To restore WhatsApp chats, use the cloud backup tied to the same phone number and account: Google Drive on Android or iCloud on iPhone. If your old Android phone still has the chats, Google also documents a Wi-Fi transfer during setup of a new Android phone. That transfer does not merge histories, and Google says WhatsApp does not guarantee it will succeed. (Google Android Help)
Choose the recovery route
A cloud restore uses a saved copy. A phone-to-phone transfer uses chats still on the old Android phone. Pick the route that matches what you can access:
| Route | Backup location or source | What you need | Important limit |
| Android cloud restore | Google account / Google Drive | The phone number and Google account associated with the backup | Messages sent or received after the latest backup are not in that copy. |
| iPhone cloud restore | iCloud | The phone number and Apple account used for the backup | Restore the backup associated with that account. |
| Android phone transfer | Your old Android phone, over Wi-Fi during setup | The old phone must still have the chats | Histories cannot be merged, and WhatsApp transfer success is not guaranteed. |
Back up before changing phones
On Android, open WhatsApp’s Settings > Chats > Chat backup and save a copy to the Google account you plan to use on the new phone. Set a backup schedule if you want future copies made regularly. WhatsApp says each newer Google-account backup replaces the previous one. (WhatsApp Help Center)
On iPhone, use WhatsApp’s chat-backup settings to save a copy to iCloud. Keep access to the Apple account associated with that backup and use the same phone number when you restore it.
If you want videos in an Android backup, turn on Include videos before making the backup. WhatsApp says videos return only when they were included in the saved copy. It also says channel media is excluded unless you’re the channel admin. (WhatsApp Help Center)
Restore during WhatsApp setup
For a cloud restore, have the matching phone number and cloud account ready before setting up WhatsApp on the replacement phone.
- Install or reinstall WhatsApp on the phone where you want the chats.
- Verify the same phone number used for the backup. WhatsApp requires the number to match. (WhatsApp Help Center)
- Sign in to the Google account that holds the backup on Android, or the Apple account used for the iCloud backup on iPhone.
- Choose the restore option during WhatsApp setup when prompted.
On Android, the phone needs more free storage than the backup’s size. WhatsApp warns that insufficient space can result in a partial restore. (WhatsApp Help Center)
If you still have your old Android phone and want to transfer directly, choose the Wi-Fi transfer option during the new Android phone’s setup instead of restoring a cloud copy. Google says the old and new chat histories cannot be merged: restoring old history replaces newer history on the destination phone. (Google Android Help)
If you skipped the restore prompt on Android, Google says you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to start setup again. Save any newer chats on the destination phone first, because restoring the old history replaces them. (Google Android Help)
What a backup can bring back
A backup is a snapshot, not a way to retrieve later messages from that same copy. WhatsApp says messages sent or received after the latest backup cannot be restored from it. A newer Google-account backup also replaces the older one, so that account does not keep a selectable series of old chat snapshots. (WhatsApp Help Center)
Media can have its own timing: photos and other media may continue downloading after the chat history has been restored. Videos are included only if the backup’s Include videos option was enabled beforehand.
Protect an encrypted backup
An end-to-end encrypted backup needs its password or 64-digit key to restore. On October 30, 2025, WhatsApp announced passkey-encrypted backups as another credential option. The company said the rollout would be gradual, and described using a fingerprint, face, or screen-lock code instead of memorizing a password or key. (WhatsApp announcement)
