How to Transfer WhatsApp Data to a New Android Phone

Step by step

1. 2 min

   Perform a manual backup on the old device

   Open WhatsApp on your old phone and tap the More options menu (three vertical dots) in the top right corner. Navigate to Settings > Chats > Chat backup and tap the green Back Up button to trigger a manual sync to your Google Drive account. Ensure your Google account is correctly linked under the Google Account section on this same screen.

   Note: Ensure your device is connected to a stable Wi-Fi network to avoid cellular data charges.
2. 1 min

   Confirm the Google account sync

   On the new Android device, open the system Settings app and tap Passwords & accounts. Add the exact same Google account used for the backup on your old device to ensure the new phone can access the cloud storage container.

3. 1 min

   Download and launch WhatsApp

   Open the Google Play Store on your new device and download the official WhatsApp Messenger application. Once the installation completes, launch the app and accept the Terms of Service to begin the initial configuration process.

4. 1 min

   Verify your phone number

   Enter your phone number exactly as it was on your previous device. You will receive a 6-digit verification code via SMS; enter this code into the WhatsApp prompt to authenticate your account and link the device.

5. 2 min

   Initiate the cloud restoration

   When prompted during the setup process, tap Restore to begin downloading your chat history and media from Google Drive. Keep the application open and the device connected to Wi-Fi until the progress bar reaches 100 percent.

   Note: If you skip this step, you will be unable to restore your chat history later without uninstalling and reinstalling the app.
6. 30 sec

   Complete the initialization

   Once the restoration completes, tap Next. Enter your profile name and, if applicable, set up your profile photo to finalize the account setup and access your migrated chat threads.