How to Back Up WhatsApp on iPhone & Android (2026)

Last updated: October 31, 2026

Quick answer: Here’s how to back up WhatsApp in under a minute: open WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup, and tap Back up on Android or Back up now on iPhone. Android phones save the backup to your Google Account (or WhatsApp’s own cloud storage, where available), and iPhones save it to iCloud (or WhatsApp cloud storage). To keep backups running without having to remember, turn on automatic backups on the same screen.

This guide covers both phones step by step, explains which settings matter, shows what to do when a backup gets stuck, and explains how to restore on a new phone. The menu names come from WhatsApp’s official Help Center as of October 2026. WhatsApp updates its app often, so update it from the Google Play Store or App Store before you start.

Before You Start: What You Need

A backup is a copy of your messages, photos, voice notes and (if you choose) videos, stored online so you can get them back on a new or reset phone. Before you back up, check these things:

• A stable internet connection. Wi-Fi is best, because backups can be large.
• Free space on your phone. WhatsApp builds the backup on your phone before it uploads it.
• Enough cloud storage. On Android this means space in your Google Account. On iPhone it means space in iCloud.
• The same phone number. You can only restore a backup with the phone number that created it.

WhatsApp cloud storage vs. Google or iCloud

WhatsApp now offers two places to keep your backup:

• WhatsApp cloud storage: The backup is stored by WhatsApp itself and is always end-to-end encrypted. WhatsApp’s Help Center mentions a free 2 GB limit, with paid plans such as WhatsApp Plus (100 GB) for larger backups. WhatsApp says this feature is still being rolled out, so you may not see it yet.
• Google Account (Android) or iCloud (iPhone): The backup uses the cloud storage that comes with your Google or Apple account. On Android, WhatsApp backups count toward your Google Account storage, which is shared with Gmail, Google Drive and Google Photos.

If you don’t see a choice, your phone uses Google or iCloud. That’s fine. Everything below still works.

How to Back Up WhatsApp on Android

These steps are the same on Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel and other Android phones, because they happen inside the WhatsApp app.

Turn on backups for the first time

1. Open WhatsApp and tap the three-dot menu, then Settings.
2. Tap Chats > Chat backup.
3. Tap Cloud backup.
4. Pick WhatsApp or Google as the place to store your backup (if you get a choice).
5. Tap Turn on backups and follow the prompts.

Make a backup right now

1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
2. Tap Back up.
3. Keep WhatsApp open and your phone connected until the progress bar finishes.

Set up automatic backups to your Google Account

1. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
2. Choose a backup schedule other than Never or Only when I tap “Back up”. Daily is the safest choice for most people.
3. Select the Google Account you want to use. If none is connected, tap Add account and sign in.
4. Decide whether to turn on Include videos in chats, Back up using cellular, and Back up status archive.

If you use WhatsApp cloud storage instead, tap Automatic backups on the Chat backup screen and choose daily, weekly or monthly.

Switch to a different Google Account

1. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Google Account.
2. Tap Add account and sign in to the account you want.
3. Tap Back up so a fresh copy is saved to the new account.

How to Back Up WhatsApp on iPhone

Check that iCloud is ready

WhatsApp’s in-app iCloud backup needs iCloud Drive, so check it first:

1. Open the iPhone Settings app and tap your name at the top.
2. Tap iCloud > iCloud Drive, and make sure Sync this iPhone is on.
3. Under Apps Syncing to iCloud Drive, check that WhatsApp is turned on.

Turn on backups for the first time

1. Open WhatsApp and tap Settings (or your profile picture).
2. Tap Chats > Chat backup.
3. Tap Cloud backup and pick WhatsApp or iCloud (if you get a choice).
4. Tap Turn on backups. For iCloud, choose how often to back up: daily, weekly or monthly.

Make a backup right now

1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
2. Tap Back up now.
3. Choose whether to turn on Include videos in chats and Include status archive.

Set up automatic iCloud backups

1. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
2. Tap Auto backup and choose Daily, Weekly or Monthly.

One important note from WhatsApp: if you choose WhatsApp cloud storage, you can’t also make an in-app iCloud backup at the same time.

