How to Restore WhatsApp from Backup to Android & iPhone

Updated on Jun 19, 2024 | by Woodward

Taking time to make a copy of your WhatsApp data is well worth the investment. Thus, your Whatsapp data will never be gone if you lose your iPhone, drop it in the toilet, or for whatever reasons you lose your data. Depending on the different places you back up your Whatsapp data and the different phone models you're using, there are some different ways for you to restore them.

PAGE CONTENT:

Part 1. How to Restore WhatsApp from Backup to iPhone
Part 2. How to Restore WhatsApp from Backup to Android

Part 1. How to Restore WhatsApp from Backup to iPhone

Depending on the methods you use to back up your WhatsApp data, we will show you four ways to restore the backup to your iPhone.

Way 1. Restore WhatsApp from Local Backup to iPhone

Though Google Drive is a convenient tool to back up and restore WhatsApp data, it is not always helpful for iOS devices. If you want a more flexible and easier backup & restore method, try using this professional WhatsApp backup & restore tool - Qiling MobiMover. With it installed on your computer, you can backup your WhatsApp chat history with one click and export/restore certain conversations or all WhatsApp chat at once. Moreover, there are many things you can do with it, such as:

Transfer iOS files between iPhones and iPads.
Transfer iOS data between an iOS device and a computer.
Transfer WhatsApp data from one phone to another or create a backup.
Batch convert HEIC pictures to JPG
Convert any local videos to MP3

If you've backed up your WhatsApp data with Qiling MobiMover before, now you can restore it to your iPhone.

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Step 1. Connect your iPhone to your computer using a USB cable, launch Qiling MobiMover, and choose "WhatsApp" > "Restore".

Step 2. Select the backup you want to restore WhatsApp from, check the target device, and click "Restore". Then you will see a prompt telling you the WhatsApp data will be erased after restore. Click "Restore" in the window to continue.

Step 3. Wait for the restore process to complete. The time it will take depends on the size of the backup.

Step 4. When it has done, you can go to "WhatsApp" > "Backup History" to check the WhatsApp messages and attachments in the backup.

Way 2. Restore WhatsApp Chats from iCloud

If you've used an iPhone for a long time, you may have known that iCloud is a better option for WhatsApp data backup than Google Drive. If you've already made a backup with iCloud, here are the steps to restore this backup to your iPhone.

Step 1. First, you'll need to delete WhatsApp from your device and reinstall it.

Step 2. You'll need to set up your WhatsApp the first time you install it: Enter the same phone number that you used previously and log into the same iCloud account as before.

Step 3. Then, it will detect all existing iCloud backups. Tap "Restore Chat History" to get your chats back.

Way 3. Restore WhatsApp Backup from iTunes

Likewise, you can also back up and restore your WhatsApp data with iTunes. Unlike iCloud, iTunes doesn't allow you to back up WhatsApp data only. That means you have to back up your whole device with iTunes, and then when you need it, you can restore your device from iTunes. This is a preferable choice for users who're planning to reset their iPhone/iPad or those who buy a new device.

Step 1. Connect your iPhone to the computer and launch iTunes.

Step 2. Tap "Trust this computer" on your iPhone if required.

Step 3. Click on your device icon in the upper left corner of the iTunes window.

Step 4. Click on "Summary" from the menu on the left side.

Step 5. Make sure "This computer" is ticked.

Step 6. Click "Restore Backup."

Step 7. Then, you will be required to choose a device to restore. Just choose your device and click "Restore."

Restore WhatsApp from iTunes

 Notice:: Apart from the above-introduced way, you can also restore the entire device to get WhatsApp data backup. To do this, you'll need to factory reset your iPhone and take it back to the initial state. Then, set your iPhone up and choose "Restore from iCloud Backup" or "Restore from iTunes Backup." It worth mentioning that this will erase everything on your iPhone, so you should be careful to use this method.

Way 4. Restore WhatsApp Backup from Google Drive to iPhone

If you're now owning a new iPhone and want to restore the WhatsApp chats you previously backed to Google Drive on Android. Here is the solution. Note that the process is a bit complicated as you'll need to restore your WhatsApp backup to an Android device first and then export it to your iPhone because Google Drive isn't compatible with the iOS platform.

Now, get both your Android and iPhone ready and follow the steps below to restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive to your iPhone.

Step 1. Restore WhatsApp Backup from Google Drive to Android

Install WhatsApp on your Android device.
Set your WhatsApp as you did before.
When you enter the page of 'Restore backup", click the "Restore" button.

Step 2. Export Backup from Android to iPhone

Open WhatsApp on the Android.
Tap the dotted line on the top right of the screen to open the "Settings" page.
From the drop-down list, click "Email Chat."
Select the individual or group chat that you want to export.
Then, a window will pop up to ask you to choose "Without Media" or "Attach Medis." You can choose either of them, depending on your needs.
After that, you can choose the email app and send the Whatsapp chats to yourself or others.

Part 2. How to Restore WhatsApp from Backup to Android

There are two options for restoring WhatsApp from backup - from a local backup and Google Drive.

Way 1. Restore WhatsApp from a Local Backup

If you have an SD card, then WhatsApp messages will be backed up by default. Thus, you can directly move your SD card to another device to restore chat history. If your Android doesn't have an SD card, WhatsApp conversations will be stored in your device's internal memory at this path: /sdcard/WhatsApp/. Thus, you will need to transfer files from this folder to another device through a computer.

Step 1. Download a file manager app on your Android device.

Step 2. Go to sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases. Note that if your data isn't stored on the SD card, you might see "internal storage" or "main storage" instead of sdcard.

Step 3. Rename your backup file to msgstore.db.crypt12 (the former is msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12). If your backup is made earlier, its name might be crypt9 or crypt10.

Step 4. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp > Set it up and tap "Restore" when prompted.

Way 2. Restore WhatsApp from Google Drive

If you are an Android user, then you have a chance to restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive. Before you proceed, make sure that you have made a backup of your WhatsApp chat history. To do this, you can follow these steps.

Step 1. Uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp on your device.

Step 2. Open WhatsApp and input your phone number > When prompted, tap "Restore" to restore your chats and media from Google Drive.

Step 3. After restoring, tap "Next." Then, you can access your WhatsApp chats on your phone.

The Bottom Line

That's all about our methods to restore WhatsApp backup from Google Drive to iPhone. As you can see, there is no direct way to restore WhatsApp from Google Drive to your iPhone. Your only option is to restore your backup from Google Drive to an Android device first and then export it to your iPhone. If this is complicated for you to operate, try using Qiling MobiMover to do it easily and quickly.

If you're an Android user, things gonna be very easy. You can either choose to restore your WhatsApp data from a local backup or Google Drive.