How to Restore WhatsApp Backups on Your Phone?

Accidentally deleted WhatsApp? Or just switched to a new phone? One of the biggest worries is losing all your chats, photos, videos, and other important content. The good news: if you had backups enabled, restoring your WhatsApp data is simple. Both Android and iPhone encourage users to set up cloud backups, making recovery easy. Here’s how to restore WhatsApp backups step by step.

What to Know Before Restoring a Backup

Same phone number required

Backups are tied to your WhatsApp account and phone number. You can’t restore data from one number to another.

Same account required

Android: you must be logged into the Google account used for the backup.

iPhone: you must be logged into the Apple ID used for the backup.

Stable internet connection

Since backups are downloaded from the cloud, a strong Wi-Fi or mobile data connection ensures smooth restoration.

How to Restore WhatsApp Backup on Android

Install WhatsApp from the Google Play Store.

Open WhatsApp, enter your phone number, and verify it via SMS code.

WhatsApp will automatically detect backups stored in Google Drive.

If no backup appears, double-check your Google account and try again.

Tap Restore, wait for the process to finish, and then tap Next.

Your chats will reappear instantly, while photos and videos will download gradually in the background.

How to Restore WhatsApp Backup on iPhone

Download WhatsApp again from the App Store.

Open WhatsApp, enter your phone number, and complete verification.

WhatsApp will check iCloud for backups.

If nothing appears, confirm your Apple ID is correct and backups are enabled.

Tap Restore Chat History, wait until it’s done, and continue to the main screen.

Chats will show immediately, while media files load gradually.

FAQs

Why can’t I find my backup?

Make sure you’re using the same phone number and account, and confirm that cloud backup was enabled previously.

What if the restore process gets stuck?

Try switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data.

Check that your device has enough storage space.

In regions where WhatsApp or Google services are restricted, you may need to use a proxy or VPN.

Can I restore an old backup to a new phone number?

No. Backups are strictly tied to the original phone number unless you changed your WhatsApp number before losing access.