Tech Reference

How to backup your WhatsApp chats and data on an iPhone or Android device

Written by Steven John
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For many people, WhatsApp is their primary mode of conversation. So what a shame it would be if a lost or broken phone meant the loss of all those conversations, not to mention those photos and videos swapped but never saved. 

Don't let that happen to you — backing up WhatsApp is easy on either an Android or iPhone. By backing up WhatsApp, you can load your account and data onto a new device easily, and pick up right where you left off.

Here's how to back up WhatsApp on your iPhone or Android device.

How to backup WhatsApp on an Android

1. Open WhatsApp on your Android device, then tap the three dots at the top-right of your screen.

2. Tap "Settings" and then tap "Chats."

3. Tap "Chat backup" and then on the next screen tap the green "BACK UP" button.

To schedule regular backups, tap "Backup to Google Drive" and set the frequency, then check to make sure the correct Google account and Wi-Fi network are selected.

How to backup WhatsApp on an iPhone

1. Open WhatsApp and tap "Settings" at the bottom-right corner of your screen.

how to backup whatsapp
Open the Settings tab.  Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

2. Tap "Chats" and then tap "Chat Backup."

How to backup WhatsApp
Tap "Chat Backup."  Isabella Paoletto/Business Insider

3. Tap "Back Up Now."

You can also enable automatic updates by tapping "Auto Backup" and logging in to your iCloud account and choosing your backup frequency. 

how to backup whatsapp
Tap "Auto Backup."  Steven John/Business Insider

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Steven John
Steven John has been a freelance writer for more than a dozen years and has been a regular contributor to Business Insider since 2017. His work includes a focus on the tech world, covering companies including Apple, Microsoft, Meta, Google, and others. He also reviews restaurants, shares how-to cooking articles, and writes general interest pieces.Steven also writes for publications including Architectural Digest, The Daily Beast, Forbes, and more. In the past, he also wrote for New York Magazine, Mashed, U.S. News & World Report and other outlets. He runs his own outdoor lifestyle site, Dad Gear Review, and co-hosts the Fact Trekkers podcast with his son. He has had two novels published, Three A.M. and Outrider. He graduated from Emerson College with a degree in communications focused on filmmaking.He is an avid outdoorsman and can be frequently found in a kayak or on a mountain trail, often with his family along for the adventure.Expertise:Tech industryTech hardwareOutdoorsCookingRestaurantsDIYPopular articles:Microsoft: A history of the software giant co-founded by Bill Gates, its products and services, jobs, layoffs, and moreYouTube is a major entertainment force. Here's the platform's history, plus how to create a channel and upload videos.Inside the life and career of Bill Gates, the Microsoft co-founder, billionaire, and philanthropistTim Cook net worth: How the Apple leader earns and spends his moneyBecoming an Amazon seller is a simple process. Here's what's involved, plus how you make money and get paid.