How to transfer a WhatsApp backup from Android to Android: a complete guide 2026

It is important to understand that the process depends on several factors: version WhatsApp, model phone, the presence of root access and even regional features (for example, Google Drive may be limited in some countries). We'll look at options for different scenarios - when both phones are at hand, when the old smartphone is lost, and what to do if the backup is damaged or cannot be restored. We will pay special attention hidden nuances that are not written about in the official documentation for example, why a backup can “disappear” from Google Drive after 15 months or how to bypass the limitation on the archive size.

Why can't you just copy the WhatsApp folder to a new phone

At first glance, the most logical way is to copy the folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/ (or /storage/emulated/0/WhatsApp/) from the old phone to the new one. However, this method works only in 30% of cases and here's why:

• 🔑 Database encryption. The file msgstore.db.crypt14 (or crypt12/13 in older versions) is encrypted with a unique key associated with the device and account. Without the correct key, the new phone will not be able to decrypt chats.
• 📱 Different versions of Android. On devices with Android 10+ access to folders is limited due to Scoped Storage, and simple copying may not work without additional manipulations.
• ☁️ Conflict with cloud backup. If WhatsApp was already installed on the new phone and the same number was linked, the application automatically tries to restore data from Google Drive, ignoring the local copy.

Another trap: even if you managed to copy the folder and WhatsApp “saw” the local backup, media files (photos, videos, voice messages) may not be restored. This is because the file paths in the database are tied to the old storage structure. For example, if on the old phone the photos were on the SD card, but on the new one there is none, the links will become broken.

Official method: transfer via Google Drive

The most reliable and recommended method is to use cloud backup to Google Drive. It works on 90% of devices, but has its limitations and pitfalls. Here are step-by-step guide:

1. Preparing an old phone:
   • 📱 Open WhatsApp → ⋮ (menu) → Settings → Chat → Backup.
   • 🔄 Press Create a copy (if the last copy is older than 7 days).
   • ☁️ Select the Google account where the backup will be saved (make sure there is enough disk space).
   • 🔒 Enable the option Enable videoif you want to save video files (will increase the backup size).
2. Setting up a new phone:
   • 📱 Install WhatsApp from Google Play (do not use APK from third-party sources!).
   • 📞 Enter the same phone number as on your old device.
   • ☁️ When the restore request appears, select the latest backup from Google Drive.

Important: a backup in Google Drive is created only when connected to Wi-Fi (on mobile data this option is disabled). Also note that:

• 🕒 Restoration can take from 10 minutes to several hours depending on the size of the archive.
• 📶 If you have a slow Internet, the process may be interrupted - in this case, try connecting to another networks.
• 🔄 WhatsApp restores only last backup. If you accidentally created a new (empty) backup on a new phone, the old data will be lost.

Make sure that there is enough space on the new phone for the backup|Connect the device to a charger|Use a stable Wi-Fi connection|Do not interrupt the recovery process

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Once a week|Once a month|Only before changing phone|Never-->

Alternative method: local transfer without Google Drive

If cloud backup is unavailable for some reason (for example, you don’t have a Google account or access to Drive is limited), you can transfer data locally via a computer or directly between phones. This method is more complicated, but it works in 80% of cases when the official method fails.

You will need:

• 🖥️ A computer with drivers installed for both phones (or an OTG cable for direct connection).
• 📁 Access to the file system of phones (on Android 11+ you may need to enable Developer mode and allow USB debugging).
• 🔧 app for working with files (for example, Total Commander or FX File Explorer).

Step-by-step guide:

1. On old phone:
   • Open WhatsApp and create local backup via Settings → Chat → Backup → Create a copy (not to the cloud!).
   • Connect your phone to your computer and copy the folder WhatsApp (located in the root directory or on the SD card) to the PC.
   • Make sure that there is a file in the folder msgstore.db.crypt14 —this is your chat database.
2. On a new phone:
   • Install WhatsApp, but do not launch it (do not enter the number!).
   • Connect the phone to the computer and move the folder WhatsApp to the root directory of the internal memory.
   • Disconnect the phone from the PC, launch WhatsApp and enter the same number as was on the old device.
   • When the application prompts you to restore data from a local backup, confirm.

adb shell appops set com.whatsapp android:legacy_storage allow

⚠️ Attention: If WhatsApp was already installed on the new phone and you logged in using the same number, the local backup will not be restored - the application will try to pull data from Google Drive. In this case, you will have to delete WhatsAppclear its data through Settings → Applications → WhatsApp → Storage → Clear data, and only then repeat the procedure.

Transfer between phones of different brands (Samsung, Xiaomi, Google Pixel, etc.)

Smartphone manufacturers often modify Android to suit their needs, which can complicate data transfer. For example, on devices Samsung folder WhatsApp by default may be located on the internal memory rather than on the SD card, even if it is installed. On Xiaomi s MIUI sometimes you need to manually allow access to files through Settings → Special permissions → File access.

