Getting a new iPhone 18 Pro or Pro Max? Before you leave your old phone behind, there’s one more thing to bring along: your WhatsApp conversations.
From family photos to work messages, there’s plenty you’ll want to keep. The good news is that you have several ways to transfer WhatsApp to a new phone. The right one depends on your old device, whether you have a backup, and how far you’ve got with your new iPhone’s setup.
This guide walks you through six routes to transfer WhatsApp messages to your new iPhone 18 Pro, including direct transfers, backup restoration, and a free Android-to-iPhone option.
Quick Answer: How Can You Transfer WhatsApp to a New Phone?
Still have your old iPhone? Start with WhatsApp’s built-in Chat Transfer. Switching from Android? Move to iOS is a free option during iPhone setup. If your iPhone is already set up, a compatible desktop tool may offer another route.
Here’s a quick comparison to help you choose.
| Method | Source device | Best for | Existing cloud backup needed? | Main consideration |
| iCareFone WhatsApp Transfer | iPhone or Android | Transferring with a computer, including supported transfers after iPhone setup | No | Paid transfer features; check compatibility and overwrite prompts |
| WhatsApp Chat Transfer | iPhone | Moving chats directly between two available iPhones | No | Start the transfer before registering WhatsApp on the new iPhone |
| WhatsApp iCloud Backup | iPhone | Restoring a saved WhatsApp chat history | Yes | Requires the same Apple Account and WhatsApp number |
| Finder / Apple Devices / iTunes | iPhone | Restoring a full iPhone backup | No | Restores device data, rather than WhatsApp alone |
| Move to iOS | Android | A free transfer during initial iPhone setup | No | Requires a new or erased iPhone |
| Google Drive backup + Move to iOS | Android backup restored to an Android phone | Moving chats saved in Google Drive | Yes | A two-stage workaround, not a direct Google Drive restore to iPhone |
Before you begin: Update WhatsApp, check the available storage on your new iPhone, and keep both phones charged. Don’t erase the old phone until you’ve checked the transferred chats and media.
Screenshots illustrate the steps and may show earlier phone models or app versions. Follow the prompts on your own devices.
Part 1. How to Transfer WhatsApp to a New Phone from Android or iPhone
Method 1: Use iCareFone WhatsApp Transfer
Already finished setting up your new iPhone? You still have options.
iCareFone WhatsApp Transfer offers WhatsApp transfers between supported Android and iPhone devices through a PC or Mac. It’s worth considering when you want to move chats after iPhone setup or don’t have an existing cloud backup.
Before starting, check that the current software version supports your phones and iOS version.
Step 1: Connect both phones
Install and launch iCareFone WhatsApp Transfer on your computer, then select WhatsApp. Connect your old phone and new iPhone using compatible USB cables. Confirm the source and destination devices before continuing.
Step 2: Prepare the chat data
Follow the prompts to create or prepare the source data and complete any required verification. The steps vary depending on whether your old phone is an Android device or an iPhone.
Step 3: Transfer and check
Follow the destination iPhone prompts and keep both devices connected until the process finishes. Open WhatsApp when instructed, then check several conversations and media files.
Keep in mind: A standard transfer may overwrite existing WhatsApp data. Tenorshare documents a separate transfer-and-merge option for supported scenarios; select that option if available and read the prompts carefully. See the iCareFone WhatsApp Transfer guide.
Part 2. How to Transfer WhatsApp Messages from iPhone to iPhone
Wondering how to transfer from iPhone to iPhone while keeping your WhatsApp conversations? Start with what you still have access to.
If both phones work, a direct chat transfer is a convenient choice. If the old phone is unavailable, an existing backup may help. And if you’re moving the rest of your iPhone data too, a computer backup is another route.
Method 2: Transfer Chats with WhatsApp’s QR Code
Don’t have an iCloud backup? WhatsApp’s Chat Transfer feature can move your chat history and media directly between two iPhones.