Protect Your Backup With End-to-End Encryption

Backups saved to Google or iCloud aren’t protected by WhatsApp’s end-to-end encryption unless you turn it on. Encryption means nobody, including WhatsApp, Google or Apple, can read the backup without your key. The steps are nearly the same on both phones:

1. Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
2. Tap End-to-end encrypted backup. On iPhone, then tap End-to-end encryption.
3. Choose to use a passkey, or tap More options to create a password or use a 64-digit encryption key instead.
4. Tap Create and wait for it to finish.

Write your password or key down somewhere safe. WhatsApp can’t reset it for you. If you lose it, you won’t be able to restore that backup.

Which Settings Should You Choose?

• Include videos in chats: Turn this on if you want to keep videos people send you. Turn it off if your backups are failing or your cloud storage is almost full, since videos usually take up the most space.
• Back up using cellular: Leave this off if your mobile data plan is limited, so backups only run on Wi-Fi.
• Back up status archive / Include status archive: Only needed if you want to keep your archived status photos and videos.
• Frequency: Daily backups mean you lose the least if your phone is lost or broken.

Back Up WhatsApp to Your PC or Local Storage

Many people want a copy of their chats that isn’t in the cloud. It’s important to know what WhatsApp officially supports: its Help Center says the only way to recover a backup or move it to another phone is through your Google Account or iCloud, or WhatsApp cloud storage. Treat the options below as extra safety copies, not a replacement for a cloud backup.

Export individual chats (Android and iPhone)

WhatsApp’s Export chat feature saves a conversation as a file you can keep on your computer.

• Android: Open the chat, tap the three-dot menu > More > Export chat, then choose Without media or Include media.
• iPhone: Open the chat, tap the contact’s or group’s name > Export chat, choose how much media to include, then pick an option such as Save to Files. The chat is saved as a ZIP file.

Then send the file to yourself or copy it to your PC. WhatsApp notes that exported chats can’t be imported back into WhatsApp, because they’re text files rather than backups. They’re best for keeping a readable record of important conversations.

Android local backup

WhatsApp on Android also keeps a local backup on the phone. WhatsApp’s Help Center mentions that daily Google backups happen after this local backup is made. You can connect your phone to a PC with a USB cable and copy the WhatsApp folder from the phone’s internal storage as an extra copy, especially of your photos and videos. Restoring chats from these files isn’t covered in WhatsApp’s current help articles, so don’t rely on it as your only backup.

iPhone and computer backups

You can back up your whole iPhone to a Mac with the Finder, or to a Windows PC with the Apple Devices app. That’s a good habit, but WhatsApp’s Help Center says WhatsApp messages aren’t included in your device backup, and that the only way to move a WhatsApp backup to another iPhone is iCloud or WhatsApp cloud storage. Keep using WhatsApp’s own Chat backup as well.

WhatsApp Backup Stuck on Preparing or at 99%? Quick Fixes

A backup that sits on “Preparing backup”, freezes at a percentage or never finishes is usually caused by a weak connection, low storage or a very large backup. Try these fixes from WhatsApp’s Help Center, in order:

1. Wait a little and keep WhatsApp open. The first backup can take a long time, especially with videos. Keep the phone plugged in.
2. Fix the connection. Turn Wi-Fi off and on, try a different Wi-Fi network, or try mobile data. WhatsApp warns that switching between Wi-Fi networks during a backup can make it time out.
3. Restart your phone, then close and reopen WhatsApp and try again.
4. Free up space. Your phone needs room for temporary files while the backup is created. Use Settings > Storage and data > Manage storage in WhatsApp to clear large files (on iPhone, see our iPhone storage guide for more ways to make room).
5. Make the backup smaller. Turn off Include videos in chats for now and try again.
6. Update everything. Update WhatsApp, your phone’s software and, on Android, Google Play services.
7. Sign out and back in to your Google Account (Android) or iCloud (iPhone). On iPhone, also try turning iCloud Drive for WhatsApp off and back on.

On Android, if the progress bar reaches 100% but the notification doesn’t go away, WhatsApp says background work such as media uploads may still be finishing, and suggests waiting a few hours. We’re preparing a dedicated, step-by-step guide to WhatsApp backups stuck on “Preparing” for more stubborn cases.

