WhatsApp Backup Stuck on Preparing? How to Fix It (2026)

Last updated: November 1, 2026

Checked by Abubakar Iqbal on an iPhone 16, Nov 2026: I tried these steps myself, and most of them worked for me.

A WhatsApp backup stuck on preparing is one of the most common backup problems on both iPhone and Android. You tap Back up now, the screen says “Preparing backup”, and nothing moves, sometimes for hours. This guide focuses only on that problem: what causes it and the fixes WhatsApp, Apple and Google recommend, from the quickest to the last-resort ones. If you haven’t set up backups yet, start with our main guide on how to back up WhatsApp on iPhone and Android.

Quick answer: Plug your phone in, keep WhatsApp open, and give the first backup some time. If it’s still stuck, restart the phone, switch to a different Wi-Fi network (or mobile data), free up storage on the phone, and turn off Include videos in chats to make the backup smaller. Then update WhatsApp and your phone’s software. On iPhone, also check your iCloud storage and turn iCloud Drive off and on for WhatsApp. On Android, check your Google Account storage and update Google Play services. If backups only stall in the background, turn off battery saver and check WhatsApp’s battery and background data settings.

Before You Try Anything: Protect Your Existing Backup

WhatsApp keeps only one cloud backup per phone number (and per Google Account on Android), and each new backup replaces the old one. WhatsApp’s Help Center gives a clear warning: if chats or media are already missing from your phone, don’t delete your backup, create a new backup or reset your phone, because your existing backup may be the only copy. Use the fixes below only if your chats are still on the phone.

If you’re about to switch phones and the backup won’t finish, there’s an alternative at the end of this guide that doesn’t need the cloud at all.

Why WhatsApp Backups Get Stuck on “Preparing”

During the “Preparing” stage, WhatsApp is building the backup file on your phone before it uploads anything. Based on WhatsApp’s own troubleshooting pages, these are the usual reasons it stalls:

• Not enough free space on the phone. WhatsApp needs room for temporary files while it creates the backup.
• A weak or changing connection. WhatsApp says switching between Wi-Fi networks during a backup can make it time out.
• A very large backup, usually because of videos.
• Cloud storage is full in iCloud or your Google Account.
• Low battery or power saving. WhatsApp recommends a fully charged phone or one plugged into power.
• Outdated software, including WhatsApp, iOS or Android, and Google Play services.
• Account or sync problems, such as iCloud Drive being off for WhatsApp, or a Google Account that needs to be signed in again.
• On dual-SIM phones, the SIM linked to your WhatsApp number isn’t active.

Fixes That Work on Both iPhone and Android

Try these in order and test a manual backup after each one (Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back up now on iPhone, or Back up on Android).

1. Give it time, with the right conditions. The first backup, or the first one in a long while, can take much longer than usual. Plug in the charger, stay on a strong Wi-Fi connection and keep WhatsApp open on the Chat backup screen.
2. Restart your phone. It’s simple, but it’s the first step WhatsApp lists for a stuck backup.
3. Close WhatsApp completely and reopen it. On iPhone, swipe up from the bottom of the screen, pause, then swipe WhatsApp away. On Android, you can also go to Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Force stop.
4. Change your connection. Turn Wi-Fi off and on, try a different Wi-Fi network, or try mobile data, then stay on that one connection until the backup finishes. On Android, mobile-data backups only run if Back up using cellular is on under Chat backup.
5. Free up space on your phone. In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage and delete large files and forwarded videos you don’t need. On iPhone, our guide to free up space on iPhone shows where else to find room. If WhatsApp tells you how much space it needs, free up at least that amount.
6. Make the backup smaller. On the Chat backup screen, turn off Include videos in chats and try again. Once one backup has finished, you can turn videos back on and let the next backup add them.
7. Update everything. Update WhatsApp from the App Store or Google Play, then install any available iOS or Android update.
8. Check your dual SIM. If your phone has two SIMs, make sure the one with your WhatsApp number is switched on.
9. Sign out and back in to your iCloud or Google Account, as explained in the sections below. This is a bigger step, so do it after the easier fixes.

iPhone Fixes (iCloud Backups)

1. Check your iCloud storage

Open Settings, tap your name, then tap iCloud to see how much space is left. Every Apple Account gets 5 GB free, which is shared with iPhone backups, iCloud Photos and iCloud Drive. If it’s nearly full, Apple’s Recommended for You section in the same iCloud screen can help you clear old backups or large files. Otherwise you’ll need to delete something or upgrade to iCloud+.

