How to Restore WhatsApp Backup from Google Drive?

In case you didn’t know, you can back up your WhatsApp chats and attachments manually to Google Drive whenever you want. However, there’s also the option to set the app to automatically backup on a daily, weekly or monthly schedule. 

Now, WhatsApp backups won’t count against your Google Drive quota, so storage isn’t an issue, you just need a solid internet connection.

NOTE: WhatsApp will simultaneously create a copy of the backup file to your Android’s internal storage or an SD card, letting you restore the data faster if you have to uninstall and reinstall the app.

To begin with, if you already have a WhatsApp backup in Drive, you can skip to the next section. Although it is always better to create a fresh backup, to make sure that the backup contains all your most recent messages and media. In order to do so, follow the steps to the letter:

1. To get started, open the application on your Android device.
2. Now, tap the More icon (three dots) at the top right of the screen.
3. Then, tap Settings in the drop-down menu.
4. Next, select Chats.
5. Now, scroll down and tap Chat Backup.
6. Then, click Backup again to save your WhatsApp data to Drive, using the default backup preferences. Or, scroll down the screen and configure the following settings:
   – End-to-end encrypted backup: Add an extra layer of security by encrypting the backup. Nevertheless, you won’t be able to restore your data if you lose the password or encryption key you create during the process.
   – Back up to Google Drive: Decide if you want to back up manually or automatically (daily, weekly, or monthly).
   – Back up using cellular: Back up data on Wi-Fi or cellular data. Turn the option off to avoid incurring additional charges while not connected to Wi-Fi.
   – Include videos: Decide if you want to include videos as part of your backups. Nonetheless, that can significantly increase the size of your backups and cause delays.
   – Google Account: Use a Google Account other than the one you’ve already signed into on your Android phone to back up your WhatsApp data.
7. Subsequently, wait until the backup completes.

It should be noted that the first upload can take a while to finish, but subsequent backups will be considerably faster. If you aren’t planning to restore your data right away, here are some things you should keep in mind about your backups:

• Google Drive replaces the current backup whenever you make a fresh upload, so you can’t restore older versions of your WhatsApp data.
• Google Drive deletes your WhatsApp backup if you (or WhatsApp) don’t update it within five months.
• WhatsApp for iOS relies on Apple’s native iCloud storage service for backup purposes, so you can’t restore a Google Drive backup to an iPhone.

Restore WhatsApp Backup From Google Drive

If you had to reset your Android or bought a new phone, you can also restore your WhatsApp data and continue right where you left off. Yet, you can only do this if you are using the same phone number as before.

On the other hand, you must log in to the device with the Google account that contains the WhatsApp backup. If you are not sure about this, follow the path: Settings > Passwords and accounts > Users and accounts. There, you will be able to see the list of Google accounts you have linked to your device.

Ready to procede

Once you’re ready to proceed, here’s what you need to do to restore your WhatsApp data from Drive:

1. You must first install and open Whatsapp.
2. Then tap on OK and Continue.
3. Now, enter your phone number and tap OK. Then, enter the verification code you receive to continue.
4. Then, select Continue and allow WhatsApp to access your phone’s contacts, photos and other media.
5. WhatsApp will then automatically locate it and notify you if it finds a backup on Google Drive for your Android. Tap Restore to continue.
6. There you will have to wait until WhatsApp restores your messages.
7. Next, select Next to continue.
8. Then, tap Restore Now to restore your media files over Wi-Fi or cellular, or tap OK to do it over Wi-Fi only. Next, enter a name for your WhatsApp account and select Next.
9. Finally, WhatsApp will initialize and display your conversation threads shortly and if necessary, it will continue to restore your media files in the background while you use the app.

NOTE: If your Android has access to the local backup on the internal storage or SD card, you can use that for the restoration process.

If you can’t download WhatsApp backup data, it might be any of the following:

• WhatsApp links the backup file on Google Drive to the phone number you initially used when you created it. You can only restore the data after verifying it with the same number. Make sure it’s the same.
• Visit your Android account management screen and double-check if you’ve signed in with the correct Google Drive account.
• Google deletes WhatsApp backups older than five months. To confirm if the backup is still present., open the Google Drive app and select Storage on the app menu.
• If downloads take too long or stall, switch from cellular to Wi-Fi and check if that makes a difference.
• Troubleshoot your Android device for any issues with Google Play services.

Continue Backing Up Your WhatsApp Data

As you may have noticed, Google Drive is the perfect tool to keep your WhatsApp data on Android safe. And even if you ended up restoring your chat history to a new WhatsApp installation, don’t forget to keep backing up your messages and media constantly.