Switching to a new smartphone is always an exciting moment, especially when it comes to saving many years of correspondence in WhatsApp. Many users lose chats, photos and videos due to ignorance of simple backup rules. Meanwhile, transferring data between devices to Android can be done absolutely free, without using paid cloud services or third-party apps.

In this article we will look at all the current ways to save history WhatsApp —from standard backup via Google Drive to manual file transfer using a cable. We will pay special attention to typical errors due to which users lose data, and we will give clear instructions for devices with different versions Android. If you are afraid that important messages or media files will disappear when you change your phone, this guide will help you avoid losses.

Why a standard WhatsApp transfer may not work

Many users mistakenly believe that just logging into your account is enough WhatsApp on a new phone - and the entire chat history will be automatically updated. In practice, this only works if a number of conditions are met, which are often ignored. Here are the main reasons why data recovery may not go according to plan:

  • 📱 Different Google accounts. If the old and new phones use different accounts Google, the backup from Google Drive will not be available.
  • 🔄 Lack of a fresh copy. WhatsApp creates backups once a day (by default at 2:00 am). If you change your phone before the next backup, the last correspondence will not be saved.
  • 📶 No connection to Wi-Fi. Restoring from Google Drive requires a stable Internet connection. On mobile traffic, the process may be interrupted.
  • 🔒 Resetting settings. If you did a full reset (Factory Reset) before selling your old phone, the local copy of chats will be deleted permanently.

Another common problem is Whatsapp version mismatch. If the new phone has an older version of the messenger installed than the old one, restoring from the backup may fail. For example, a backup created in WhatsApp 2.23.12will not open in version 2.22.8.

⚠️ Attention: If you used WhatsApp Business, its backup copies are not compatible with the regular version of the messenger. Transferring data between these applications requires additional manipulations.

Method 1: Backup via Google Drive (official method)

This is the most reliable and recommended method, but it only works if all conditions are met. The main advantage — automation: after setup, backups are created daily without your participation. Here's how to do it right:

  1. Open WhatsApp on your old phone, tap on ⋮ → Settings → Chat → Chat backup.

  2. Select an account Googleto which it will be saved copy. Make sure you have enough space on your phone Google Drive (15 GB is free).

  3. Tap Create a copy. The process can take from several minutes to an hour - depending on the volume of correspondence and Internet speed.

  4. After copying is complete, install WhatsApp on a new phone, log into the same account and follow the recovery prompts.

Important nuance: WhatsApp saves only the latest copy to the cloud. If you make a new backup on a new phone, the old version of the conversation will be overwritten. To avoid losses, we recommend temporarily disabling automatic backup after the transfer:

Settings → Chat → Chat backup → Autosave → Never

One account is used on both phones Google

The old phone has enough battery charge (at least 50%)

Stable Wi-Fi is connected (not mobile data)

WhatsApp has been updated to the latest version-->

If an error appears during recovery "Could not find backup", check:

  • 🔍 Is the account specified correctly Google (sometimes users confuse the main and backup accounts).
  • 📅 Date of the last backup in Settings → Chat → Chat backup.
  • 📱 Does the phone number on the new device match the one that was used when creating the copy.

Method 2: Local backup (without cloud)

If you do not have access to Google Drive or you don’t trust cloud services, you can save chats directly to your device or external drive. This method requires more steps, but guarantees full control over the data. Suitable for devices with and without root access.

Local copy WhatsApp stored in a folder /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. The files have the format msgstore.db.crypt14 (or crypt12 for older versions). Here's how to transfer them:

  1. Connect your old phone to your computer via a USB cable. Enable file transfer mode (MTP).

  2. Go to the folder WhatsApp/Databases and copy the files msgstore.db.crypt* to msgstore.db.crypt*.idx to your computer.

  3. Install WhatsApp to a new one phone, but do not launch it. First, transfer the copied files to the same folder Databases on the new device.

  4. Launch the messenger and follow the recovery instructions. When prompted, click Restore.

If the folder WhatsApp was not created automatically on the new phone, do it manually. Make sure that the file names match the originals - even an extra space can lead to a recovery error.

⚠️ Attention: Backup files WhatsApp encrypted. If you change the extension or try to open them manually, the data will be lost. Transfer files only in their original form!
What to do if your new phone does not have a memory card slot?

