With the rapid growth of smartphones and the availability of newer models, data stored in phones are getting smaller and smaller. What was once backed up on a desktop or laptop drive can no longer be found anywhere out of sight. If you’ve ever lost your phone’s backup, rest assured, knowing that there’s an easier way to get it back – WhatsApp backup.
Restore WhatsApp backup has become easier over the last few years with the advent of cloud storage services like Google Drive, iCloud and Dropbox. However, before restoring WhatsApp messages from your device’s backup, it is important to have a solid understanding of how restoration works.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to restore WhatsApp backup – from how to backup and restore WhatsApp messages without a phone backup to restoring messages from your computer or phone. But before getting into it, let’s understand what restoration is and what it means for you as a user.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup?
If you ever need to restore WhatsApp backup, there are different methods, depending on your device. One way is to back up WhatsApp messages to your computer or new phone before restoring them. WhatsApp provides an FAQ page that guides users on restoring the backup, depending on their device.
Whatever method you prefer, make sure that you follow the guidelines thoroughly to ensure that no data is lost while restoring the backup. By following these steps, you can easily resume lost or deleted messages.
How to Restore Deleted WhatsApp Messages Without Backup?
If you need to restore your WhatsApp messages, you can try a few methods. One option is to use a third-party tool such as CopyTrans Shelbee’s custom restore option. This will allow you to restore your WhatsApp messages directly from a backup file.
Another option is to transfer local backup files to your phone using a computer, file explorer, or SD card. Once the backup files are on your phone, you can restore your WhatsApp messages.
If you have previously backed up your WhatsApp messages to Google Drive, you can also enable automatic backup and use the same phone number and account to restore your messages. However, it’s important to note that deleted messages can only be recovered within the selected auto-backup frequency.
If you have accidentally deleted your WhatsApp messages and don’t have a backup, you may still be able to retrieve them using third-party data recovery software. However, the success of this method is not guaranteed.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup From iCloud?
- First, verify your iCloud backups on WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
- Uninstall the app and reinstall WhatsApp if you know when the most recent backup was done
- Follow the instructions to restore your chat history after you’ve verified your phone number
To do so, iCloud Drive must be enabled, and you must be signed in using your Apple ID to access it. In addition, both your iCloud and iPhone must have enough free space. You’ll need at least 2.05 times the storage space on your iCloud account and phone to back up your original iPhone.
For backup and restoration, the phone number must be identical. You can’t retrieve your chat history from another WhatsApp account. Because backups are tied to unique phone numbers, storing multiple WhatsApp accounts’ backups in the same iCloud account is feasible.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup From Google Drive Without Uninstalling?
The automatic backup function for your chats can be set to daily, weekly, or monthly if you want a copy of your chat history on Google Drive. You must use the same phone number and Google Account to create the backup to restore a Google Drive backup successfully.
Follow the steps to restore your backup:
- Make sure that your backup is saved in the Google Account of your new Android device
- Verify your number by installing and opening WhatsApp
- Click on RESTORE to restore your chats and media from Google Drive
- Tap NEXT once the restoration process is finished. When the initialization process is completed, your chat will be shown
- Once your chats are restored, WhatsApp will restore your media files
- WhatsApp will automatically restore from your local backup file if you install it without any prior Google Drive backups
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup From Android to iPhone?
If you need to restore a WhatsApp backup, there are a few steps you’ll need to follow. First, you’ll need to ensure that you have enabled backup on Google Drive and used the same phone number and account for a successful restoration.
What do You need?
- Android OS Lollipop, SDK 21 or above, or Android 5 or above
- iOS 15.5 or above
- On your new iPhone 13, upgrade to WhatsApp version 2.22.10.70 or higher
- On your android phone, WhatsApp version 2.22.7.74 or higher is required
- Use the same phone number
- To pair with the Move to iOS app and transfer data from your Android phone, your iPhone must be brand new or restored to factory settings
You’ll need to link your Android phone to your iPhone’s hotspot if you want both gadgets linked to the same Wi-Fi network.
