Changing a smartphone is always stressful, especially when it comes to instant messengers, where all your business and personal correspondence is stored. Many users are terrified of losing important conversations, photos and voice messages when switching to a new device. Fortunately, the developers Viber have provided reliable mechanisms for saving data.
The transfer process may look complicated only at first glance. In fact, if you follow the sequence of steps and make sure that you have access to your Google account, the whole procedure will take no more than 15-20 minutes. The main thing is not to create a new Viber account on a new phone until the preparation of the old device is completed.
In this article we will examine in detail the two main migration methods: the classic one through Google Drive cloud storage and the alternative local copy method, which is useful if there are problems with the cloud. You will learn how to check the application version, set up automatic backup and correctly restore the history on a new gadget.
Preparing your old device for backup
Before you begin any manipulations with your new smartphone, you need to make sure that your old one Android is completely ready for uploading data. The foundation for a successful transfer is the correct operation of the Google Drive cloud service, with which the messenger is integrated.
Go to the settings of the Viber application itself. To do this, open the menu (three bars or gear) and select Settings. Next, go to the Account section and find the option Viber Backup. This is where the key to your history is stored.
Make sure that the Google Account field displays the exact email address you have access to on your new device. If there is an old or work mailbox for which there is no password, change your account directly in this menu by clicking on the corresponding line.
⚠️ Attention: The backup copy does not include call history and messages from secret chats. This data is stored only locally on the device and cannot be restored after changing the phone.
Press the button Create a backup now. The process can take from a few minutes to half an hour depending on the volume of accumulated media files. Do not close the application or lock the screen until a success message appears.
Before creating a backup, connect your smartphone to a Wi-Fi network. Backup via mobile data can be blocked by system settings or lead to rapid consumption of traffic.
Setting up a new smartphone and installing the application
After the backup has been successfully created on the old phone, you can proceed to setting up a new device. The first step is to log into the same Google account that was used for the backup. This is a critical condition, without which recovery is impossible.
Go to Settings new phone, find the section Accounts or Users and accounts. Add your Google account if you haven't already entered it during the initial system setup. Make sure synchronization is enabled.
Now open the store Google Play Market and download the latest version of the Viber messenger. Do not use third-party app stores or APK files from unverified sources, as this may lead to errors when reading the database.
Launch the application and enter your phone number. Important: the number must match the one to which the backup was created. After entering the number, the system will send an SMS with a confirmation code. Enter it in the appropriate field.
- 📱 Make sure that the SIM card with your number is installed in the phone or is in the network reception area to receive SMS.
- ☁️ Check the availability of free space in Google Drive - large archives with photos and videos require a significant amount.
- 🔋 Charge your new smartphone at least until 50% so that the recovery process is not interrupted due to low battery.
The process of restoring history from the Google cloud
The most crucial moment comes immediately after confirming the phone number. The application will automatically detect the presence of a backup copy in the Google Drive cloud linked to your account. A request to restore chat history will appear on the screen.
Do not press the button Skipunder any circumstances. If you skip this step, it will be impossible to restore the data later without re-registering and erasing the current database. Click Restore and wait for the process to complete.
The speed of recovery depends on the speed of your Internet connection and the size of the archive. During this time, the application will download text messages and then sequentially load media files. The screen may freeze on the percentage - this is normal, the process is in the background.
Way to check the status: Viber Settings → Account → Viber Backup → Date of last copyAfter completion, you will see all your chats in the form in which they were at the time the backup was created. New messages received between creating a copy and restoring may not be displayed if they were not synchronized.
Restoring is possible only once, immediately after installing the application. Restarting the procedure requires completely uninstalling Viber and clearing the application data.
Alternative method: Local backup
What to do if Google Drive is full or not working? In such cases, local backup comes to the rescue. This method requires physically transferring the database file from the old phone to the new one via a computer or file manager.
