WhatsApp is not just an instant messaging application, since over the years and with each new update it has become a complementary tool for daily use with multiple functions , where you even have the option of using WhatsApp as a cloud of storage to temporarily save files within the application and synchronize the data with other services.
The number of tools that WhatsApp makes available to its users is quite wide to adjust to any need, it is only a matter of familiarizing yourself with them to learn how to use them and benefit from the application to the maximum, within any area of day-to-day life. For that reason, today we want to show you how to make a backup copy in WhatsApp to save the information.
Index( )
- How to create a backup from WhatsApp settings?
- iPhone
- Android
- What should be done to save all the files and WhatsApp chats in my mail?
- How to create backup on WhatsApp using iCloud Drive on my iPhone?
- Automatic backup
- How to have a backup of all my WhatsApp files from the PC?
- On Mac
- With Windows
- What can I do if I lose a backup on my mobile device?
- Restore files
How to create a backup from WhatsApp settings?
Taking into account that WhatsApp is usually one of the most used applications on the mobile phone along with other social networks, the amount of information and personal data that it usually stores is considerable, even occupying a large amount of space within the internal storage of the mobile , which can cause all kinds of performance problems in terms of processing power on your computer.
And despite taking up so much space in the memory of the device, we cannot simply delete such files and data permanently , since a large part of them are essential for any personal, work or educational reason. Luckily, to solve this problem, WhatsApp offers its users the option of making a backup copy from the internal settings of the application.
The procedure to create a backup directly from the WhatsApp application is quite simple, and it is also available for all operating systems compatible with the application. Below we will show you the steps you must take to complete this process in a matter of minutes.
iPhone
- The first thing you should do is open the WhatsApp mobile application, which must have all the available updates installedto function without problems.
- According to its default configuration it should update automatically. However, if the application is not updated to its latest version, you will have to enter the App Store to update it manually.
- Once you have updated the application, enter it again and on the main screen open the options menuto select the Settings option.
- Within the Settings section you will have to locate the Chats section, then click on it to access the Backup option.
- Finally, after checking the Backup option, you will have to selectBack up now , so that the application starts the process automatically.
- Depending on the number of files accumulated within the application, this process may take several minutes. So you must be patient and do not close the application in the process, to avoid errors.
Android
In order to create a backup copy of WhatsApp files and data on an Android mobile, it is necessary to have the Google account configured on the mobile device to be able to synchronize the Google Drive application, which is Google’s virtual storage service. Apart from that, you must make sure that WhatsApp and all Google applications are updated on your mobile, then you will have to follow the following steps.
- Open the WhatsApp mobile application, if you don’t have it installed yet, you can download it from Google Play for free. You can even carry out this process by downloading WhatsApp Plus through alternative means.
- Inside the application, click on the icon with three vertical dots, which is located in the upper right corner of the screen.
- This will open the drop-down menu of options, where you must follow the following path: Settings> Chats> Backup> Save to Google Drive.
- Next you will have to select the frequency in which you want backups to be made in the application. You can select to be done monthly, weekly, daily or when you click on the ‘Save’ button.
- Then you must choose the Google account synchronized on the mobilewhere you want the backup to be saved.
- To finish the process, check the option ‘Save using’to determine the type of network in which the backups can be made, to ensure that they are not made when you are only connected to mobile data.
It is also important to mention that at the end of the list of options to configure backups in WhatsApp, you have available the option to ‘Include videos’ which is usually disabled by default. This is because the larger videos take up more space, and if you have a free Google Drive account, it is not recommended to include them. However, enabling this option is entirely at your own discretion.
Of all the previously mentioned options to configure WhatsApp backups, the most important is the frequency in which they must be done. It is recommended to configure them to be done daily , so that in case of any problem you do not lose any type of information or essential files that have been sent to you recently.
What should be done to save all the files and WhatsApp chats in my mail?
In the event that you do not have a Google account to make a backup copy through Google Play services, WhatsApp has the option to export all files and chats to email. Being a slightly more tedious option than the traditional method , since this cannot be configured to be done automatically from time to time, but you will have to do it manually.
Below we will show you the steps you must take to use this method , which despite being more complicated than the standard method, its difficulty is minimal.
- Enter the WhatsApp application, click on the icon with three vertical dots in the upper right corner to open the drop-down menu of toolsand click on the Settings option.
- In the next menu, click on the Chatssection > Chat history> Export chats and here you will have available all the chats that you have open in the application. In this process you will only be able to choose a chat to export.
- After selecting a chat, a pop-up window will appear on the screen with a message indicating if you want to include files in the backup, which refers to the multimedia files that you have sent and that you have received.
- Next you will have to select the medium where you want to send the chatfrom the list of applications installed on the mobile. Choose the email application you use for personal use.
- Finally, WhatsApp will ask you which email you want to send the backup to, select your email address and you will receive the chat in a text format file.
On the other hand, as well as you have the option to export chats to your email address, you can import these chats to your WhatsApp whenever you want. Although this process is quite complicated and requires prior knowledge, it is therefore recommended to use an external application such as iTransor to restore files automatically and safely.
