How to Restore WhatsApp Chats on iPhone, by FutureForge on YouTube. 1 min 21 s.
- Video length
- 1 min 21 s
- Time to do it
- 15 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 7
What you need
Steps
Open WhatsApp and go to Settings, then Chats, then Chat Backup. Check the Last Backup date to confirm a backup exists before you delete anything.
Make sure iCloud Drive is on: open the iPhone Settings app, tap your name, then iCloud, and confirm iCloud Drive is enabled.
Reinstall WhatsApp to trigger the restore. Long press the app icon, tap Remove App, tap Delete App, then download WhatsApp again from the App Store.
Open WhatsApp and enter the same phone number you used before. Tap Next and type the six digit code that arrives by SMS.
When the Restore Chat History screen appears, tap Restore. If your backup was encrypted, enter the password you set.
Keep the phone on Wi-Fi and plugged into power while the chats download. A large backup can take several minutes.
Open the chat list once the restore finishes and scroll through to confirm your old conversations and media are back.
Tips and common mistakes
The restore prompt only appears during WhatsApp setup, so you must reinstall the app to see it.
Use the same Apple ID and phone number as the original backup, or the restore option will not appear.
Keep the phone plugged in and on Wi-Fi, since a dropped connection can interrupt a large restore.
Turn on automatic backups in Chat Backup so you have a recent copy next time.
Questions
Can I restore WhatsApp chats without an iCloud backup?
No. If no backup exists in iCloud, WhatsApp has nothing to download and your chat list starts empty. You would need a local iTunes or Finder backup or an earlier phone backup to recover anything.
Will restoring delete the chats already on my phone?
Yes, tapping Restore replaces the current chat history with the contents of the backup. Messages sent after the backup date will not come back.
How long does a WhatsApp restore take?
Small text only backups finish in a minute or two. Backups with lots of photos and videos can take 10 minutes or more, depending on your connection speed.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
