TL;DR: Every Android and iPhone combination has an official, free WhatsApp transfer in 2026. Same-system moves need no cloud backup: chat transfer moves everything phone to phone over Wi-Fi by QR code. Android to iPhone runs through Move to iOS during setup; iPhone to Android offers an in-app Wi-Fi transfer or a cable route. Same number on both phones.
Published: 8 November 2026. Last checked: 23 October 2026.
Do you need a cloud backup to transfer WhatsApp to a new phone?
Not any more. WhatsApp’s built-in chat transfer moves your history directly between the two phones over Wi-Fi when both run the same system, and a direct transfer now works from iPhone to Android too. Cloud backups still matter as a safety net, and they remain the only restore route when the old phone is already gone.
Take a fresh backup first anyway: it is your only way back if a phone is lost mid-move. Android backups count toward your Google storage, so a large one can fail on a full account; our free cloud storage comparison shows the limits.
What should you check before you start?
Five checks prevent almost every failed transfer. Keep your old phone until the new one is set up. Use the same phone number on both phones. Update WhatsApp on both. Charge both phones and use the same Wi-Fi network. Confirm the new phone has enough free storage.
- Do not wipe the old phone. Every method below needs it, except a cloud restore.
- Know your sign-ins. You will need the password for your Google account or Apple Account.
- Changing number too? Do it first, on the old phone (below).
How do you transfer WhatsApp from Android to a new Android phone?
You have two official routes. Chat transfer moves everything over Wi-Fi with a QR code, with no cloud upload involved. The Google Drive route backs up on the old phone and restores during setup on the new one. Google’s support page presents both at restore and recommends the cloud option when your backup is current.
Chat transfer (no backup needed)
- On the new phone, install WhatsApp and verify your same phone number. When offered, choose to transfer chat history from your old phone. A QR code appears.
- On the old phone, go to Settings > Chats > Chat transfer and tap Start.
- Scan the QR code with the old phone and accept the connection.
- Keep both phones nearby, unlocked and on Wi-Fi until the progress bar completes, then tap Done.
Requirements: Android 6 or later on both phones, Wi-Fi and location on, new phone not yet registered on WhatsApp.
Google Drive backup and restore
- On the old phone, go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup.
- Confirm the Google account shown is the one you will use on the new phone, tap Back up and let it finish.
- On the new phone, install WhatsApp, sign in with the same Google account and verify the same number.
- When prompted, tap Restore from backup. Chats appear first; media downloads in the background.
If Drive is full, free space first; our guide to freeing up Google storage covers the fastest wins. Fallback (Android only): copy the WhatsApp folder (Android > media > com.whatsapp) to the same place on the new phone before opening WhatsApp there.
How do you transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to a new iPhone?
The same two shapes apply. Transfer Chats moves the history directly between the iPhones over Wi-Fi using a QR code, with nothing uploaded anywhere. Or back up to iCloud on the old iPhone and tap Restore Chat History on the new one, signed in with the same Apple Account and the same phone number.
Transfer Chats (no backup needed)
- On the new iPhone, install WhatsApp and verify your same phone number. Choose the transfer option during setup; a QR code appears.
- On the old iPhone, go to Settings > Chats > Transfer Chats and tap Start.
- Scan the QR code with the old iPhone; keep both phones unlocked, nearby and on Wi-Fi until it completes.
iCloud backup and restore
- On the old iPhone, make sure iCloud Drive is on and WhatsApp is enabled under your iCloud settings.
- In WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup and tap Back Up Now.
- On the new iPhone, sign in with the same Apple Account, install WhatsApp and verify the same number.
- Tap Restore Chat History when prompted, and stay on Wi-Fi while media downloads.
How do you transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone?
Use Apple’s Move to iOS app during the new iPhone’s first setup. Your Android needs Android 5 or later, the iPhone needs iOS 15.5 or later, and the iPhone must be new or factory reset, because this route only runs during first setup. WhatsApp prepares the data for import at first sign-in.
- Start setting up the new iPhone. On the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen, tap From Android, as Apple’s own guide sets out. Already finished setup? You must erase the iPhone and start again for this route.
- On the Android phone, open Move to iOS and enter the code shown on the iPhone.
- On the Transfer Data screen, select WhatsApp.
- Tap Start and wait while WhatsApp prepares your data. You will be signed out of WhatsApp on Android at this point.
- Tap Next, then Continue in Move to iOS, and wait for the transfer to complete.
- Finish setup, install WhatsApp, and sign in with the same phone number.
- Tap Start when prompted, and let the import finish.
How do you transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android?
Two official routes exist. WhatsApp’s in-app Transfer to Android moves chats over Wi-Fi using a QR code, whenever you are ready. The older route runs during the new Android’s setup, with the phones joined by a cable. Google’s support page is blunt about that route: use the same number, and transfer before using WhatsApp on the new phone.
