Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsYour locked WhatsApp chats should remain locked after you restore a backup on a new phone. WhatsApp says they are preserved in that state; to open them, set up device authentication on the new phone. If you hid the Locked chats folder, you may also need its secret code to find it.
The key is to make a current backup before switching, use the same phone number and the correct platform account, and have your encrypted-backup password or 64-digit key ready if you enabled end-to-end encrypted backups.
Before you switch phones: protect the backup
- Make a fresh WhatsApp backup on your current phone. Open WhatsApp’s Chat Backup settings and start a manual backup. Check the displayed backup status or date to confirm it completed; do not assume an automatic backup ran.
- Confirm the account and phone number. On Android, note the Google Account associated with the backup and the WhatsApp number registered when it was made. On iPhone, confirm the Apple Account and iCloud Drive used for the backup. You will need the matching number and account during restore. [WhatsApp Android backup and restore guidance] [WhatsApp iPhone backup and restore guidance]
- Check encrypted-backup access. If you enabled end-to-end encrypted backups, locate the backup password or 64-digit encryption key before you lose access to the old phone. WhatsApp says it cannot reset a forgotten password or restore an inaccessible backup without the credential. [WhatsApp: Can’t remember password for encrypted backup]
- Set up device authentication on the new phone. Chat Lock access relies on the destination phone’s authentication, such as its configured device unlock method. Keep your secret code available too if you hid the Locked chats folder. [WhatsApp: Turn chat lock on or off]
A WhatsApp backup is not a copy of your chat history stored on WhatsApp’s servers. WhatsApp says it cannot restore chat history for you; the backup is held through the platform account used to create it. [Android guidance] [iPhone guidance]
Android: restore from the Google Account backup
Make the backup
Use WhatsApp’s Chat Backup settings to run a manual backup. WhatsApp’s Android instructions require the Google Account containing the backup, Google Play Services, enough storage on the phone and in the account, and a stable internet connection. The backup is associated with the WhatsApp number used when it was created. [WhatsApp Android backup and restore guidance]
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Restore on the new Android phone
- Install or reinstall WhatsApp on the destination phone and make sure it is using the Google Account that contains the backup.
- Register the same WhatsApp phone number associated with that backup.
- During WhatsApp’s initial setup, accept the restore prompt and follow the prompts. Restore is offered in this setup flow, not as a general Restore button in Chat Backup settings.
- When prompted, enter the encrypted-backup password or 64-digit key if end-to-end encrypted backup is enabled.
- After the chats are restored, configure device authentication and open Locked chats. If the folder is hidden, enter its secret code in WhatsApp search to find it.
WhatsApp says one Google Account backup is stored per phone number and a new backup replaces the previous one. Do not count on selecting an older cloud version if the current backup has overwritten it. [WhatsApp Android backup and restore guidance]
iPhone: restore from iCloud
Make the backup
In WhatsApp’s Chat Backup settings, make a fresh iCloud chat backup and check that it completed. The Apple Account and iCloud Drive used for the backup must be available on the destination iPhone. WhatsApp says a new iCloud backup replaces the previous WhatsApp backup for that account. [WhatsApp iPhone backup and restore guidance]
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Restore on the new iPhone
- Use the Apple Account and iCloud Drive that hold the backup on the destination iPhone.
- Install or reinstall WhatsApp, register the matching WhatsApp phone number, and follow the initial setup prompts.
- Choose the restore option when WhatsApp offers it during setup. If the backup is end-to-end encrypted, enter its password or 64-digit key.
- Once restored, configure device authentication. Open Locked chats; if the folder is hidden, enter the secret code in WhatsApp search.
WhatsApp’s restore prompt appears during initial setup after reinstalling WhatsApp. The iPhone instructions do not describe choosing an older WhatsApp iCloud backup from within the app. [WhatsApp iPhone backup and restore guidance]
What happens to locked chats after restore?
WhatsApp Help Center’s “Turn chat lock on or off” guidance states: “If you backup and restore WhatsApp on a new phone, your locked chats will still be locked.” This means restoring preserves their locked status; it does not remove the authentication step. Set up device authentication on the new phone to open them. If you hid the folder, use the secret code in search to reveal it. [WhatsApp: Turn chat lock on or off]
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If you forgot the secret code or the folder is hidden
First try the secret code in WhatsApp search to locate the hidden Locked chats folder. Do not choose Unlock and clear locked chats as a shortcut unless you accept losing the messages and media in those conversations. WhatsApp says this action clears the secret code, returns the conversations to the chat list, and clears their messages, photos, and videos.
Recovery after clearing is limited to content included in a backup made before the clearing action. A backup made afterward cannot restore messages or media that were already absent from it. [WhatsApp: Turn chat lock on or off]
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- AUTOMATIC BACKUP. Automatically back up your latest photos, videos, music, documents, and contacts with the SanDisk Memory Zone app. (Download and installation required. Set up automatic backup within app settings. See official SanDisk website for Memory Zone details.)
- DATA RECOVERY. Recover deleted files with the included RescuePRO Deluxe software.(Registration and download required; terms and conditions apply. See RescuePRO page on SanDisk site.)
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Android and iPhone restore differences
| Decision | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Cloud account | Google Account associated with the backup | Apple Account and iCloud Drive used for the backup |
| Restore timing | During initial WhatsApp setup after installation or reinstallation | During initial WhatsApp setup after installation or reinstallation |
| Backup replacement | A new Google Account backup replaces the prior backup for that phone number | A new iCloud backup replaces the previous WhatsApp backup for that account |
| Encrypted-backup credential | Password or 64-digit key required if end-to-end encrypted backup is enabled | Password or 64-digit key required if end-to-end encrypted backup is enabled |
| Locked-chat result | Chats remain locked; device authentication is needed to open them | Chats remain locked; device authentication is needed to open them |
Sources: WhatsApp’s Android backup and restore guidance, iPhone backup and restore guidance, encrypted-backup password guidance, and Chat Lock guidance.
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Common restore problems and what to check
- No restore prompt appeared: WhatsApp offers restore during initial setup. If you continued without restoring, reinstalling and going through setup again may be necessary. This cannot recover chats that were not in the backup.
- The backup is not found: Check the Google Account or Apple Account/iCloud Drive and the WhatsApp number. On Android, the backup is tied to the number used when created; iPhone restore requires the Apple Account/iCloud Drive holding it. [Android guidance] [iPhone guidance]
- The encrypted backup will not open: You need the password or 64-digit key. WhatsApp says it cannot reset the password or help restore a backup when the credential is unavailable and the user cannot access their chats. [WhatsApp encrypted-backup guidance]
- You are trying from WhatsApp Web, Mac, or Windows: Backup and restore must be done on the phone, not a linked device. [WhatsApp linked-device backup and restore guidance]
- You are changing your phone number too: Backups are associated with the number registered when they were created. WhatsApp’s Android instructions specify changing the number on the old phone, making a backup, then registering the new number on the new phone before restoring. Do not assume the same sequence applies to iPhone without consulting its current instructions. [WhatsApp guidance for using a new number]
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