2. Turn iCloud Drive off and on for WhatsApp

1. Go to Settings > tap your name > iCloud > iCloud Drive.
2. Make sure Sync this iPhone is on. If it already is, turn it off and back on.
3. Under Apps Syncing to iCloud Drive, check that WhatsApp is on. If it is, turn it off and then back on again.
4. Reopen WhatsApp and tap Back up now.

3. Turn off Low Data Mode

Apple says Low Data Mode turns off automatic downloads and backups and pauses iCloud updates and backups. It’s worth checking if your backups keep stalling. For Wi-Fi, go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the info button next to your network and turn off Low Data Mode. For mobile data, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options (in the UK this menu is called Mobile Data).

4. Sign out of iCloud and back in (last resort)

If nothing else works, WhatsApp suggests signing out of iCloud entirely, restarting your iPhone, signing back in and trying again. This affects other apps that use iCloud, so only try it after everything above.

5. Delete the old iCloud backup, only if all your chats are on the phone

WhatsApp’s final suggestion is to delete your WhatsApp backup from iCloud and start a fresh one. Deleting it is permanent, so only do this if every chat and photo you care about is still on the iPhone. iCloud’s per-app data is under Settings > your name > iCloud > Storage (or Manage Account Storage). Select WhatsApp there, delete its data, then run Back up now.

Using WhatsApp cloud storage instead of iCloud? Those backups don’t use iCloud at all. WhatsApp offers 2 GB free, and backups stop if you go over the free limit without a paid plan. Make the backup smaller or upgrade from the Chat backup screen. WhatsApp’s cloud storage terms say this service, including the free 2 GB, isn’t offered to people who live in the European Region (the European Economic Area, which includes the EU), so if you live there, back up to iCloud or your Google Account instead.

Android Fixes (Google Account Backups)

1. Check your Google storage

On Android, WhatsApp backups count toward your Google Account storage, which is shared with Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos. Check how much is left at one.google.com/storage. WhatsApp says that if you’re over your Google storage limit, you’ll need to free up space before backups can resume.

2. Update Google Play services

WhatsApp’s Android backups rely on Google Play services. Go to your phone’s Settings > Apps > Google Play services and open its app details in the Play Store to check for an update.

3. Check WhatsApp’s permissions

WhatsApp’s Google Account troubleshooting starts with permissions. Make sure WhatsApp’s Photos and videos permission is set to Allow. You’ll find it under Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Permissions. The exact wording varies by phone maker.

4. Sync, then remove and re-add your Google Account

1. Go to your phone’s Settings > Accounts and select your Google Account. Menu names vary: on a Pixel it’s Passwords, passkeys & accounts, and on Samsung it’s Accounts and backup > Manage accounts.
2. Tap Sync account, then the menu, then Sync now, and let it finish.
3. Go back and tap Remove account.
4. Open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Google Account, and add the account again.
5. Tap Back up.

Removing a Google Account from the phone signs it out of other Google apps on that phone too, so have your password ready. If you can’t sign back in, see our guide to recover a Gmail account without a phone number before you go further.

5. Stuck at 100%? Wait it out

If the progress bar shows 100% but the backup notification won’t go away, WhatsApp says background work such as media uploads may still be finishing. Wait a few hours for it to clear.

6. Reinstall WhatsApp (very last resort)

WhatsApp suggests uninstalling, restarting the phone and reinstalling from Google Play only if your chats and media are still on the device and already backed up. If your cloud backup has never finished, skip this step. Reinstalling without a good backup risks losing chats.

Check Battery and Background Data Settings

WhatsApp asks for a charged or plugged-in phone, and both Android and iOS limit what apps can do in the background to save battery or data. WhatsApp doesn’t list the settings below as a backup step. They’re still worth checking if your backup only stalls when the screen turns off or you leave WhatsApp, or if automatic backups never run. WhatsApp says daily Google Account backups run every night, while the app usually isn’t open.