Begin on the old iPhone before registering WhatsApp on the new one. Use the same phone number, keep the phones nearby, and enable Wi-Fi and the permissions WhatsApp requests.
Step 1: Start on the old iPhone
Open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Transfer Chats to iPhone, then tap Start.
Step 2: Prepare the new iPhone
Install and open WhatsApp. Verify the same phone number and follow the prompts to transfer your chat history from the old phone.
Step 3: Scan the QR code
Use the WhatsApp camera on your old iPhone to scan the QR code displayed on the new iPhone.
Step 4: Let the transfer finish
Keep both phones unlocked and stay in WhatsApp until the transfer is complete. Follow the official Chat Transfer instructions if the prompts differ.
Keep in mind: This method needs both iPhones. It doesn’t require a factory reset, but it isn’t a way to merge two existing WhatsApp histories.
Method 3: Restore WhatsApp from an iCloud Backup
Already have your chats backed up to iCloud? You can restore them while setting up WhatsApp on your new iPhone.
Use the same Apple Account and WhatsApp phone number associated with the backup.
Step 1: Check or update the backup
On the old iPhone, open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Turn on Include Videos if needed, then tap Back Up Now.
If the old phone is unavailable, you’ll need to use the backup that already exists.
Step 2: Prepare iCloud on the new iPhone
Sign in to the same Apple Account, enable iCloud Drive, and make sure there’s enough storage available.
Step 3: Restore your chats
Install WhatsApp, verify the same number, and tap Restore Chat History when prompted. Complete any encrypted-backup authentication requested. WhatsApp explains the process in its iCloud restoration guide.
Keep in mind: Only content included in the completed backup can return. Messages received after that backup won’t be included, and restoration doesn’t merge separate chat histories.
Method 4: Restore an iPhone Backup with Finder, Apple Devices, or iTunes
Moving more than WhatsApp? A computer backup may fit your plans.
This route restores your old iPhone’s supported data to the new device. WhatsApp restoration depends on what the backup contains, so use a WhatsApp-specific method if chats are the only content you need.
Step 1: Back up the old iPhone
Connect it to your computer. Open Finder on a current Mac, Apple Devices on Windows, or iTunes where applicable.
Step 2: Save the backup
Select your iPhone, enable Encrypt Local Backup, and save the password somewhere safe. Click Back Up Now and wait for completion.
Step 3: Restore to the new iPhone
During setup, choose From Mac or PC. Connect the new iPhone to the computer and select Restore Backup.
Step 4: Complete the restoration
Choose the correct backup, enter its password if requested, and wait for the process to finish. Apple provides the full steps in its computer-backup transfer guide.
Keep in mind: This is a full-device restore. Protect any content already on the new iPhone before proceeding, and check WhatsApp afterward rather than assuming every chat was included.
Part 3. How to Transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone
Switching platforms takes a little more preparation. An Android WhatsApp backup in Google Drive can’t be restored directly through WhatsApp on an iPhone.
You can transfer chats during iPhone setup with Move to iOS. If your conversations are only available in Google Drive, restore them to an Android phone first, then complete the migration.
Method 5: Transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone Free with Move to iOS
Haven’t set up your new iPhone yet? This is a good time to move your WhatsApp chats.
Apple’s Move to iOS provides a free migration route. Keep both devices connected to power and follow the connection prompts. Your iPhone must be new or erased, and you’ll need the same WhatsApp number.
Step 1: Begin iPhone setup
On the Transfer Your Apps & Data screen, choose From Android.
Step 2: Connect the devices
Open Move to iOS on Android and enter the code shown on your iPhone.
Step 3: Prepare WhatsApp
Select WhatsApp on the transfer screen. Tap Start on Android when prompted and wait for WhatsApp to prepare the data.
Step 4: Finish the migration
Return to Move to iOS and continue. Wait until the iPhone’s progress bar finishes, then complete setup.