Important: If chats are already missing from your phone, don’t delete your old backup or start a new one. WhatsApp keeps only one backup per phone number (or per Google Account), and a new backup replaces the old one.

Other Backup Errors

“Not enough storage” message

• On your phone: Free up space by deleting large files you don’t need, using WhatsApp’s Manage storage tool or your phone’s storage settings. On iPhone, follow our guide to free up space on iPhone.
• In the cloud: Check how much space is free in your Google Account or iCloud, delete old files you no longer need, or buy more storage.

iPhone says it can’t reach iCloud

• Check that you’re signed in to iCloud with your Apple Account in the Settings app.
• Make sure iCloud Drive is on and WhatsApp is allowed to use it.
• If you back up over mobile data, allow cellular data for iCloud in your iPhone settings.

Android can’t find your Google Account

• Make sure a Google Account is added to the phone and that Google Play services is installed and up to date.
• Re-select the account under Chat backup > Google Account.

How to Restore Your Backup on a New Phone

1. Install WhatsApp on the new phone. On iPhone, sign in with the same Apple Account. On Android, add the same Google Account.
2. Open WhatsApp and verify the same phone number you used before.
3. When WhatsApp finds your backup, tap Restore (or Restore Chat History on iPhone).
4. Keep WhatsApp open until your chats appear. Photos and videos then finish restoring in the background, so stay on Wi-Fi and plugged in.

If you see an option to skip the media restore, think twice: WhatsApp says you won’t be able to restore that media later. If you set up an encrypted backup, you’ll also need your passkey, password or 64-digit key.

Moving to a New Phone? Transfer Chats Without a Cloud Backup

If you’re switching between two phones of the same type, Android to Android or iPhone to iPhone, WhatsApp’s Chat Transfer feature copies your messages, photos, videos and documents directly from the old phone to the new one, without going through Google or iCloud.

Before you start:

• Use the same phone number on both phones, and don’t register WhatsApp on the new phone until you’ve started the transfer on the old one.
• Keep both phones close together and connected to a power source.
• Android: both phones need Android 6 or later and Wi-Fi turned on. They don’t have to be connected to a network.
• iPhone: WhatsApp recommends the latest iOS and WhatsApp versions on both phones. Both need Wi-Fi with an internet connection, and WhatsApp needs local network permission.

1. On the old phone:
   • Android: open WhatsApp and tap More options > Settings > Chats > Transfer chats > Start.
   • iPhone: open WhatsApp and tap your profile picture > Chats > Transfer Chats to iPhone > Start, and allow camera access if asked.
2. On the new phone: install and open WhatsApp, tap Agree and continue, and verify your phone number.
3. On Android, under Restore or transfer chats, select Transfer from old phone, then tap Continue > Start. On iPhone, tap Continue on Transfer chat history to iPhone. Accept the permission requests.
4. Use the old phone to scan the QR code shown on the new phone. On Android, then tap Accept on the new phone.
5. Keep both phones unlocked and stay in WhatsApp while the progress bar runs. Messaging is paused until it finishes. When the transfer is complete, tap Next.

Good to know: WhatsApp says Chat Transfer doesn’t include peer-to-peer payment messages or media received in Channels, and on iPhone it doesn’t include call history. It isn’t currently available in the WhatsApp Business app. Don’t reset your old phone or uninstall WhatsApp from it until you’ve checked that everything arrived. If the transfer fails or gets stuck, your chats are still on the old phone, so restart both phones and try again. Moving between Android and iPhone uses a different process, which WhatsApp explains in its Help Center.

Conclusion

Backing up WhatsApp takes a couple of minutes: open Settings > Chats > Chat backup, turn backups on, choose a daily schedule, and add end-to-end encryption for extra privacy. Do one manual backup now, export any chats you can’t afford to lose, and check the “Last backup” date now and then so you know your chats are safe.

Sources: WhatsApp Help Center: How to back up your chat history, Can’t back up or restore your chat history, About Google Account backups, How to export your chat history, How to turn off WhatsApp in your device backup, How to transfer your chat history, Can’t transfer chat history and Google One Help: Manage your storage in Drive, Gmail & Photos.

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