WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. One of the handy features of WhatsApp is the ability to use it on multiple devices, like your phone and computer. By linking your phone to WhatsApp Web or Desktop app, you can seamlessly sync your chats between devices.
In this article, I’ll walk you through the steps to sync your WhatsApp chats from your computer to your phone. Whether you have a new phone and need to transfer your chats or want the same WhatsApp experience across devices, this guide has got you covered.
Requirements
Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how to sync WhatsApp Web to phone, let’s go over what you need:
- A computer (Windows or Mac)
- The WhatsApp app installed on your phone
- WhatsApp Web or Desktop app on your computer
- An active internet connection on both devices
- Your phone number linked to your WhatsApp account
As long as you have the above covered, you’re all set to sync your WhatsApp chats seamlessly between phone and computer.
Step 1: Link Your Phone to WhatsApp Web/Desktop
The first step is to connect your phone to the WhatsApp Web/Desktop app on your computer. Here’s how to do it:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone
- Tap the More Options icon (3 dots on top right corner)
- Select WhatsApp Web/Desktop
- Open web.whatsapp.com on your computer browser OR launch WhatsApp Desktop app
- Use your phone to scan the QR code displayed on the computer screen
- Confirm the pairing by tapping Link on your phone
That’s it! Your WhatsApp on your phone is now linked to the computer. Any new messages will appear on both devices automatically.
Step 2: Enable Chat Backup
Now that your devices are linked, you need to make sure chat backup is enabled on your phone. This allows WhatsApp to regularly backup your chats to Google Drive or iCloud. Here are the steps:
On Android
- Open WhatsApp Settings
- Tap Chats > Chat Backup
- Enable backup and select a frequency (daily, weekly etc)
- Tap Back Up to save your chats to Google Drive
On iPhone
- Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Enable iCloud Backup by tapping the switch
- Tap Back Up Now to instantly save chats to iCloud
With chat backup enabled, your WhatsApp chats are safely stored in the cloud. This makes syncing across devices much more reliable.
Step 3: Transfer Chats to New Phone
When you get a new phone and install WhatsApp, all your chats and data can be transferred from your old phone. Just install WhatsApp and verify your number. On the ‘Restore Chats’ prompt:
On Android
- Tap Restore if Google Drive backup is found
- Wait for chats and media to restore from the cloud backup
On iPhone
- Tap Restore when iCloud backup prompt appears
- Tap Merge to confirm and sync chats from iCloud
That’s all there is to it! Your chats from the old phone will be transferred to your new phone.
Step 4: Sync Deleted Chats
If you delete a chat on one device, it stays deleted on all synced devices. To bring back a deleted chat:
- On the device where chat is still visible, star or pin the chat.
- On the device where chat was deleted, uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
- Verify number and restore chats from backup when prompted.
- The deleted chat will reappear as it was saved in backup.
This trick syncs back accidentally deleted chats across WhatsApp devices.
Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some handy troubleshooting tips if you face any issues syncing WhatsApp Web to phone:
- Make sure your phone and computer are connected to the internet
- Check that your phone number is correctly verified on WhatsApp Web
- Restart your phone and computer if unable to link devices
- Scan the QR code again if WhatsApp Web disconnects
- Force close and reopen WhatsApp if new messages don’t sync
- Clear browser data/cache if WhatsApp Web has linking issues
- Check Google Drive or iCloud storage if backup doesn’t work
Following these simple troubleshooting tips should help resolve any syncing issues you face.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about syncing WhatsApp from computer to phone:
Does WhatsApp sync between an iPhone and Android phone?
Unfortunately, WhatsApp does not sync chats between iPhone and Android devices directly. Your chat history will remain within the OS ecosystem.
Can I migrate WhatsApp chats from iPhone to Android?
Yes, you can migrate chats from iPhone to Android using a third-party app like Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Transfer. Simply move your chats during the phone transfer process.
How many devices can use WhatsApp Web?
You can link up to 4 devices to use WhatsApp Web simultaneously. This includes your phone plus 3 computers or tablets.
Does deleting WhatsApp Web delete chats from phone?
No, deleting WhatsApp Web will not affect the chats on your phone. However, deleting chats or uninstalling WhatsApp on your phone will delete chats on linked computers.
Can I recover deleted WhatsApp messages?
If the chats were backed up before deleting, you can restore and recover deleted WhatsApp messages from the backup. Use a third-party data recovery app if backup is not available.
Conclusion
Syncing WhatsApp chats between your phone and computer is easy with WhatsApp Web/Desktop. Simply link your devices, enable chat backup, and all your messages and media will stay perfectly synced across platforms.
So go ahead and enjoy seamless WhatsApp chat syncing between phone and PC! Let me know if you have any other questions in the comments.