Changing a smartphone is always stressful, especially when it comes to saving correspondence history. Messenger WhatsApp has become an integral part of our lives, storing important work documents, personal photos and memories. Losing this amount of data when moving to a new device would be a real disaster. Fortunately, the ecosystem Android offers reliable tools for migration.
The process of synchronizing chats between two devices based on the same operating system is considered the simplest and hassle-free scenario. Unlike switching from iOS or feature phones, this does not require third-party software or complex manipulations with the computer. All the magic happens thanks to cloud services Google and local backups that are created automatically.
In this article we will examine in detail the two main transfer methods: through a cloud service Google Drive and by direct local copying of database files. You'll learn how to check the current status of your backup, what settings are critical before starting the process, and what to do if the restore doesn't go well. We will also answer frequently asked questions that users have when changing gadgets.
Preparing an old device for data transfer
The first and most important step is to create an up-to-date backup on your old smartphone. Without this step, all subsequent actions will be meaningless, since there will simply be nothing to transfer. Go to the messenger settings and make sure that the automatic backup function is active.
Open the application and go to the menu Settings → Chats → Chat backup. Here you will see the date it was last saved. If you are not satisfied with it or you have just received important messages, press the button Backup manually. Wait for the process to complete: the indicator should show 100% and the current time.
Pay special attention to the saving options. Make sure you select the correct account Googlethat you have access to on your new device. Also check your update frequency settings - to be on the safe side, it's best to select daily backups.
⚠️ Attention: Cloud backup does not include media files if you don't have enough space on Google Drive. The free plan provides only 15 GB, which is divided between mail, photos and messenger backups. Check the available space before starting.
☑️ Checklist for preparing an old phone
If you plan to transfer not only text, but also heavy videos or many photos, it makes sense to connect the phone to a charger. The process of creating a full copy can take from several minutes to an hour depending on the amount of data.
Setting up a backup in Google Drive
Using cloud storage Google Drive is the most convenient and recommended method of synchronization. This method ensures that your data will be safe even if your old device physically breaks down. The main requirement is to use the same Google account on both devices.
In the backup settings, you can select the frequency of creating copies. Options available: daily, weekly or monthly. For active correspondence, daily updates are the best choice. Here you can also configure the type of network for downloading: only via Wi-Fi or via a mobile network.
It is important to understand the technical side of the process. The data is encrypted and uploaded to servers Google, linked to your phone number and email account. When installing the application on a new phone, the system will automatically detect the presence of a cloud copy and offer to restore it.
| Parameter | Description | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| Google Account | Mail where it is saved copy | Use main email |
| Frequency | How often backup is created | Daily |
| Video | Whether to include video in archive | Yes, if there is disk space |
| Network | Connection type for downloading | Wi-Fi only (to save traffic) |
If you change your phone number, first use the "Change number" function inside the WhatsApp settings on old device to link chat history to the new SIM card before transferring.
Do not ignore the point about including video in the backup. Media files take up the lion's share of memory, and their loss is often the most painful. However, if your limit for Google Drive has been exhausted, you will have to either free up space or refuse to upload videos, leaving only text and photos.
Local database transfer without the Internet
What to do if you do not have access to fast Internet or have run out of space in the cloud? In this case, the local transfer method comes to the rescue. WhatsApp automatically creates local copies of the database every night at 2 am, saving them in the internal memory of the device.
These files are stored in a hidden folder on the system. The path to them may differ depending on the version Android. On older versions of the system, the files are located along the path /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. On newer versions Android 11 and higher, the path has changed to /sdcard/Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases.
To transfer, you will need a file manager. Find a file with a name like msgstore.db.crypt14 (the number may vary, this is the encryption version). This is your database. Copy this file to the new phone, observing the same folder structure.
Nuances of encryption versions
Backup files have the extension .crypt12, .crypt14, .crypt15 and so on. The number indicates the version of the encryption algorithm. It is important that the version of the WhatsApp application on your new phone supports this type of encryption. Usually new versions of the messenger can read old formats, but the opposite is extremely rare. If you are copying a file from an old phone, make sure that the application installed on the new one is no older than the version that created the backup.