How to create backup on WhatsApp using iCloud Drive on my iPhone?
Just as the Android version of WhatsApp has the Google Drive services affiliated with the application to make a backup, in the iOS version of WhatsApp you have the option to create a backup using iCloud Drive, in such a way that you can save space in the internal storage of the mobile device. To use this method the instructions are as follows.
Automatic backup
- First of all, you must enter the iPhone Settings section to enable iCloud. To do this, slide the home screen up and check the iCloudoption > iCloud Drive> Activate iCloud Drive.
- Then in the Applications section of the same section, enable iCloud access to WhatsApp, so that it can perform the backup without inconvenience.
- Next you will have to open the WhatsApp application on the iPhone, enter the Settings menu and click on Chats> Backup> Automatic backupand choose the frequency in which you want this to be done, between daily, weekly or monthly.
Remember that for this process to work without any problem you must be connected to a stable WiFi network , and you must also make sure you have enough space in your iCloud account so that the backup is not incomplete. In order not to have to worry about such problems, it is recommended to subscribe to an iCloud payment plan to expand the storage space.
How to have a backup of all my WhatsApp files from the PC?
Another recommended and totally safe option where you can store WhatsApp backups is through the computer, which compared to the previously mentioned methods such as iCloud and Google Drive does not offer so many security options, but with this accounts with a greater capacity to storage to save WhatsApp files, including videos.
Currently it is possible to make a backup copy of all WhatsApp files on both Mac and Windows computers. We will show you how to do it below.
On Mac
To be able to make a backup copy on a Mac computer, it is necessary to have an updated version of iTunes installed inside it, since with this program you can make a backup copy not only of WhatsApp, but of all the files on the device. Once you have iTunes installed in its latest version on your computer, follow the steps below.
- Open the iTunes program and then connect the iPhone to the computer with a working cable, then wait a few seconds for it to be detected on the computer and in iTunes.
- Once the iPhone device has been detected, click on the Summary tab within iTunes, then click on the Backup button, making sure to have the This computer box checked.
- This process may take several minutes, once it is completed you will receive a notification that iTunes has saved the backup copy on your computer, including all WhatsApp files and chats.
Making a backup copy on your computer with iTunes allows you to restore said backup on your mobile whenever you want, with the only detail that doing so will delete all the existing data from the phone. Therefore, this option should be used only in situations where you are restoring the equipment to its factory settings or are using a new iPhone phone.
With Windows
- Open the WhatsApp application, in the upper right part of the screen, clickon the icon with three vertical dots and then click on the Settings option.
- Once the Settings menu opens on the screen, check the Chats sectionand within this on the Backup option.
- Here you will have the option to make the backup with Google Drive, and then enter the virtual cloud from your computerand download said backup.
If you do not have a Google Drive account, you can perform the backup with a USB cable , through the following steps.
- Connect the mobile device to the Windows computer with the USB cable, a notification will appear on the mobile screen indicating that it is charging, in this notification you must check the Transfer files option.
- Then within the computer’s explorer, click on the mobile terminal to find the WhatsApp folder, once you have found it, right-click on it and click on the Copy option.
- To finish the process, choose a place on the computer and paste the WhatsApp folder, in this way you will have made a successful manual backup.
What can I do if I lose a backup on my mobile device?
In order to restore WhatsApp files if you have lost a backup copy on the mobile device, it is necessary to have previously configured this with Google Drive or iCloud, because in its default configuration WhatsApp only stores copies on the device for 7 days. In case you already have your WhatsApp configured with any of the virtual cloud services, you can recover the backup as follows.
Restore files
- Uninstall the WhatsApp application on your mobile and then reinstall it, which you can do from Google Play or the App Store in a matter of seconds.
- Once the WhatsApp application has been reinstalled, verify the phone number and press the Restore button.
- In this way, the application will link with Google Drive or iCloudto recover the multimedia files and chats stored in the backup.
- Continue with the steps of the installation process, when you finish with them and start WhatsApp you will see that all the old conversations will appear available on the screen.
In addition to having the option to restore files, you also have the possibility of recovering deleted chats on WhatsApp if they are still within the 7-day period where the application still stores them on its servers , once said period of time has elapsed. said chat will be removed from the application and from the cloud. Therefore, to recover it you must follow the following instructions.
- You should place the backup where the deleted chat still exists, before it is replaced by a new backup. Therefore, you must search Google Drive, iCloud or connecting the mobile to the computer, to find the file called ‘msgstore.db.crypt12’.
- Once you find the backup by any of the previously mentioned means, copy and paste the file in another placeor you can also leave it in the same folder but changing the name of the file, so that it is not replaced in the new backup. scheduled.
- Now to recover the deleted chats and view them on WhatsApp, you must copy the file back to the application directoriesor to the virtual cloud where the backup copies are saved.
- In addition to that, you will have to rename the file to ‘msgstore.db.crypt12’so that it can replace the existing file in the folder.
- To finish the process, you will have to uninstall the WhatsApp application to download it and reinstall it again, as in the previously mentioned process. In this way, the changes made will take effect.
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