new phone successfully, and troubleshoot any potential issues.
Reasons Why WhatsApp Messages Get Lost When Changing Phones
Here are some of the main reasons why WhatsApp messages may fail to transfer over when you are setting up your account on a new device:
Not Backing Up Chats
The most obvious reason for losing chats is not having a backup at all. WhatsApp provides the option to backup your message history to Google Drive (for Android users) or iCloud (for iOS users). If you haven’t enabled and configured this backup, then your chat history will be lost when changing phones.
Using Local Backups
WhatsApp also allows creating local backups as files on your device storage or SD card. However, transferring these backups to the new phone requires manual effort. If you miss transferring the local backup file, your chats will not restore.
Google Drive/iCloud Backup Issues
Even with Google Drive or iCloud backup enabled, sometimes the backups may not happen properly due to glitches, connectivity issues, or low storage space on your cloud account. An incomplete or corrupt backup will fail to transfer your chat history.
Transferring Backup to New Phone Fails
Assuming you have a proper full backup on the cloud or as a local file, it still needs to be transferred and restored on the new phone successfully. Any hiccups in the restoration process can lead to potential data loss.
Moving from iOS to Android (or Vice Versa)
WhatsApp backups are platform-specific. So when moving WhatsApp from an Android phone to iPhone or vice versa, the previous backup cannot be used directly. You need to use special tools to transfer WhatsApp chats between operating systems.
Individual Chat Restoration Failures
Even if most of your chats restore properly, sometimes particular conversations may fail to load. This can happen due to data corruption or other technical anomalies that block specific chats from being fetched from the backup.
Step 1: Backup Your Chats Properly on Old Phone
The first crucial step is creating a complete and error-free backup of your WhatsApp account on your old phone before switching devices:
For Android Phones:
- Open WhatsApp and tap on the More options (three vertical dots) menu
- Select Settings > Chats > Chat backup
- Tap on “Backup to Google Drive” and select a backup frequency (daily, weekly etc)
- Make sure backup is enabled and last backup was recent
- Check Google Drive to confirm latest WhatsApp backup file exists
For iPhones:
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Tap on “Backup to iCloud” and select backup frequency
- Ensure backup is turned on and last backup is up to date
- Verify backup file exists in your iCloud storage
Ideally, you should manually trigger a WhatsApp backup just before switching phones to be 100% sure you have the latest chat data preserved. Also check that there are no pending media files to be backed up in WhatsApp Settings.
Step 2: Transfer the Local Backup (Optional)
If you have created local WhatsApp backups on your old phone as files on device storage or SD card, you need to manually transfer these backup files to the new phone:
- On Android, local backups are saved in WhatsApp/Databases folder
- On iPhone, navigate to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Transfer or Restore Backup
- Copy the latest local backup file to new phone’s storage or SD card
- Import this local backup when setting up WhatsApp on new phone
This preserves your chat history and media in case the cloud backup method does not work properly.
Step 3: Install WhatsApp on New Phone & Restore Chats
Once you have the phone switched on, install WhatsApp freshly on the new device. Don’t use phone cloning or data transfer tools which may interfere with the restore process.
On Android:
When prompted during WhatsApp setup, tap on “Restore from Google Drive backup” and select the latest backup to restore your chats. Make sure to use the same Google account used for backing up chats.
On iPhone:
Post installing WhatsApp, it will prompt you to either Restore or Transfer from iCloud Backup. Choose Restore and select the latest backup from the list to port your chats.
If local backups were also transferred manually, you can import them during WhatsApp setup when offered the Restore from local backup option.
Step 4: Verify Chats Have Restored Properly
Once WhatsApp restores the backup on your new phone, verify that your chats, groups, and media have all transferred successfully from the old device:
- Check your message history across all chats and groups
- Scroll up on each chat to confirm older messages exist
- Look for any missing recent conversations
- Verify all your WhatsApp contacts are present
- Check media folders for any lost videos/photos
If you notice any major discrepancies between the chat history on your old phone vs new phone, the backup may have failed to restore properly.
Step 5: Troubleshoot Backup Restore Issues
In case your WhatsApp chats have not restored properly from the backup on the new device, here are some troubleshooting steps to rescue the data:
- Force stop WhatsApp and clear its data before trying restore again
- Check date and size of last backup vs phone data for anomalies
- Retry restoring from Google Drive / iCloud backup on WhatsApp
- Import the local backup file saved on device storage
- Update WhatsApp to the latest version on new phone
- Contact WhatsApp support if issues persist
You can also move the SD card with local backup from old phone to new phone to import from it directly. Check our detailed guide on fixing WhatsApp restore issues for more specific solutions.
How to Transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android (or Vice Versa)
Due to platform differences, you cannot directly restore WhatsApp backup from iOS to Android or vice versa. Here are reliable methods to transfer WhatsApp chats between iPhone and Android:
Using Google Drive to Transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone
- Backup WhatsApp chats to Google Drive on your Android phone
- On iPhone, install WhatsApp and verify your phone number
- Tap on “Restore from iCloud backup” and choose “Transfer from Android”
- Follow prompts to link Google account and select Android backup to restore chats
Using Move to iOS App to Transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone
- Install Move to iOS app on your Android phone
- When setting up your new iPhone, choose “Transfer from Android” on WhatsApp
- On Android phone, open Move to iOS and select WhatsApp transfer
- The app will transfer your WhatsApp backup to iCloud
- WhatsApp will then detect this backup and restore chats on your iPhone
Using Third-party Apps like AnyTrans to Move WhatsApp Data from iPhone to Android
- Install AnyTrans on your computer and connect iPhone
- Select WhatsApp and back up messages to computer
- Connect Android phone to computer and transfer WhatsApp data
- Manually restore WhatsApp and import the backup file
Be patient during the transfer process and ensure no steps fail for seamless chat migration between platforms.
How to Restore Deleted WhatsApp Messages if Not in Backup
If your WhatsApp messages got accidentally deleted and were not preserved in any backups, your options are limited. But here are some ways to try retrieving deleted WhatsApp messages:
- Use data recovery software to scan your phone storage and restore deleted files
- Extract WhatsApp media from iCloud or Google Photos if backed up
- Check web downloads in chat history to view deleted messages
- Ask the sender to share a copy of lost conversations
- Try querying deleted messages via email if enabled in settings
Avoid using the phone excessively after data loss as overwrite actions can make recovery difficult.
Conclusion
Losing precious WhatsApp data when switching phones can be frustrating. But you can avoid this outcome with proper backups and seamless chat history transfers using the steps outlined above.
The key things to remember are:
- Always keep chat backup enabled and updated
- Manually verify backups before changing devices
- Handle Android to iOS or vice versa moves carefully
- Check for restore issues and troubleshoot problems
Following this guide will ensure your WhatsApp messages stay safely preserved when you migrate to a new smartphone.