Step 5: Import your chats
Install WhatsApp on the iPhone, verify the same number, and tap Start when prompted to import. See WhatsApp’s Android-to-iPhone instructions.
Keep in mind: This route doesn’t merge existing iPhone chats. If setup is already complete, save any important iPhone data before erasing it.
Method 6: Transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone Using Google Drive
Have a Google Drive backup but no longer use your old Android phone? That backup can still be a starting point.
The catch is that WhatsApp on iPhone cannot read it directly. This method combines restoration to a compatible Android phone with the Move to iOS process above.
Step 1: Prepare an Android phone
Use your original Android device or another compatible phone. Add the Google Account associated with the backup.
Step 2: Restore WhatsApp
Install WhatsApp, verify the phone number used for the backup, and choose Restore when the backup is detected. Complete any encrypted-backup authentication requested.
Step 3: Check the recovered content
Wait for the restoration to finish and confirm that the chats and media you need are present.
Step 4: Move the chats to iPhone
Follow Method 5 to transfer the restored WhatsApp data to a new or erased iPhone.
Keep in mind: This is an indirect route that requires an Android phone. Copying a WhatsApp backup from Google Drive to iCloud Drive won’t make it restorable in WhatsApp on iPhone.
FAQs About Transferring WhatsApp to a New Phone
1. How to Transfer WhatsApp Messages to a New Phone Without Backup?
If your old phone still works and contains your chats, you can use a direct transfer. For two iPhones, follow Method 2. For Android to a new or erased iPhone, follow Method 5.
A compatible desktop tool is another option. “Without backup” here means you don’t need an existing cloud backup; the tool may still prepare a local backup during the transfer.
2. How Do You Transfer Messages from Android to iPhone?
For WhatsApp messages, use Move to iOS during iPhone setup or a compatible WhatsApp transfer tool.
If you mean regular text messages, Move to iOS also supports message history and SMS. These are separate from WhatsApp chats, so select the relevant data categories during migration. See Apple’s Android migration guide.
3. How Can I Transfer WhatsApp Messages to a New Phone if My Old Phone Is Broken?
Start by checking for an existing backup. An iCloud WhatsApp backup can restore to an iPhone; a Google Drive backup needs restoration to Android before following the cross-platform route.
If the damaged phone still works well enough to unlock it and approve the required prompts, a direct transfer may be possible. A computer detecting the phone alone doesn’t guarantee access to its chats.
4. Can I Transfer WhatsApp to a New iPhone Without Resetting It?
Yes, depending on the method. WhatsApp’s iPhone-to-iPhone Chat Transfer and iCloud chat restoration don’t require a full factory reset, although they must be completed at the appropriate stage of WhatsApp setup.
For Android-to-iPhone transfers, a compatible desktop tool may support an already-set-up iPhone. Check whether its chosen transfer mode replaces existing WhatsApp data.
5. Do I Need the Same Phone Number?
The official methods covered here require the number associated with your WhatsApp account or backup.
Changing your number too? Use WhatsApp > Settings > Account > Change Number on the old phone first. Then transfer using the updated number. If you choose backup restoration, create a fresh backup after the number change.
6. Will My WhatsApp Photos, Videos, and Voice Messages Transfer?
Supported media can transfer alongside chats, but the result depends on the method and what’s stored in the source or backup. For iCloud backups, check Include Videos before backing up if you want to bring videos along.
Open a few older conversations and test several media files before erasing or selling your old phone.
Conclusion
To transfer WhatsApp to a new phone, start with your current setup. Two working iPhones? Try WhatsApp Chat Transfer. Have an iCloud backup? Restore it when setting up WhatsApp. Switching from Android to a new iPhone 18 Pro? Move to iOS offers a free route.
If your iPhone is already set up or you prefer a computer-based transfer, consider iCareFone WhatsApp Transfer after checking device compatibility and the selected transfer mode.
Whichever route you choose, take a moment to check your conversations and media on the new iPhone. Once everything you need is there, you’re ready to move on from the old phone.
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