To restore a WhatsApp backup, uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, verify the same phone number the backup was made with, and tap Restore when it asks (on an iPhone you verify your number and Apple ID, then tap Restore Chat History). Your messages come back first and your photos and media follow in the background.
Before you start, there's one tap that catches people out. If you press Skip on the restore screen, WhatsApp's Android restore guide says new backups from then on only include chats received after that point, and the old history can't be restored later. Go slowly on that screen.
First, check you've got a backup to restore
On your old phone, or on the current one before you uninstall anything, open WhatsApp and go to Settings, then Chats, then Chat backup. WhatsApp's backup help page explains that this screen shows when your last backup ran and how big it is. If there's no backup there, stop and don't uninstall, because there's nothing to bring back.
Will my chats come back? The rules that decide it
Most failed restores come down to one of these. Run through the table before you uninstall:
| Rule | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Same phone number | The backup is tied to the number it was made with | Verify with exactly that number on the new install |
| One backup per account | A new backup overwrites the old one (on Android, one per phone number in a Google Account) | Don't run a fresh backup while you're trying to get an older one back |
| The 120 day limit | Backups more than 120 days old may not restore, even if your account is active | Restore an old backup as soon as you can |
| Skip is permanent | After Skip, the old history can't be restored later | Only tap Restore if you want your old chats |
| Videos need a setting | Videos only restore if Include videos was on before the last backup | Switch it on now so your next backup includes them |
| Nothing after the last backup | Messages sent or received after the last backup can't be restored | Back up right before you change or reset a phone |
| Free storage on the phone | Not enough space means a partial or failed restore | Free up space on the phone before you start |
| Same type of phone | An iPhone can't restore an Android backup, and Android can't restore an iPhone one | Use WhatsApp's transfer features when switching |
How to restore a WhatsApp backup on Android
These are the steps from the WhatsApp Help Center, for backups held in WhatsApp cloud storage or your Google Account:
- Uninstall WhatsApp, then reinstall it.
- Verify your phone number. Use the same number the backup was made with.
- When prompted, tap Restore. Don't tap Skip if you want your old chats back.
- Verify your identity if asked. If you don't use two-step verification or end-to-end encrypted backups, you can get a code by text message or phone call.
- Keep WhatsApp open until your chats appear. Messages restore first, then media carries on in the background.
Do it on Wi-Fi with the phone plugged in, so a big backup isn't cut off halfway.
If you're setting up a brand new Android phone, my guide on how to transfer data on Android covers moving everything else across too.
Restoring on an iPhone, in brief
On an iPhone the restore comes from iCloud. Check iCloud Drive is on and WhatsApp is allowed to use it (iPhone Settings, your name, iCloud, iCloud Drive), then uninstall WhatsApp, reinstall it, verify your phone number and Apple ID, and tap Restore Chat History. The iPhone restore page adds one warning worth knowing: tapping Skip media restore is permanent, and the next backup deletes media that wasn't restored. For the full iCloud walkthrough, see my guide to WhatsApp iCloud backup.
Switching between iPhone and Android
A backup won't cross over. An iPhone can't restore an Android backup and an Android phone can't restore an iPhone one, so moving between them uses WhatsApp's transfer features instead. If you're going from iPhone to Android, WhatsApp's iPhone to Android guide says the transfer only works before WhatsApp is activated on the new phone. Set up WhatsApp on the Android first and you've closed that door, so do the transfer before anything else.
Restore not working? Quick fixes
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| No Restore option appears | There's no backup for that number, or you verified a different number | Check Chat backup on the old phone and verify with the number the backup belongs to |
| The restore stops partway | Not enough free storage on the phone | Uninstall WhatsApp, free up space, then try again |
| Chats from the last few days are missing | They came in after the last backup | Those messages can't be restored; back up more often from now on |
| Videos are missing but photos are back | Include videos was off when the backup ran | Turn it on so future backups include them |
| An old backup won't restore | Backups more than 120 days old may not restore | Nothing to fix here, sadly; restore sooner next time |
| The restore keeps starting over on an iPhone | Closing WhatsApp early may restart the message restore | Leave the app open on Wi-Fi and power until chats appear |
What a backup includes
Your chats and media, plus videos if you've switched them on. Community messages are included in backups, and so are channel updates, but channel media usually isn't unless you're a channel admin. If you're wondering how private all of this is, I've looked at whether WhatsApp is safe in a separate guide.
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My advice
Check your Chat backup screen before you touch anything, and treat the restore screen like a one way door: tap Restore, never Skip, unless you're happy to lose the old chats for good. If you're after an older backup, don't let WhatsApp run a new one in the meantime, because it'll write straight over it. And if you've just switched to Android from an iPhone, do the chat transfer first, before WhatsApp is set up on the new phone. Get those three right and you've given your chats their best chance.
Frequently asked questions
How do I restore a WhatsApp backup on Android?
Uninstall WhatsApp, reinstall it, verify the same phone number the backup was made with and tap Restore when prompted. Your messages come back first and media follows in the background.
Can I restore a WhatsApp backup after tapping Skip?
Not the old chats. WhatsApp says that once you skip, new backups only include chats received after that point and the earlier history can't be restored later.
Can I restore an Android WhatsApp backup on an iPhone?
No. An iPhone can't restore an Android backup and an Android phone can't restore an iPhone backup. To switch phones you use WhatsApp's chat transfer features instead.
Why didn't my WhatsApp videos come back?
Videos only restore if Include videos was switched on before your last backup. If it was off, those videos weren't in the backup to begin with.
How old can a WhatsApp backup be and still restore?
WhatsApp says backups more than 120 days old may not restore, even if your account is still active, so restore an older backup as soon as you can.
Can WhatsApp support restore my chats for me?
No. WhatsApp says it can't restore, transfer or delete chats, contacts or media for you, so the backup on your own account is the only route back.