Here are the features for popular brands:

• 📱 Samsung:
  • Use Smart Switch to transfer data, but note that it does not always copy the WhatsApp folder correctly.
  • On devices with One UI 5.0+ you may need to disable battery optimization for WhatsApp (Settings → Caring for your device → Battery → Optimizing application performance).
• 📱 Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco:
  • Enable Developer mode and allow Installation from unknown sources for the file manager.
  • Use the built-in Mi Mover, but first create a local WhatsApp backup - the app does not always transfer messenger data correctly.
• 📱 Google Pixel:
  • To Pixel s Android 13+ may be blocked access folders of other applications. Use adb to copy:

  adb pull /sdcard/WhatsApp/ C:\Backup\WhatsApp

If you are using a phone with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), make sure that Google Apps (GApps) are installed on it - without them, recovery via Google Drive will not be possible. Also check that. both devices use the same version of WhatsApp (or the difference is no more than 1-2 updates).

What to do if the backup is damaged or cannot be restored

Sometimes, even with the correct transfer, WhatsApp gives an error like "The backup could not be restored" or "The file is damaged". The reasons may be different - from a copying failure to incompatibility of encryption versions. Here's how to fix the most common problems:

• 🔧 The backup is truncated or incomplete:
  • Check the file size msgstore.db.crypt14 —it must be at least several megabytes (for empty chat - ~100 KB).
  • If the file is too small, create a backup again on your old phone.
• 🔑 Incompatibility of encryption versions:
  • Files crypt12, crypt13 and crypt14 are not interchangeable. If the new phone has a newer version of WhatsApp, it may not support older formats.
  • Solution: update WhatsApp on old phone to the latest version, create a new backup, then transfer.
• ⏳ Backup too old:
  • WhatsApp stores local backups only for the last 7 days. If you copy a file older than this period, it may be deleted or overwritten.
  • Check the file creation date msgstore.db.crypt14 - if it is older than a week, create a new backup.

If none of the methods helped, you can try manual recovery through specialized utilities like WhatsApp Key/DB Extractor (requires root access) or Dr.Fone — WhatsApp Transfer (paid solution). However, these methods are risky - they can violate the integrity of the data or lead to account blocking if used incorrectly.

⚠️ Attention: Do not use apps that promise to “hack” or “bypass encryption” of WhatsApp. This violates the terms of use of the service and may lead to account ban. Officially supported methods are only via Google Drive or local backup.

Transferring WhatsApp without access to the old phone

The situation becomes more complicated if the old phone is lost, broken or blocked. In this case, the chances of restoring chats depend on whether cloud backup was enabled cloud backup:

• ☁️ If there is a backup in Google Drive:
  • Install WhatsApp on a new phone, enter the same number and restore data from the cloud.
  • Please note that backups in Google Drive are stored only 15 months since the last update. If you have not created a copy for longer than this period, the data will be deleted.
• 💾 If there is no backup, but the phone still turns on:
  • Connect the phone to the computer and try to copy the folder WhatsApp via ADB (even if the screen is locked, but USB debugging was enabled earlier).
  • Command for copying:

    adb pull /sdcard/WhatsApp/

• 🚫 If the phone is completely inaccessible:
  • Unfortunately, without physical access to the device or a preliminary backup, restore chats impossible.
  • The only option is to contact a service center to retrieve data from memory (expensive and not always successful).

If you remember that there was a backup in Google Drive, but WhatsApp does not see it, check:

1. That you are logging in with the same Google account that was used for backup.
2. That there is enough space on the disk (the backup can “disappear” if the space runs out).
3. That the phone number has not changed - WhatsApp links backups to the number, and not to the Google account.

How to transfer WhatsApp Business or chats from two SIM cards

If you use WhatsApp Business or have two numbers on one phone, the transfer process has its own nuances. For example, WhatsApp Business creates a separate folder WhatsApp Business, and it needs to be transferred independently of regular WhatsApp.

For WhatsApp Business:

• Create a backup in Settings → Chat → Backup (same as regular WhatsApp).
• Transfer a separate folder WhatsApp Business —do not confuse it with WhatsApp!
• On a new phone, first install WhatsApp Business, and not the usual WhatsApp.

For two SIM cards (dual WhatsApp):

• Each number has its own backup folder. For example, for the second number the folder may be called WhatsApp2 or WhatsApp_Dual.
• Transfer each folder separately, then install WhatsApp for each number one by one.
• On Samsung i Xiaomi there is a built-in function dual messengers - use it to avoid confusing chats.

⚠️ Attention: Do not try to merge two WhatsApp accounts into one - this will lead to data loss. Each number must be restored separately.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about transferring WhatsApp