Android: let WhatsApp run in the background

1. Turn off battery saver while the backup runs. Google says Battery Saver “limits or turns off background activity”. Samsung says its Power saving mode stops background apps from using Wi-Fi and mobile data. Turn it off in Settings > Battery, or from Quick Settings.
2. Set WhatsApp’s battery usage to Unrestricted. Menus vary by phone maker and Android version:
   • Google Pixel (Android 14 and later): Settings > Apps > See all apps > WhatsApp > App battery usage. Make sure Allow background usage is on, then tap its name and choose Unrestricted (Pixel Help).
   • Samsung Galaxy (One UI): Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Battery > Unrestricted (Samsung Support). Also open Settings > Battery > Background usage limits (Battery and device care > Battery on older versions) and check that WhatsApp isn’t in Sleeping apps or Deep sleeping apps.
   • Other phones: open WhatsApp’s App info page and look for Battery or App battery usage. Some makers add their own battery manager on top of Android, so the wording and location differ.
3. Allow background data if you back up over mobile data. This only matters if Back up using cellular is on. Google says Data Saver lets most apps get background data only over Wi-Fi.
   • Pixel: Settings > Network & internet > Data Saver > Unrestricted data, then turn on WhatsApp (Pixel Help).
   • Samsung: Settings > Apps > WhatsApp > Mobile data. Turn on Allow background data usage, and also the switch that lets WhatsApp use data while Data saver is on (Samsung Support).

WhatsApp lists Google Play services as a requirement for Google Account backups. If you’ve ever restricted its battery or data use, undo that too. WhatsApp’s requirements don’t mention the Google Drive or Google One apps, so you don’t need to change their settings. Use one.google.com/storage only to check your storage space. Pixel Help warns that an unrestricted app can use more battery than needed. If your battery drains faster afterwards, switch WhatsApp back to Optimized and run backups manually with WhatsApp open.

iPhone: Low Power Mode and Background App Refresh

iPhone has no per-app “Unrestricted” battery setting. The closest equivalents are these two:

• Turn off Low Power Mode. Apple says it turns off Background App Refresh and automatic downloads and pauses iCloud Photos. On iPhone 15 and later, go to Settings > Battery > Power Mode. On iPhone 14 and earlier, go to Settings > Battery. You can also tap the battery icon in Control Center. Low Power Mode turns itself off once the battery charges to 80% or higher.
• Check Background App Refresh. Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh. Make sure it isn’t set to Off and that WhatsApp’s switch is on. Apple notes that an app you swipe away in the app switcher might not run in the background until you open it again. For automatic backups, don’t force-close WhatsApp out of habit.

For a manual backup on either phone, the simplest approach is still the one above: keep WhatsApp open on the Chat backup screen with the phone plugged in.

Still Stuck? Safety Nets While You Sort It Out

• Export your most important chats. WhatsApp’s Export chat feature saves a conversation as a file you can keep. It can’t be imported back into WhatsApp, but it keeps a readable copy. Our WhatsApp backup guide shows the steps for both phones.
• Moving to a new phone of the same type? WhatsApp’s Chat Transfer copies chats directly from your old phone to the new one, iPhone to iPhone or Android to Android, without a cloud backup.
• Don’t reset or sell the old phone until you’ve confirmed your chats are safely on the new one, or that a backup has finished with a recent “Last backup” date.

Troubleshooting Related Messages

“Waiting for Wi-Fi”

WhatsApp is waiting for a Wi-Fi connection. Connect to Wi-Fi or, on Android, turn on Back up using cellular if your data plan allows it.

“Backup failed: You need more storage”

You’re over a storage limit. Free up space on the phone, or free up or buy more space in iCloud, your Google Account or WhatsApp cloud storage.

The backup finishes but seems incomplete

WhatsApp says partial backups are usually caused by an unstable connection, too little storage or an interruption during the backup. Run another manual backup on a steady connection with the phone plugged in, and don’t close WhatsApp halfway through.

The Short Version

Most backups that hang on “Preparing” come down to space, connection or size. Free up room on the phone, stay on one strong network, turn off videos for the first run, and make sure iCloud or Google has enough storage. Keep the delete-and-start-over steps for the very end, and never use them if chats are already missing. Once a backup completes, check the “Last backup” date now and then so you know it’s still working.

Official sources: WhatsApp Help Center: Can’t back up or restore your chat history , Apple Support: Manage your iCloud storage, Pixel Help: Battery optimization and Apple Support: Low Power Mode. More app guides are in our Internet & Apps section.

Frequently Asked Questions

For more WhatsApp backup and restore guides, see our WhatsApp Help page.

On an iPhone? Our iPhone & iOS 27 Problems page has more fixes.

Related guides

• How to Back Up WhatsApp on iPhone & Android (2026)
• How to Free Up Space on iPhone (iOS 27 Guide)
• Recover a Gmail Account Without a Phone Number (2026)