How do I transfer all WhatsApp messages from one Android phone to another?

How do I transfer all WhatsApp messages from one Android phone to another - briefly?

To transfer all WhatsApp messages from one Android phone to another, you can use Google Drive backup and restore feature. First, back up your chats on the old phone using Google Drive, then install WhatsApp on the new phone and restore the chat history from the same Google account.

How do I transfer all WhatsApp messages from one Android phone to another - in detail?

Transferring all WhatsApp messages from one Android phone to another can be a straightforward process if you follow the appropriate steps. Here's a detailed guide on how to achieve this:

Backup and Restore Using Google Drive

  1. Ensure Both Phones are Compatible: Make sure both your old and new phones run Android 2.3.7 or higher, have Google Play services installed, and are signed in to the same Google account.

  2. Create a WhatsApp Backup on Your Old Phone:

    • Open WhatsApp on your old phone.
    • Tap the three dots (⋮) in the upper-right corner for more options.
    • Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
    • Tap the "Backup" button and ensure that the backup is completed successfully. This process will save your messages, photos, videos, and other media to Google Drive.

  3. Set Up WhatsApp on Your New Phone:

    • Install WhatsApp from the Google Play Store on your new phone if you haven't already.
    • Open WhatsApp and follow the initial setup steps until you reach the "Restore" screen.
    • Tap the "Agree and Continue" button to allow WhatsApp to access your Google Drive backup.
    • Make sure you are signed in to the same Google account that was used on your old phone.
    • Select the backup file you want to restore from the list of available backups.

  4. Restore the Backup:

    • Tap the "Restore" button to begin restoring your messages and media.
    • Wait for the restoration process to complete. This may take some time depending on the size of your backup and the speed of your internet connection.

Alternative Method: Using Local Backup and File Explorer

If you prefer not to use Google Drive or if there are issues with the cloud backup, you can also transfer WhatsApp data using a local backup file.

  1. Create a Local Backup on Your Old Phone:

    • Open WhatsApp on your old phone.
    • Tap the three dots (⋮) in the upper-right corner for more options.
    • Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
    • Instead of tapping "Backup," tap "Backup to Google Drive" and choose "Never." This will create a local backup on your device storage.

  2. Transfer the Local Backup File:

    • Connect both phones to your computer using USB cables.
    • Open the file explorer on your computer and navigate to the WhatsApp folder on your old phone. The path is typically: Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Databases.
    • Copy the backup files (usually named "msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.db.crypt12") to a safe location on your computer or an external storage device.

  3. Restore the Local Backup on Your New Phone:

    • Install WhatsApp on your new phone if you haven't already.
    • Open WhatsApp and follow the initial setup steps until you reach the "Restore" screen.
    • Instead of restoring from Google Drive, select the option to restore from local backup.
    • Connect your new phone to your computer using a USB cable.
    • Transfer the copied backup files from your computer or external storage device to the WhatsApp folder on your new phone (Internal Storage > WhatsApp > Databases).

  4. Complete the Restoration Process:

    • Open WhatsApp on your new phone and follow the prompts to restore from the local backup file you just transferred.
    • Wait for the restoration process to complete.

Final Steps

Once the restoration is complete, you will have all your WhatsApp messages and media transferred to your new Android phone. Ensure that you verify the data to confirm a successful transfer.