The fastest way depends on your phone type and whether you back up to the cloud
WhatsApp messages transfer through either a cloud backup (Google Drive on Android, iCloud on iPhone) or a local backup file you move manually. The cloud method is faster and requires fewer steps — you sign into the same account on your new phone and WhatsApp restores your chats automatically. The manual method works if you do not use cloud storage or want to transfer between Android and iPhone, but it takes longer and involves moving files through a computer.
Both methods preserve your message history, photos, videos, and contact names. The transfer happens only once, when you first open WhatsApp on the new phone. After that, new messages sync normally to whichever phone you are using.
Key Takeaways
- Cloud backup (Google Drive for Android, iCloud for iPhone) is the fastest method and restores automatically when you sign in on your new phone.
- Local backup requires you to move a backup file through a computer or file manager, but works across different phone types.
- You must use the same phone number and WhatsApp account on the new phone for any backup to restore.
- The transfer happens only during first setup on the new phone — after that, messages do not sync between devices.
- Photos and videos included in chats transfer with the messages, but file size depends on your backup storage limits.
Transferring messages using cloud backup on Android
On your old Android phone, open WhatsApp and go to Settings (the three dots at the top right), then Chats, then Chat backup. Tap Back up to Google Drive. Choose which Google account to use and how often to back up (daily, weekly, or monthly). Tap Back up to start the backup now — this may take several minutes depending on how many messages you have.
On your new Android phone, install WhatsApp from Google Play. When you open it, enter the same phone number you used on the old phone. WhatsApp will ask for permission to access Google Drive. Select the same Google account you backed up to. WhatsApp will show you the backup date and file size, then ask if you want to restore. Tap Restore. Your messages, photos, and videos will appear in the chats list once the restore finishes.
The restore can take 10 to 30 minutes depending on backup size. Do not close WhatsApp or turn off your phone during this time.
Transferring messages using cloud backup on iPhone
On your old iPhone, open WhatsApp and tap Settings (the gear icon at the bottom right), then Chats, then Chat Backup. Tap Back Up to iCloud. Make sure you are signed into iCloud with your Apple ID — WhatsApp will show which account it is using. Tap Back Up to start the backup now.
On your new iPhone, install WhatsApp from the App Store. When you open it, enter the same phone number. WhatsApp will ask permission to access iCloud. It will then show you the backup date and ask if you want to restore. Tap Restore Chat History. Your messages and media will appear once the restore finishes, which usually takes 5 to 15 minutes.
Your new iPhone must be signed into the same iCloud account you used for the backup. If you are not sure which account you used, check iCloud settings on your old phone before you transfer it.
Transferring messages using local backup on Android
Local backup creates a file on your phone's storage that you can move to a computer and then to your new phone. This method works if you do not use Google Drive or want to transfer between Android and iPhone.
On your old Android phone, open WhatsApp and go to Settings, then Chats, then Chat backup. Tap Back up to Google Drive and select None from the dropdown. Then tap Back up. This creates a local backup file named msgstore.db.crypt12 in your phone's WhatsApp folder.
Connect your old phone to a computer with a USB cable. Open the file manager on your computer and navigate to Internal Storage or Phone Storage, then WhatsApp, then Databases. Copy the msgstore.db.crypt12 file to your computer. Disconnect the old phone.
Connect your new Android phone to the computer. Create the same folder path (WhatsApp > Databases) if it does not exist. Paste the backup file into the Databases folder. Disconnect the phone. Open WhatsApp on your new phone, enter your phone number, and when prompted, tap Restore.
Transferring messages using local backup on iPhone
iPhone does not store backup files in the same way as Android, so local transfer requires using a computer with Finder (Mac) or iTunes (Windows). This method is slower than cloud backup but works if you do not use iCloud.
On your old iPhone, open WhatsApp and tap Settings, then Chats, then Chat Backup. Make sure iCloud Backup is turned off. Then tap Back Up to create a local backup.
Connect your old iPhone to a Mac and open Finder. Click your phone name in the sidebar, then Files. Scroll down to WhatsApp and click it. Click Save and choose where to save the backup folder on your computer. Disconnect the old phone.
Connect your new iPhone to the same computer. Open Finder, click your new phone name, then Files. Drag the WhatsApp backup folder from your computer into the Files window. Disconnect the phone. Open WhatsApp on your new phone, enter your phone number, and tap Restore Chat History when prompted.
On Windows, use iTunes instead of Finder. The steps are the same, but you access the backup through the device summary page rather than the Files tab.
What happens to messages after transfer
Once the transfer finishes, your new phone contains all the messages, photos, and videos from your old phone. The old phone still has its copy — transferring does not delete anything from the original device.
WhatsApp does not sync messages between phones. If you use WhatsApp on both phones at the same time, new messages will go to whichever phone received them first. To avoid confusion, stop using the old phone for WhatsApp before you transfer, or uninstall WhatsApp from the old phone after the transfer completes.
If you switch back to your old phone and reinstall WhatsApp with the same number, it will show only the messages that arrived after you transferred. The old messages remain on the new phone.
Transferring between Android and iPhone
WhatsApp does not have a built-in method to move messages from Android to iPhone or vice versa, because the backup formats are different. Your options are to use a third-party app designed for this transfer, or to accept that your message history will not move.
If you want to keep your messages, search for "WhatsApp transfer Android to iPhone" or "WhatsApp transfer iPhone to Android" in your phone's app store. Several paid apps exist that claim to convert backup files between formats. Read the reviews and permissions carefully before installing, as these apps handle sensitive data.
If you do not use a third-party app, you can still transfer your phone number and contacts to your new phone — you will straightforward start with an empty chat list on the new device. New messages will arrive normally once you sign in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I do not remember my Google or iCloud password?
You will need to reset it before you can restore from backup. On Android, go to myaccount.google.com and follow the password recovery steps. On iPhone, go to iforgot.apple.com. Both processes take 10 to 30 minutes. Once you reset your password, you can sign into the account on your new phone and restore your backup.
Can I restore a backup that is more than a few months old?
Yes. Cloud backups stay in your Google Drive or iCloud account until you delete them manually. You can restore a backup from any date as long as you sign into the same account on your new phone. Local backups also remain on your computer until you delete them.
What if the restore fails or gets stuck?
Force close WhatsApp on your new phone by going to Settings, then Apps, then WhatsApp, then Force Stop. Make sure you have a strong internet connection. Open WhatsApp again and enter your phone number. When the restore prompt appears, tap Restore again. If it still fails, delete WhatsApp, restart your phone, reinstall WhatsApp, and try once more.
Do my contacts transfer with my messages?
Contact names that appear in your chats transfer with the messages. However, your full contact list does not transfer through WhatsApp backup — you need to back up your phone's contacts separately through your phone's settings or your Google or iCloud account.
Can I transfer messages if I am changing my phone number?
No. WhatsApp backups are tied to your phone number. If you change your number, you will need to create a new WhatsApp account with the new number, and your old messages will not restore. You can export individual chats as text files before you change your number if you want to keep a record.