How to back up to iCloud
You can back up and restore your WhatsApp chat history with iCloud.
Note:
- WhatsApp chat histories aren't stored on our servers.
- Media and messages you back up aren't protected by WhatsApp end-to-end encrypted backup.
- We can't retrieve any deleted messages for you.
Back up to iCloud
Manual backup
You can make a manual backup of your chats at any time.
Go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now.
Automatic backup
You can enable automatic, scheduled backups by tapping Auto Backup and choosing your backup frequency.
This will back up your chats and media to your iCloud account. You can choose to include or exclude videos from the backup. The iCloud backup process can take a while to complete, depending on your Internet connection and backup size.
Requirements
- You must be signed in with the Apple ID you use to access iCloud.
- You must have iOS 12 or newer and iCloud Drive must be turned on.
- There must be enough free space on both your iCloud and iPhone. You need to have at least 2.05 times the space available in your iCloud account and on your phone than the actual size of your backup.
If you're concerned about your cellular data usage, we recommend that you limit your iCloud to only back up on Wi-Fi.
Restore from a previous backup
If you've previously backed up your iPhone using iCloud or iTunes, you might be able to retrieve your WhatsApp chats by restoring your iPhone from a previous backup. For more information on backing up and restoring your iPhone, visit the Apple Support website.
Export chat history
You can email yourself your chat history if you'd like to save a chat.
Note: If you're in Germany, you might have to update WhatsApp before you can use the export chat feature.
- Open the individual or group chat you’d like to save.
- Tap the contact's name or group subject.
- Tap Export Chat.
- Select if you want to Attach Media or email the chat Without Media.
- Open the Mail app. You can also tap More for additional options.
- Enter your email address and tap Send.