Guide: Learn how to transfer WhatsApp chat history between different devices
WhatsApp is one of the most used instant messaging client through various platforms, like iOS, Android, Windows Phone and others used to replace SMS and MMS messaging services.
WhatsApp chat history is stored in different formats (.crypt, .crypt12, .db) and in various locations depending on the mobile platforms.
This article covers the transfer of WhatsApp chat history between old and new devices on same platform. This operation seems to be difficult, however if you follow our instructions, you can solve the problem in few easy steps.
It is important to know that in order to restore your chat history on new phone, you will need to use WhatsApp account with the same telephone number.
Contents:
- How to transfer WhatsApp chats on Android Phones
- How to transfer WhatsApp chats on iPhone
- How to transfer WhatsApp chats on Windows Phone
- How to transfer WhatsApp chats on BlackBerry 10
How to move WhatsApp chats on Google Android
At first you need to create backup of your conversation in WhatsApp on your old phone:
Go to WhatsApp → Menu Button → Settings → Chat settings → Backup conversations.
WhatsApp for Android create backup
Now if you have old and new Android phone with SD card slot, you can use SD card to transport WhatsApp chats.
Open any file management tool in your old phone, like Astro Manager, Root Explorer etc. and check where is stored your WhatsApp folder.
WhatsApp for Android database folder
If it is on SD card, switch off the old phone, remove SD card from it and pop SD card to new phone.
Install WhatsApp app to new phone.
Install WhatsApp for Android
Open WhatsApp and you will be prompted to restore your message history.
Restore chats in WhatsApp for Android
If you have WhatsApp folder stored on phone internal memory, you need to transport it to same internal memory location on new phone.
Copy WhatsApp database folder in Root Explorer
In case you have SD card slot on both phones, you can copy WhatsApp folder from internal memory to SD card with a file management tool.
You can do this by removing SD card from old phone → pop SD card to new phone → copy WhatsApp folder back to internal storage → Install WhatsApp → start WhatsApp and you will be prompted to restore your message history.
If you don't have phone/phones with SD card slot you can use computer instead. Connect old phone via USB to computer → open internal storage → copy WhatsApp folder to computer → connect new phone to computer → copy WhatsApp folder to internal storage of new phone → install WhatsApp → start WhatsApp and you will be prompted to restore your message history.
How to move WhatsApp chats from old iPhone to new iPhone
There are some ways how to restore your WhatsApp chats to new iPhone.
iCloud Backup
Open Settings → iCloud → Backup on iOS 8 or Settings → iCloud → Storage & Backup on iOS 7 and earlier.
Tap iCloud Backup to turn it on → Tap Back Up Now.
Enable iCloud backup
Wait till the backup of old phone will be finished.
Start new iPhone and you will be prompted by iOS Setup Assistant how to setup your new iPhone → select Restore from iCloud Backup option. After that your conversations will be available in WhatsApp installed to new iPhone.
iTunes Backup
The most convenient way on iPhone is to use older backups made in Apple iTunes.
Connect your old iPhone to PC or Mac → open iTunes Choose File → Devices → Back up.
Now you can connect a new iPhone and Restore it with backup from old iPhone. All your WhatsApp conversations will be available in WhatsApp app.
Always use the newest version of iTunes, because this way you will prevent any incompatibility of iPhone devices with iTunes.
Detailed information how to backup and restore iOS devices with iTunes is in our article called How to backup Apple iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch with iTunes.
WhatsApp iCloud Backup
The last option how to transport your WhatsApp chats to a new iPhone is to use WhatsApp iCloud backup.
To backup your chat conversation go to WhatsApp Settings → Chat Settings → Chat Backup → Click on Backup Now.
WhatsApp iCloud backup
To restore WhatsApp conversation to new iPhone → Install WhatsApp → login with your telephone number and you will be prompted to restore your chat conversations.
Restore WhatsApp chat history
To use WhatsApp iCloud backup function you need to have iCloud backup function for iPhone enabled.
How to move WhatsApp chats on Windows Phone
To transfer your chat history from your old Windows Phone to the new one you need to have phones with SD card slot. You must have made a WhatsApp backup on your external SD card. After that pop the SD Card to new phone and install WhatsApp. After first start you will be prompted to recover your WhatsApp chat from backup.
How to create backup and restore WhatsApp chat on Windows Phone
How to move WhatsApp chats on BlackBerry 10
There are two options How to move WhatsApp chats from old BlackBerry to new one, with BlackBerry Link and manual transfer.
Use BlackBerry Link
- Download and install BlackBerry Link to your PC or Mac.
- Backup old BlackBerry device with BlackBerry Link.
- Restore the backup of the old device into the new device.
Use Manual Transfer
Go to WhatsApp → Application Menu → Settings → Media settings → Backup conversations and create backup.
To transfer your backup file from your old phone onto a SD card or any other storage (Cloud Storage for example), copy it with File Manager installed on old BB phone.
Copy the backup folder on the path misc/whatsapp/backup folder from your old phone to the storage media.
Transfer the backup file from the storage media onto the new device.
Once you have transferred your backup, you can install WhatsApp on your new BlackBerry 10 smartphone and click Restore when prompted to restore your message history.