WhatsApp chat histories aren't stored on our servers. We can't retrieve any deleted messages for you. You can use our iCloud backup feature to back up and restore your chat history. Media and messages you back up aren't protected by WhatsApp end-to-end encryption while in iCloud.

• iCloud Backup
• iCloud Troubleshooting
• iPhone Backup
• Export Chat

iCloud Backup

To make a manual backup of your chats at any time, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now. You can also enable automatic, scheduled backups by tapping Auto Backup and then 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 7 or later.
  • For iOS 8 and later: iCloud Drive must be turned on.
  • For iOS 7: Documents & Data 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.

Using iCloud on cellular data

If you're concerned about your cellular data usage, we recommend that you limit your iCloud to only back up on Wi-Fi.

Recover chat history from iCloud

1. To recover your chat history from an iCloud backup, first verify that an iCloud backup exists in WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
2. If you can see when the last backup was performed, delete and reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store.
3. After verifying your phone number, follow the on-screen prompts to restore your chat history.

Note:

• The same requirements for iCloud backup apply to iCloud restore.
• The phone number used for backing up and restoring must be the same. You can't restore the chat history from another WhatsApp account.
  • Even if you share an iCloud account with a family member, you'll still be able to keep your WhatsApp backup separate from theirs due to the requirement of needing the same phone number for both your iCloud backup and WhatsApp account.

iCloud Troubleshooting

If you're having problems backing up or restoring from iCloud, this is likely not an issue with WhatsApp but with the iCloud account. If you need help with iCloud, please contact Apple Support.

If you're unable to create a backup, please try the following:

• Verify you're signed in with the Apple ID that you use to access iCloud.
• Verify iCloud Drive is turned on.
• If you're trying to back up on an iPhone with iOS 7, verify that no other device using your Apple ID has ever had iCloud Drive turned on.
  • If you've turned on iCloud Drive for any device using your Apple ID, you won't be able to upload data on iOS 7. Even if iCloud Drive was previously turned on and then turned off, you won't be able to back up on an iOS 7 device. You would need to update to iOS 8 or later to back up.
  • Verify you have enough available space on your iCloud account to create a backup.
• If you're attempting a backup on a cellular data network, make sure you've enabled cellular data usage for iCloud.
• Perform a manual backup by going to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now.
• Attempt the manual backup on a different network - preferably the network you connect to the most.

If you're unable to restore a backup, please try the following:

• Verify you're attempting to restore data from the same phone number and iCloud account that the backup was created on.
• Verify there's enough space on your iPhone to restore the backup.
• If the backup was created using iCloud Drive, you’ll only be able to restore that backup on an iPhone with iOS 8 or later.
• If you've turned on iCloud Drive for any device using your Apple ID, you won't be able to restore data on your iPhone unless it has iOS 8 or later.
• Attempt the restoration from a different network - preferably the network you connect to the most.

iPhone 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

You can email yourself a chat history if you'd like to save a chat:

1. Open the WhatsApp chat you’d like to email.
2. Tap the contact's name or group subject.
3. Tap Export Chat.
4. Select if you want to Attach Media or email the chat Without Media.
5. Tap the Mail app. You can also tap More for additional options.
6. Enter your email address and tap Send.

Learn how to restore messages on: Android | Windows Phone