Ultimate Guide on How to Backup and Restore WhatsApp

August 21, 2023 10 mins read

WhatsApp carries much important data about our daily life. Whether it's a daily share of gossip or the need to transmit a document to another person, we always leave a chat in WhatsApp.

WhatsApp provides built-in services including data backup and data recovery, which makes it easy for us to find what we need again. But if one day, these backups are corrupted or disappeared, how to find the backups and restore WhatsApp data?

In this guide, we'll show you how to backup and restore WhatsApp on both Android and iPhone. What’s more, how to restore deleted or corrupted WhatsApp backups.

In this article:

Part 1: 3 Ways to Back Up WhatsApp

Part 2: How to Restore WhatsApp Backup

Part 3: Frequently Asked Questions about Backing Up/Restoring WhatsApp

Part 1: 3 Ways to Back Up WhatsApp

There are 3 different ways to backup your WhatsApp chats:

Export: This creates a human-readable file that you can read and print. You can choose which chats to export, unlike a backup which backs up all chats automatically.
Cloud: This saves your complete chat history to a cloud service like Google Drive or iCloud. The backup does not take up space on your phone.
iMyTrans: This saves your complete WhatsApp data to backup file on your PC. The new backup will not overwrite the old backup. If you have backed up to this app, you can view and restore different backups from iMyTrans when Google Drive/iCloud backup is broken.

Here is a table that summarizes the key differences between the three types of backups:

Backup type	Pros	Cons
Export	Human-readable, can be read and printed, can choose which chats to export	Requires manual intervention, does not save media files
Cloud	Saves all chats automatically, does not take up space on phone	Requires a stable internet connection, may be slow to backup large chat histories
iMyTrans	Easy to use, can backup chats and media files, can backup to multiple devices	Requires a computer

Here is the step-by-step guide on how to back up WhatsApp with each method.

1 Export WhatsApp Chat

This is the simplest way to back up your WhatsApp chats. The operation in iPhone and Android is similar. Just open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup, and tap Export Chat, then choose whether to include media or not. Then you will need to select sharing options. Click "Mail" from them, and enter your email address to send the email.

Pros

You can choose specific chat to export.
You can view your exported chats with this method.
You can get media like photos and videos in chats.

Cons

Unable to check chats on WhatsApp format.
Unable to get embed attached photos, videos, or emojis in the chat.
Unable to restore this kind of backup to new devices.

2 Back Up WhatsApp to Cloud

WhatsApp offers two ways to back up your chats to the cloud: iCloud for iPhone users and Google Drive for Android users.

Backing up your chats to Google Drive/iCloud:

Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and tap "Back Up Now".

Note

You can only back up your WhatsApp chats to the cloud if you have a stable internet connection.

Pros

Technical rookie can restore the backup to a device easily.
You can back up all WhatsApp chats and media with this method.
You can automatically back up WhatsApp with a selected frequency.

Cons

Unable to view chats within the backup.
Unable to choose which chats to be backed up.
Unable to restore backup from different periods.

3 Back Up WhatsApp to iMyTrans

iMyFone iMyTrans is a third-party app that can help you backup and restore WhatsApp chats and media. Compared with Export Chats and Cloud Back Up, iMyTrans offers more comprehensive back up solutions to WhatsApp users:

It offers readable backups.
iMyTrans does not take up storage on the phone itself.
You can back up All WhatsApp chats, media, audio, emojis,and attachment.
You are able to transfer backups from Android to iOS, from iOS to Android, and more.

To back up your WhatsApp chats to iMyTrans:

Step 1. Connect your phone to your computer and launch iMyTrans.

Step 2. Click on the WhatsApp tab and then click on the Backup button.

Step 3. Wait for completing the process. Follow the guide in the program.

Step 4. The backup time won't take long. When the backup is complete, you will be alerted.

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Pros

You can back up and restore individual and group chat with iMyTrans.
You can back up and restore WhatsApp chats and its attached media between different OS. (Android, iOS, Win, Mac and more)
You can rename WhatsApp backups on your needs in iMyTrans.
You can transfer, back up and restore WhatsApp with one iMyTrans.

Cons

It is not free.
Your new phone's WhatsApp data will be overwriting after restoring backups from iMyTrans to the new phone.
You need a computer to complete restoration and backup on iMyTrans.

Key Features:

iMyTrans is cost-effective WhatsApp data management tool. Comparing with other third-party WhatsApp transfer tool, iMyTrans offers more comprehensive features on cross-platform WhatsApp transfer, manageable WhatsApp backup, and selective WhatsApp restoration with a cost-effective price:

Try It Free

1-month plan for 5 phones & unlimited PCs: $29.99
1-year plan for 5 phones & unlimited PCs: $39.99
Lifetime plan for 5 phones & unlimited PCs: $49.99

Buyers enjoy free lifetime software updates and 30-Day money back principle if you were not satisfied with iMyTrans. We are confident to earn your trust because of its outstanding data management features.

Part 2: How to Restore WhatsApp Backup?

1 Restore WhatsApp Backup on Android

To restore a WhatsApp backup on Android, you need to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp. Once you've reinstalled WhatsApp, open it and follow the on-screen instructions to restore your backup.

2 Restore WhatsApp Backup on iPhone

To restore a WhatsApp backup on iPhone, you need to connect your phone to your computer and use iTunes to restore your phone to a previous backup. Once you've restored your phone, open WhatsApp and follow the on-screen instructions to restore your backup.

3 Restore WhatsApp from iMyTrans

To restore WhatsApp from iMyTrans, connect your phone to your computer and launch iMyTrans. Click on the WhatsApp tab and then click on the Restore button. Select the backup that you want to restore and then click on the Restore button again.

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With iMyTrans, you can:

Recover deleted WhatsApp messages without Google Drive or iCloud.
Restore deleted WhatsApp messages of one contact.
Restore WhatsApp messages as easily as using Google Drive.
Restore WhatsApp messages to a new device.
Restore WhatsApp messages quicker and easier than iCloud, Google Drive, or iTunes.

Part 3: Frequently Asked Questions about Backing Up/Restoring WhatsApp

1 Q1. How to disable local backup in WhatsApp?

To disable local backup in WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and uncheck the Back Up Locally box.

2 Q2. What should I do if WhatsApp backup too slow?

If WhatsApp backup is too slow, there are a few things you can try:

Make sure that the internet connection is stable.
Increase the frequency of your backups.
Back up your chats to Google Drive instead of iCloud.
Use a third-party app like iMyTrans to backup your chats.

3 Q3. WhatsApp backup stuck at 99, what should I do?

If WhatsApp backup is stuck at 99, there are a few things you can try:

Restart your phone.
Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp.
Clear the cache and data for WhatsApp.
Contact WhatsApp support for help.

4 Q4. How to stop WhatsApp backup?

To stop WhatsApp backup, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and uncheck the Back Up Now box.

Part 4: Bottom Line

Backing up your WhatsApp chats is important, and there are a few different ways to do it. The best way for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences:

If you're looking for a simple and easy way to backup your chats, exporting them to a file is a good option.
If you want to be able to restore your chats to a new phone or computer, backing them up to the cloud is a better choice. And if you need a more comprehensive solution that can also backup your media files, iMyTrans is a great option.

No matter which method you choose, it's important to backup your WhatsApp chats regularly so that you don't lose them if something happens to your phone.

Heather Marston

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