If your new smartphone does not support microSD, use OTG adapter with flash drive. Connect the flash drive to the old phone, copy the WhatsApp folder, then transfer it to the new device in the same way. An alternative is to temporarily upload the files to the cloud (for example Mega or Yandex Disk) and download them to the new phone.

Method 3: Transfer via local network (Wi-Fi Direct)

This method is suitable if you do not have a cable or computer at hand. Advantage —high transfer speed (up to 10 MB/s) and no dependence on cloud services. To transfer you will need:

  • 📱 Two smartphones Android (old and new).
  • 🔌 Application for transferring files via Wi-Fi (for example, Send Anywhere or Xender).
  • 🔋 The battery charge on both devices is at least 30%.

Step-by-step guide:

  1. On your old phone, open the file manager and find the folder WhatsApp (usually in the root directory or on the memory card).

  2. Select the folder Databases and send it through a file transfer application (for example, in Send Anywhere press Send → Create key).

  3. On the new phone, accept file, save it to the root directory of the internal memory.

  4. Install WhatsApp, but do not run. Move the resulting folder Databases to /sdcard/WhatsApp/.

  5. Run the messenger and confirm the recovery.

If folder WhatsApp on the new phone already exists (for example, after installing the messenger), delete it before transferring. Otherwise, the files may be overwritten and the recovery will fail.

Backup to Google Drive

Local copy via cable

Transfer via Wi-Fi (Xender, Send Anywhere)

Another method-->

What to do if WhatsApp does not see the backup

One of the most common problems is that the messenger does not detect the backup either in the cloud or on the device. There may be reasons. different, but in 90% of cases you can fix them yourself. Here are proven solutions:

Problem Possible cause Solution
No copy in Google Drive Backup was created under another Google account Check your account in your phone and WhatsApp settings. If necessary, add the correct account to Settings → Accounts.
Error "Failed to restore" Backup files are damaged or incomplete Try to restore from an older copy (files with the date in the name). Delete the current folder Databases and transfer the data again.
The process is frozen at 0% or 100% Unstable Internet connection or lack of memory Reconnect to Wi-Fi, free up space on the device (minimum 1 GB). If it doesn’t help, reboot the phone.
The copy is too old Autosave is disabled or the phone was turned off during the backup Create a new copy manually (Settings → Chat → Backup → Create a copy).

If none of the methods helped, try alternative recovery method via WhatsApp Web:

  1. On your old phone, open WhatsApp → ⋮ → Linked devices → WhatsApp Web.

  2. Scan the QR code from your new phone (go to your browser at web.whatsapp.com).

  3. Manually send important messages or media files to your new chat.

This is a temporary solution, but it will help save critical data if other methods fail worked.

How to transfer media files (photos, videos, voices)

Backups WhatsApp save text correspondence, but media files (photos, videos, audio) are stored separately in a folder WhatsApp/Media. If you change your phone, you need to transfer this entire folder. Here's how to do it effectively:

  • 📁 Folder structure. Inside Media there are subfolders: WhatsApp Images, WhatsApp Video, WhatsApp Audio etc. Transfer them all.
  • 🔄 Copying methods:
    • Via USB cable to a computer and then to a new phone.
    • Direct transfer via Wi-Fi (applications Files by Google, Xender).
    • Using a memory card (if both phones support microSD).
  • 🔍 Checking integrityAfter transfer, open several files on the new phone to make sure they are not damaged.

Important: if you use the "Save to Gallery" feature in WhatsApp, the media files are duplicated in standard folder DCIM or Pictures. They also need to be transferred, otherwise there will be “holes” in the chronology in the gallery of the new phone.

To speed up the process, you can archive the folder Media in .zip: 

Install a file manager (for example Solid Explorer)

Select the WhatsApp/Media folder → "Compress" → Select ZIP format


Transfer the archive to a new phone and unzip

Features of transfer to phones of different brands

Process transfer WhatsApp may differ depending on the smartphone manufacturer. Some brands add their own nuances to working with the file system or cloud services. Let's consider the key features for popular brands:

Brand Features Recommendations
Samsung Uses its own cloud Samsung Cloud, but it does not support WhatsApp backups. The folder WhatsApp is created in the internal memory by default. For transfer, use Smart Switch (Samsung application) or the standard method via Google Drive. If the folder WhatsApp is on a memory card, remove it before transferring.
Xiaomi MIUI can block access to folders of other applications. In the settings, you need to allow access to files for file managers. Before transferring, open Settings → Applications → Manage applications → Files → Permissions and enable access to the storage.
Huawei On devices without Google services (for example, Huawei P40) Google Drive is not available. Local copies are the only option. Use Huawei Mobile Cloud to temporarily store files or transfer data via cable/Wi-Fi.
Google Pixel Backups to Google Drive are created automatically, but sometimes account confirmation is required when restoring. Before transferring, check that synchronization with is enabled on your phone data-i="232">Google Drive Google Drive (Settings → Accounts → Google → Synchronization).