In-app transfer over Wi-Fi
- On the iPhone, go to Settings > Chats > Transfer chat history > Transfer to Android and tap Continue. Allow camera access if asked; keep the iPhone unlocked.
- On the new Android phone, open WhatsApp and verify the same phone number.
- Tap Allow to connect when prompted; a QR code appears on the Android phone.
- Scan it with the iPhone camera, tap Join, and wait for the transfer to finish.
- Tap Next on the Android phone to open your chats.
Requirements: Android 10 or later, latest WhatsApp on both phones, stable Wi-Fi. Run it before building up history on the new phone; histories cannot be merged.
Cable transfer during Android setup
- Begin setup on the new Android phone and choose to copy apps and data from an iPhone, following Google’s transfer guide.
- Connect the phones with your iPhone’s charging cable when prompted; tap Trust on the iPhone.
- Sign in to your Google Account; on the copy screen, make sure WhatsApp is selected.
- Keep the iPhone unlocked. When the QR code appears on the Android phone, scan it with the iPhone camera.
- WhatsApp opens on the iPhone at the export screen; tap Start and wait.
- Disconnect, open WhatsApp on the Android phone and sign in with the same number.
Samsung phones run it through Smart Switch, ending with Import inside WhatsApp. Android’s transfer page confirms what comes across: chats, account information, profile photo, media and settings.
Which route fits your phone combination?
Match the route to the two phones in front of you. Same system on both sides means the direct QR transfer, with a cloud restore as backup. Changing sides means Move to iOS to iPhone, and Wi-Fi or cable to Android.
| From > To | Official method | Cloud backup needed? | New phone must be new or reset? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Android > Android | QR chat transfer, or Google Drive restore | Only for the Drive route | No |
| iPhone > iPhone | QR Transfer Chats, or iCloud restore | Only for the iCloud route | No |
| Android > iPhone | Move to iOS during setup | No | Yes, iPhone new or reset |
| iPhone > Android | In-app transfer, or cable during setup | No | Only for the cable route |
What does not transfer with WhatsApp?
Call history never crosses between platforms, and neither do peer-to-peer payment messages or statuses. Moving to iPhone also leaves behind your display name and media shared in Channels. One hard limit applies everywhere: two chat histories cannot be merged, so an old history replaces chats already on the phone.
What does transfer, on every route: all chats with their history, photos, videos, voice notes and documents, plus your profile photo and settings. One caution: media never downloaded to the old phone cannot be recreated, so open important chats on Wi-Fi first.
What if you are changing your phone number too?
Change the number on the old phone first, then transfer. Google’s support page states the rule plainly: WhatsApp data cannot be transferred to a new phone number, but you can change your number on the old device before you move. The reverse order is the commonest cause of a missing restore.
- On the old phone, go to Settings > Account > Change number.
- Enter the old and new numbers and complete verification. Your account, groups and settings move across.
- Now run whichever transfer above fits your phones, verifying the new number.
Why did the transfer or restore not work?
Most failures trace back to three mismatches: a different phone number, a different Google or Apple account, or WhatsApp already activated on the new phone. The Move to iOS route has one extra trap: interrupt it, and you must erase the iPhone and start again.
- No restore prompt appears. The number, the cloud account or both differ from the backup. Sign in with the exact account from the old phone.
- Chats arrived but media is missing. Media downloads in the background after a restore; stay on Wi-Fi and give it an hour.
- The old phone is already wiped. Without a Drive or iCloud backup, the chats are gone. If it is photos you lost, our guide to recovering deleted photos covers what can still be saved.
Frequently asked questions
Can you transfer WhatsApp without the old phone?
Only through a cloud backup. If a Drive or iCloud backup exists, install WhatsApp on the new phone, verify the same number, sign in and restore. Every other route needs the old phone working.
Does transferring delete WhatsApp from your old phone?
Your chats stay readable on the old phone until you wipe it. The account, though, lives on one phone at a time: verifying on the new phone signs the old one out. Move to iOS is the exception: it signs you out on Android once your data is prepared.
How long does a WhatsApp transfer take?
It depends on the size of your history. A small history moves in minutes over Wi-Fi; years of videos take far longer, and a cloud restore keeps downloading media afterwards. Plug both phones in and start unhurried.
Do you need to pay for a WhatsApp transfer app?
No. Every route here is official and free. Google warns that other migration apps are not supported and can cause migration issues. If a site asks for your WhatsApp login, or a fee, close it.
Which method should you pick?
Stay with the direct transfer if both phones are in your hands: it is fastest and uploads nothing. Use the cloud route when the old phone is gone, or as the safety net behind every move. Cross-platform, Move to iOS is the only route to iPhone; Android offers Wi-Fi or cable.
Once the new phone is running, make it feel fast with our guides to speeding up an iPhone and speeding up an Android phone. Our guide to backing up phone photos free is worth five minutes too.
