It can be annoying to lose my WhatsApp chats, particularly when they have valuable conversations, photos, and videos, work-related or special memories. Luckily, provided I have turned on Google Drive backups, recovering my WhatsApp information is most of the time an easy task. When changing phones to an Android model, then installing WhatsApp, or even just restarting my phone and recovering all my information, a backup to Google Drive will make the process a lot smoother.
Nevertheless, there is no guarantee that restoring a backup works flawlessly. Problems like the wrong Google account, an incorrect phone number, limited storage capacity, or a backup that is outdated may make it impossible to find my data on WhatsApp. I know how the restoration process is performed, and I know how to prevent these pitfalls.
I will provide information on how to recover a WhatsApp backup by Google Drive in this guide, describe the necessary requirements, list some common problems, and provide my tips that will help to preserve my conversations in the future.
What Is a WhatsApp Google Drive Backup?
My WhatsApp communications and media have a cloud backup, a Google Drive copy of my WhatsApp messages and photos saved in my Google account. I do not use my phone solely with the internal storage, as WhatsApp automatically adds the encrypted backup files to Google Drive and the timing of it is established during my selected schedule.
These backups may consist of:
- Personal chats
- Group conversations
- Photos
- Videos
- Voice messages
- Documents
- Stickers
- WhatsApp settings
After saving the backup to Google Drive, I will be able to restore it, should I ever reinstall WhatsApp or switch to a different compatible device on the Android platform.
When Do I Need to Restore a WhatsApp Backup?
A few cases exist in which one has to restore a backup.
Buying a new Android mobile is one of the most widespread reasons. I can also recover every chat and media I had before the WhatsApp setup, instead of having to create it again.
I also recover my backups upon restoring my phone following a factory reset, reinstalling WhatsApp due to a technical error, and changing a broken phone. My chat history is usually full of important data, so having a backup will help me avoid years of conversation destruction.
Requirements Before Restoring a Google Drive Backup
Prior to starting the restoration process, I usually confirm various basic requirements.
First, I ensure that I am logged in to the same Google account which was used to make the backup. WhatsApp does not identify backups created in another Google account.
Second, the same phone number that was used with the original backup is used. WhatsApp requires the phone number connection as well as the Google account before restoring.
In addition, I make sure that my phone has:
- A stable Wi-Fi connection
- Enough battery power
- Sufficient free storage
- The latest version of WhatsApp
- Google Play Services installed and updated
These requirements are aimed at preventing interruptions during the restore process.
How to Check If My WhatsApp Backup Exists
I also want to ensure that I have a backup before reinstalling WhatsApp.
I open WhatsApp on my old phone, tap Settings, and then in Chats, I select Chat Backup.
Here I can see:
- Last backup date
- Google account used
- Backup size
- Backup frequency
- Inclusion of videos
Verifying these details makes me feel confident that I have a backup made recently before swapping devices.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup from Google Drive
Restoring WhatsApp through Google Drive can be done within a few minutes, provided the settings are appropriate.
Step 1: Install WhatsApp
I update and install the most recent WhatsApp on Google Play Store.
If WhatsApp is already installed, I uninstall and reinstall the software and then start the setup process.
Step 2: Verify My Phone Number
When opening WhatsApp, I use the same phone number with which I entered to create the backup.
WhatsApp will send a verification code through SMS or call.
I do the verification and then move to the next step.
Step 3: Sign In to the Correct Google Account
In installation, WhatsApp verifies the Google account linked to my phone.
I also add the account through Android Settings and only proceed with it if the right account is not added.
One of the most frequent causes why WhatsApp could not find a backup is the use of the wrong account.
Step 4: Detect the Backup
Once verified, WhatsApp will then scan Google drive to find any backups.
In case there is a backup, I’ll see:
- Backup date
- Backup size
- Google account name
At this point, I know I can restore.
Step 5: Wait for Chats to Restore
My chat history is first restored in WhatsApp.
This may take several minutes to a few seconds depending on the amount of data that is to be backed up and the speed of the internet connection.
I do not close the application while restoration is being carried out.
Step 6: Restore Media Files
WhatsApp starts downloading photos, videos, documents, and voice notes in the background after a chat has previously been restored.
Even when I am able to begin using WhatsApp, media restoration might not be completed soon.
Why Can’t WhatsApp Find My Google Drive Backup?
In some cases, WhatsApp shows a text that indicates that it could not find a backup.
Most frequently, the most common reason is that you used a different Google account. Although you can sign in to various accounts on the phone, only the one containing the right account will be picked up by WhatsApp.
The other problem is checking another phone number. The phone number should be the same as the one used when creating the backup.
It can also go undetected in case of an unstable internet connection, outdated Google Play Services, or corrupted backup data.
How to Restore WhatsApp Backup on a New Android Phone
One of the simplest cases of restoring a backup would be when switching to a new Android device.
Prior to switching phones, I create a new Google Drive backup manually on my previous phone.
On the new phone I log in to the same Google account, then install WhatsApp, confirm the same phone number, and tap Restore when this happens.
In a very short time, all my conversations start showing up just as on my former phone.
Can I Restore Google Drive Backup on an iPhone?
This is one of the questions posed by many users.
Sadly, Android-generated Google drive backups cannot be restored directly to an iPhone since the technology of Android and iPhone are different in cloud storage.
WhatsApp backups are stored in Google Drive by Android and in iCloud by iPhones.
When switching between Android and iPhone, I must restore WhatsApp with its chat transfer feature rather than having to back up data to Google Drive.
What Happens If I Skip the Restore Option?
WhatsApp allows me only a single time to restore the found backup during setup.
When I press Skip by mistake, WhatsApp makes me a new account with no old messages.
I may always reinstall WhatsApp and try the setup once more, but it is always better to restore the backup the first time and avoid the need to deal with unnecessary complications.
Tips to Keep My WhatsApp Backup Safe
It is possible to create frequent backups hence I would not miss any critical conversations.
I like automatic daily backups to enable them to capture recent messages without doing it manually.
It is also worthwhile to back up over Wi-Fi so that you do not use mobile data to complete a backup, only include videos when needed in order to size down the backup, and make sure that you periodically verify that the backups are being made successfully.
Having sufficient free Google Drive space and keeping WhatsApp up to date minimizes the risk of file loss due to an automated backup.
Common Restore Problems and Their Solutions
When the restoration process has become stagnant at a specific percentage, I would first ensure that I have an internet connection, and then I would restart the phone.
Backups or free drive preferential space creation might not succeed until there is sufficient storage.
Following the guidance of WhatsApp informing me that there is no backup even when I had created the backup earlier, I confirm the Google account, phone number, and the date of the backup with my old phone. In most instances, fixing one of these details gets the problem solved.
Conclusion
Being aware of how to recover a WhatsApp backup on Google Drive would ensure I never lose important chats in case of switching phones, reinstalling the app, or when I just happened to lose important data. With the assistance of the same Google account, confirming the appropriate phone number, and frequent backups, I can restore my chats rapidly and go on using WhatsApp without losing any valuable messages.
One of the easiest methods to back up years of sharing, conversations, photos, videos, and shared documents is to make automatic backups a part of my routine. It is a stress-free and easy process of retrieving WhatsApp information with a bit of preparation.
Also Read: How to Share Live Location: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for Android and iPhone
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