If you switch from a phone of one brand to another (for example, from Samsung to Xiaomi), be sure to check the file system format. Some devices format cards by default memory in exFATwhich may cause problems with reading files on the new phone. In this case, format the card in FAT32 before transferring.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with Android 11+ access to folders other applications is limited. To see the folder WhatsApp in the file manager, you may need to enable developer mode and allow access through ADB.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when transferring WhatsApp, which lead to data loss. Here are the most common mistakes and ways to prevent them:

  • 🔋 Discharged phone during transfer. If the battery runs out during the copying or recovery process, files may be damaged. Solution: Connect your phone to the charger or make sure that the charge is not lower than 50%.
  • 📱 Deleting WhatsApp before creating a backup. Many users first uninstall the messenger, and then remember about the backup. Solution: First create a backup, then delete the application.
  • 🔄 Using different versions of WhatsApp. If an older version of the messenger is installed on the new phone, restoring from the backup will be impossible. Solution: Update WhatsApp to the latest version on both devices.
  • 📁 Changing the folder structure. Renaming backup files or folders causes the recovery to fail. Solution: Transfer the files in their original form without editing the names.
  • 🌐 Unstable Internet during cloud recovery. If the connection is interrupted while downloading a backup from Google Drive, the process will have to start again. Solution: Use only Wi-Fi, disable background restriction for WhatsApp.

Another typical error is ignore backup notifications. WhatsApp shows a warning if there has been no backup for more than a week, but many users simply close it. To avoid losing fresh messages:

  1. Before changing your phone, manually start creating a copy (Settings → Chat → Backup → Create a copy).

  2. Check the date last backup in the same menu. If it is older than 24 hours, update the copy.

💡

If you plan to sell your old phone, do not delete WhatsApp immediately after transferring your data. Wait 1-2 days and make sure that everything works correctly on the new device. Only after this, reset the old smartphone to factory settings.

FAQ: Answers to frequently asked questions

Is it possible to transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone for free?

No, there is no official free way to transfer chats between Android and iOS does not exist. WhatsApp does not support cross-platform recovery due to differences in backup encryption. The only option is to use paid services like Backuptrans or Dr.Fone, but they do not guarantee 100% data safety.

How much space does a WhatsApp backup take?

The size of the backup depends on the volume of correspondence and media files. On average:

  • Text messages: ~1-5 MB per 10,000 messages.
  • Media files: ~1-2 GB with active exchange of photos/videos per year.

Before creating a copy, check the free space in Google Drive (15 GB available for free). If there is not enough space, clear the cloud or transfer media files separately.

What happens if you don’t transfer WhatsApp, but just log into your account on a new phone?

You will receive a “clean” account without correspondence history. All chats, media files and settings will remain on the old phone. The only thing that will be saved is your profile (name, avatar) and contact list (if they are synchronized with the phone book). Previous correspondence will be lost without the possibility of recovery if there is no local copy left on the old phone.

Is it possible to restore WhatsApp from a backup if more than a year has passed?

Technically - yes, but with reservations:

  • If the copy is stored in Google Drive, it remains available until you manually delete it or exceed your storage limit.
  • Local backup files (msgstore.db.crypt*) do not have an expiration date, but they need to be physically transferred to a new device.

However, the older the copy, the higher the risk that it will not be restored due to changes in the database structure WhatsApp. We recommend updating backups at least once every 2-3 months.

How to transfer only selected chats, and not the entire history?

WhatsApp does not support selective restoration from a backup - either the entire history is restored or nothing. However, there are workarounds:

  1. On your old phone, open the desired chat, export it via ⋮ → Export chat (without media or with media). The file will be sent to your email or saved in your phone's memory.

  2. Transfer the exported file to a new phone and import it manually.

The disadvantage of this method is that the exported messages will be in the format .txt or .zip, they cannot be edited directly in WhatsApp.