Migrate from Android to iPhone
- Open the Move to iOS app on your android phone and follow the instructions
- On your iPhone, you’ll see a code. On your Android phone, enter the code when you are prompted
- Click on Continue and follow the on-screen instructions
- Now, you must select WhatsApp on the Transfer Data screen
- Wait for WhatsApp to export the data before you click START on your Android phone. Once the data is prepared, you’ll be signed out of your Android phone
- To return to the Move to iOS app, tap NEXT
- Tap CONTINUE on your iPhone to send data from your Android device, and Wait for Move to iOS to verify the transfer
- Install the latest version of WhatsApp
- Open WhatsApp and log in using the same phone number
- When prompted, press Start and let the process finish
- Your chats will await you when you finish setting up your new device
Note: During migration, going to Files and choosing WhatsApp in the Move to iOS app isn’t supported.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup From iCloud to Android?
Restoring your WhatsApp backup can be straightforward if you follow the right steps. To restore a backup from iCloud to Android, you need,
- A device with Android 12 or above
- On your new device, you’ll need the Samsung Smart Switch app, version 3.7.22.1 or higher, or the Google Data Recovery Tool, already pre-installed on Google Pixel and Android devices with Android 12 or higher
- WhatsApp iOS version 2.21.160.17 or above
- WhatsApp Android version 2.21.16.20 or above
- Use the same phone number
The device should be set to factory new or reset to factory settings when moving to Google Pixel or non-Samsung Android 12.
Migrate from iPhone to Android
- Ensure your device is factory reset or you have a new phone
- When prompted, restore the device’s data through the new setup
- Unlock your iPhone
- As the Copy apps and data screen appear, connect the devices by cable
- As soon as the iPhone warning appears, press Tap Trust
- iPhone should be unlocked throughout the process
- When prompted, use the iPhone camera to scan the QR code and export data to WhatsApp iOS
- Remove the cables after transferring
- Now you can use your WhatsApp on your new device with old chats
Conclusion
While data backup is a great way to ensure that your data doesn’t get lost in the event of device failure, restoring WhatsApp backup can be a simple and effective solution if it turns out you’ve deleted messages or changed phone settings. You can easily restore WhatsApp backups by following the above restoration methods.
FAQ – How to Restore Whatsapp Backup?
Can I restore previous WhatsApp backups?
Yes, you can restore previous WhatsApp backups using different file managers and the CopyTrans Shelbee app.
Here are the steps you need to take:
- Download a file manager app and copy the backup to your new device
- Enable Automatic Restore on Google Drive and use the same phone number and Google Account to restore
- Possible reasons for not being able to restore WhatsApp backup include different phone numbers or Google accounts, low storage or battery, unstable internet connection or missing backup
- Local backups are created daily at 2:00 AM and stored on the phone for up to 7 days
Why can’t I restore backup on WhatsApp?
To restore a backup file on WhatsApp, you must use the same Google account, and phone number used when the backup was created. You cannot restore the backup if you have changed your Google account or phone number.
Restore backups can be done locally on a new device by copying the most recent backup file to the Databases folder. You can then verify your WhatsApp number and start restoring chats.
The time when backups are kept varies based on how often you’ve selected to back up your chats. For example, if you’ve chosen to back up your chats every day, but something has happened, and a chat has been deleted, you may recover it by selecting to restore from a backup within the last 7 days. However, if you’ve chosen to back up your chats every week, you can only recover messages within the past 7 weeks.
Where is WhatsApp backup stored in Google Drive?
- Visit drive.google.com
- Click the number below “Storage” on the bottom left
- Click Backups on the top right
Here, you can see all the backups stored in your Google Drive.
How do I restore my apps from Google backup?
To restore your apps from Google backup, you’ll need to do the following:
- Enable automatic backup and use the same number and Google Account to restore from a Google Drive backup
- WhatsApp will automatically restore your backup from Google Drive, including media files
- Manage and restore mobile backups in Google Drive for WhatsApp data and Android device backups
- Use third-party software to restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive without uninstalling the application
- Selective WhatsApp recovery is possible with third-party software, including messages, status, contacts, media, and links
How do I recover data from Google Drive?
- Visit drive.google.com/drive/trash
- Right-click on the file you want to restore
- Tap Restore
Restored files may be found in the exact location.
