Transferring WhatsApp chats from an old iPhone to a new iPhone is a common task for many iPhone users. When you get a new iPhone, you’ll want to move over your conversations, photos, videos and other data from WhatsApp on your old iPhone. Thankfully, Apple provides a few different methods to transfer WhatsApp chats between iPhones.
What You Need Before Transferring WhatsApp Chats
Before beginning the process of transferring WhatsApp chats between iPhones, you’ll need to make sure you have the following:
- Both your old iPhone and new iPhone available
- Your new iPhone set up with your Apple ID
- A Lightning to USB cable to connect the iPhones
- Enough iCloud storage to backup your old iPhone (minimum 5GB is recommended)
- The latest version of iOS installed on both iPhones
- Your WhatsApp chats backed up to iCloud on your old iPhone
How to Backup WhatsApp to iCloud
Before transferring your WhatsApp chats, you’ll want to make sure your latest chats are backed up from your old iPhone to iCloud. Here are the steps to backup WhatsApp to iCloud:
- Open WhatsApp on your old iPhone
- Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Tap “Back Up Now” to manually backup your latest WhatsApp chats to iCloud
- Make sure WhatsApp is toggled ON for iCloud Backup in your iPhone settings
Method 1: Transfer via iCloud Restore
The easiest way to transfer WhatsApp chats to a new iPhone is to use an iCloud backup and restore. Here are the steps:
- Backup your old iPhone to iCloud – This backs up your WhatsApp chats
- Set up your new iPhone and sign in with your Apple ID
- On your new iPhone setup, choose to Restore from iCloud Backup
- Select the latest backup of your old iPhone
- The iCloud restore will transfer your WhatsApp chats & data to your new iPhone
The benefits of using an iCloud restore to transfer WhatsApp chats include:
- Easy to perform during new iPhone setup
- Transfers all your WhatsApp chat history
- Also transfers your settings, apps, photos, etc.
The downsides include:
- Large iCloud backup can take time to restore
- You may not want all data from old iPhone transferred
Method 2: Transfer via Move to iOS App
Another way to transfer WhatsApp chats from an old iPhone is to use the Move to iOS app. Here are the steps:
- Install the Move to iOS app on your old iPhone
- On your new iPhone setup, select “Move Data from Android”
- On your old iPhone, open Move to iOS and follow setup prompts
- Select WhatsApp under “Data to Transfer”
- The app will transfer your WhatsApp chats and data to the new iPhone
The benefits of using Move to iOS include:
- Selectively transfers just WhatsApp chats
- Easy to use after initial setup of new iPhone
- Encrypted transfer between devices
The downsides include:
- Requires both iPhones be available to transfer
- Only transfers WhatsApp chats, not other data
Method 3: Transfer Manually via iCloud Drive
You can also manually transfer WhatsApp chats between iPhones using iCloud Drive. Here are the steps:
- On your old iPhone, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now
- Open the Files app on your old iPhone and go to On My iPhone > WhatsApp > Databases and tap the latest file
- Tap the Share button and select “Save to Files”
- Go to iCloud Drive and create a new folder called WhatsApp Backup
- Save the WhatsApp chat backup file to iCloud Drive
- On your new iPhone, install WhatsApp and verify your phone number
- Open the Files app and go to iCloud Drive > WhatsApp Backup
- Tap and hold the backup file and select “Save to Files”
- Go to On My iPhone > WhatsApp > Databases and overwrite the current file with your backup
The benefits of a manual iCloud Drive transfer include:
- Selectively transfers only WhatsApp chats
- Lets you transfer from computer instead of old iPhone
The downsides include:
- More complex with multiple steps
- Easy to make mistakes in file transfer
Method 4: Transfer via iTunes Backup
You can also transfer WhatsApp chats by backing up your old iPhone to iTunes on a computer, then restoring that backup to your new iPhone. Here are the steps:
- Connect your old iPhone to a computer and open iTunes
- Under Backups, right click and select “Back Up Now”
- This will backup your iPhone including WhatsApp to iTunes
- After setting up your new iPhone, connect to the same computer
- Open iTunes and go to Summary > Restore Backup
- Select the backup you just created and click Restore
The benefits of an iTunes transfer include:
- Lets you transfer everything to new iPhone
- iTunes backups are stored locally instead of iCloud
The downsides include:
- Requires a computer with iTunes
- Slower than over-the-air iCloud transfer
Fixing Issues with Transferred WhatsApp Chats
After transferring your WhatsApp chats to a new iPhone, you may notice issues like missing chats or problems logging in. Here are some tips to fix common problems:
- Force quit and relaunch WhatsApp after transfer
- Check your Internet connection and verify your phone number
- On your old iPhone, create a new backup and try transferring again
- Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp on your new iPhone
- Contact WhatsApp support if chats are still missing
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my WhatsApp chats transfer if I restore from an iCloud backup?
Yes, restoring your new iPhone from an iCloud backup of your old iPhone will transfer your WhatsApp chat history and data, provided WhatsApp is enabled in the iCloud backup.
Do my WhatsApp chats transfer if I switch to a new iPhone?
Your WhatsApp chats do not automatically transfer when you switch to a new iPhone. You will need to use iCloud backup & restore, Move to iOS, iTunes, or manual file transfer to move your WhatsApp chats over to the new iPhone.
Can I transfer WhatsApp chats without iCloud?
Yes, you can transfer WhatsApp chats without using iCloud. You can use Move to iOS, connect both iPhones with a cable and transfer directly, or manually transfer chat backup files using iTunes or data cable.
Will my WhatsApp chats merge if I restore backup on new iPhone?
When you restore from an iCloud or iTunes backup to your new iPhone, it will overwrite and replace any existing WhatsApp chats and data on that device. Your old and new chats will be merged into one history.
How do I transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone?
To transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone, use the Move to iOS app on Android to selectively move your WhatsApp chat history during initial iPhone setup. You can also backup WhatsApp manually on Android and restore on iPhone.
How do I restore WhatsApp from Google Drive to iPhone?
You cannot directly restore WhatsApp chats from Google Drive to an iPhone. You will need to restore your Google Drive WhatsApp backup back to an Android device first, then use Move to iOS to transfer WhatsApp chats over when setting up your new iPhone.
Summary & Conclusion
Transferring WhatsApp chats from an old iPhone to a new iPhone is simple using the built-in iCloud backup and restore process. For selective chat transfers, the Move to iOS app provides an encrypted transfer option without moving all your old data.
Manually transferring chats via iCloud Drive or iTunes are also options, but require more steps. Make sure to backup your WhatsApp chats before erasing your old iPhone.
If you run into issues with missing chats, try recreating the backup, reinstalling WhatsApp, and contacting support to recover your chat history on your new device.
| Transfer Method | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| iCloud Restore | Easy, transfers everything | Large backup, no selectivity |
| Move to iOS | Selective transfer, encrypted | Requires both iPhones |
| Manually via iCloud Drive | Selective, use computer | Complex steps |
| iTunes Backup | Transfers everything | Requires computer |