How to Move WhatsApp Chat History to New Android Phone

How to Move WhatsApp chat history to new Android Phones from older one by backing up/restore the backup on newer one.

Are you switching over to a new Android phone and want to pass on your WhatsApp chat history that has important chat messages to the new device, amid other info and data? It’s entirely possible as long as you take a backup of the chats on old phone and transfer the microSD card that’s on your existing Android device over to the new device.

Though WhatsApp saves any chat conversations automatically on daily basis, taking a backup manually is important to avoid losing the information in process of device switchover. Backup files get saved on phone internal memory or SD-card only if there is space enough for them. They also remain valid for a week after their last save so get chat history imported before time runs out. Remember, these files are sensitive to phone number and work only with the same SIM card or phone number.

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You also need to make sure WhatsApp is already downloaded and installed on new device.

Steps to Move WhatsApp Chat History to a New Android Phone

• Open WhatsApp and click on ‘Menu’ button. The sequence of options to be clicked on is: Settings> Chat Settings> ‘Backup Conversations’. This backs up the WhatsApp chat history.
• Transfer the backup to new Android device. Here go through any of two given options:
  • For devices having external microSD, this card should be taken out from existing device and placed into new phone.
  • For devices like smartphones by Samsung that run on internal memory or an internal SD-card just transfer the folder: /Sdcard/WhatsApp from old phone to the folder of same name in new device. This can be performed using a file explorer or by transferring backup files to a computer first.

• Install WhatApp on the new Android phone by going through Play Store normal installation of apps.
• When the WhatsApp installation is on, the app automatically locates and identifies the backup and asks user for option to restore it. Click on ‘Yes’ to restore the old chats and have them reappear on new phone.

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Users who are not clear of their SD-card type should check the phone specifications on device manufacturer’s website before initiating the process.