After copying the file to a new device, do not launch the messenger immediately. First make sure the file is in the correct folder. Then, when you first start WhatsApp on a new phone, the system will prompt you to find a local backup. Agree, and the correspondence history will be restored.
⚠️ Attention: When using the local method, make sure that WhatsAppis not yet configured on the new device. If you are already logged into your account and started a chat, restoring from a local file may not work or may require completely deleting the application and reinstalling it.
Restoring chats on a new smartphone
The recovery process on a new device depends on the previously selected method. If you used Google Drive, then everything is as simple as possible. Install the application from the store Google Play, enter your phone number and wait for the SMS confirmation code.
Immediately after confirming the number, the system will detect a backup copy in the cloud. A screen will appear asking you to restore chats and media files. Click the button Restore. Don't skip this step! If you click "Skip", it will be extremely difficult to restore the data later without reinstalling the application.
In the case of a local transfer, the logic is similar, but the data source is internal memory. The application will scan the folders and find the file msgstore.db.crypt.... The process of unpacking and decrypting data may take time, especially if the archive weighs several gigabytes.
During recovery, do not close the application or lock the screen. Interrupting the process may corrupt the database, requiring you to start all over again. After completion, you will see all your chats, groups and media files in the form in which they were at the time the copy was created.
Solving common problems during synchronization
Despite the streamlined process, users sometimes encounter errors. The most common problem is the message "Backup not found." This usually happens due to the fact that a different one has been entered on the new phone, different from the one on which the copy is stored. Google account Google account, different from the one on which the copy is stored.
It is also possible that the recovery freezes at a certain percentage. Most often this is due to an unstable connection Wi-Fi or lack of free memory on the new device. Free up at least 2-3 GB of space and try rebooting your phone before trying again.
Sometimes users complain that chats have been restored, but media files have disappeared. This happens if, when creating a copy on the old phone, the “Video” item was unchecked or if the files were deleted from the gallery before the backup. WhatsApp restores only what was downloaded to the archive.
If none of the methods helps, you can try to force change the file name of the local copy. Rename the file msgstore-2023-10-10.1.db.crypt14 (example with a date) to simply msgstore.db.crypt14. This tells the system that this file is the main one for recovery.
⚠️ Attention: Never edit the contents of database files manually. Any change to the byte structure of the file will make it unreadable for the application, and the data will be lost forever.
Frequently asked questions about WhatsApp migration
Can I transfer chats if I change my phone number?
Yes, this is possible, but it requires preliminary preparation. On your old phone, go to Settings → Account → Change number. Enter the old and new number. The application will transfer your history and profile to the new number. After that, create a backup copy and restore it on a new device, indicating a new phone number.
How long does it take to restore a large archive?
The time depends on the Internet speed (for the cloud) and the memory recording speed (for local method). For an archive of 5-10 GB, the process can take from 30 minutes to 2 hours. Do not interrupt the connection and keep your phone charged.
What to do if you forgot your Google account password?
Without access to the account Googleon which the copy is located, it is impossible to restore data via the cloud. You will have to first restore access to your mail through support Google. The local method in this case becomes the only working option, since it does not require authorization in the mail, only the presence of the file in memory.
Will my privacy settings be transferred?
Privacy settings (who sees the profile photo, status, last seen time) are usually saved, since they are tied to your account on the servers WhatsApp. However, notification settings and chat wallpapers may be reset to default values and will have to be manually configured again.
Is it possible to combine chats from two different phones into one?
This feature is not officially supported. When you restore a backup to a new device, the old local information on that device (if there was any) will be overwritten with the data from the copy. Merging stories requires the use of third-party software, which is unsafe and can lead to account ban.
Successful synchronization depends on three factors: the relevance of the backup copy, the match of the Google account and sufficient free memory on the new device.