On the old device, create a local copy through the Viber settings. The file will be saved in the internal memory along the path /Viber/Local Backups. The file name usually has the format viber_backup_YYYY-MM-DD_HH-MM.zip.
Copy this archive to your computer or directly to a new smartphone. On the new device, place the file in exactly the same directory: /Viber/Local Backups. If the folder is missing, create it manually, respecting the case of letters.
| Parameter | Cloud copy | Local copy |
|---|---|---|
| Required space | Google Drive (15 GB free) | Internal memory of the phone |
| Speed | Depends on the Internet | Instant (with direct copying) |
| Reliability | High (protection against loss of phone) | Medium (risk of file loss) |
| Complexity | Low (automatic) | High (requires working with files) |
During installation Viber to a new phone, if a cloud copy is not found, the system will offer to find a local backup. Specify the path to the file, and recovery will begin from there. This is a great way to transfer data without using the Internet.
What to do if the file names do not match?
Sometimes the system does not see a file if its name has been changed. Leave the original file name assigned during creation, or rename it to viber_backup.zip for guaranteed recognition.
Solving common problems during transfer
Even if you follow all the instructions, users may encounter technical failures. One of the common problems is the error “The backup could not be restored.” Most often this is due to mismatched application versions or problems with access rights.
Make sure that the same or as close as possible version is installed on both devices Viber. Go to Play Market on both phones and click Updateif a new version is available. Old versions of the application may not correctly read new database formats.
Another reason is the application lacks permissions. Go to Settings Android, select Applications, find Viber and go to section Permissions. Make sure that access to Memory (or Files and Media) and Contacts is allowed.
⚠️ Attention: On Android 11 and later, access to the file system is limited. If the local method does not work, give the application special access to the Viber folder through the system file manager.
If the recovery freezes at 99%, try switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data or vice versa. Sometimes network protocols block certain types of files from being downloaded. Clearing the application cache before trying again will also help.
☑️ Diagnosing a recovery error
Features of transferring to different versions of Android
The Android ecosystem is constantly changing, and methods of working with files in new versions of the operating system different from the old ones. If you are moving from an old Android 8 to a new Android 13 or 14, there may be some issues with access to folders.
Modern versions of the OS have a Scoped Storage policy, which limits application access to arbitrary files. When transferring locally, you may need to manually confirm access to the folder Android/media or root directory through the system explorer.
When moving between devices from different manufacturers (for example, from Samsung to Xiaomi), the settings interface may differ, but the logic of Viber operation remains the same. The main thing is to use the official messenger client, and not modified builds.
Owners of smartphones with non-standard skins (MIUI, OneUI, ColorOS) should disable aggressive energy saving for the Viber application. This will prevent the recovery process from stopping in the background when the screen goes dark.
⚠️ Attention: Settings interfaces and menu item names may vary depending on the firmware version of your smartphone. Always focus on the meaning of the action, and not just the name of the button.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Can I transfer chats if I changed my phone number?
Yes, but the procedure becomes more complicated. First you need to perform the "Change number" function in the Viber settings on your old device. This will transfer your account and history to the new number. Only after this can you create a backup and restore it on a new phone.
How long is a backup stored in Google Drive?
Viber backups do not take up space in your Google Drive quota (unlike WhatsApp), but they are linked to your account. However, if you do not enable recovery for a long time (more than a year), the file may be deleted by the server as outdated.
What to do if you forgot your Google account password?
Without access to your Google account, it is impossible to restore a cloud copy. You will have to go through the process of restoring access through Google Support or use the local file transfer method if you have access to the file system of your old phone.
Are stickers and design settings transferred?
Downloaded sticker packs are usually restored automatically since they are linked to your Viber account. However, design settings (themes, chat wallpapers) are most often reset to standard and require manual configuration again.
Is it possible to combine history from two different phones?
No, technically this is not possible. When you restore a backup, the new entry completely replaces the current database on the device. It is impossible to combine two different correspondence histories into one list using the application itself.