How to transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone [Latest]
Moved to a new iPhone but want to transfer WhatsApp data from your Android phone to iPhone? Here will tell you how to transfer your WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone.
Aileena Ivy Updated on Sep 5, 2025 5:54 PM
To completely transfer WhatsApp data from an Android to an iPhone, a dedicated WhatsApp Transfer tool is the top choice, enabling WhatsApp data transfer without resetting device.
There are several methods you can use to transfer your large amount of WhatsApp data from Android phone to iPhone.
Switching from Android to iPhone is undoubtedly exciting, but transferring WhatsApp data from your Android to new iPhone often poses a significant challenge. Unlike simple text messages, WhatsApp stores a variety of conversations, photos, videos, voice memos, and even call logs—data that cannot be naturally transferred between Google Drive and iCloud.
Fortunately, new solutions now allow you to bring your entire WhatsApp data with you. Whether through Apple's official Move to iOS app or reliable cable transfer on a PC for a full migration, you no longer need to sacrifice precious memories. In this guide, we will explore the most effective methods on how to transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone.
Table of Contents
Understanding WhatsApp data: What exactly gets transferred?
When people talk about moving WhatsApp from Android to iPhone, they often focus solely on chats. But in reality, WhatsApp data encompasses far more than just text messages. It represents your entire digital footprint from years of using the app.
Here's what WhatsApp data truly includes:
- Chats and group conversations – The most obvious part, covering private and group discussions and chat history.
- Media files – Photos, videos, voice memos, GIFs, and stickers that often carry personal memories or work-related content.
- Call logs – Voice and video call records, which are tied to their WhatsApp history.
- Shared documents and links – PDFs, spreadsheets, and URLs you may have exchanged for school, work, or personal projects.
- Account information and settings – Your profile picture, blocked contacts, notification preferences, status, and privacy options, all of which shape your WhatsApp looks and feels.
However, it's important to note that not all WhatsApp data can be transferred from your Android to your iPhone. Different transfer methods may have limitations on what can be migrated.
Also see: How to transfer photos from PC to iPhone
Official way to transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone
Apple's Move to iOS app is the most straightforward migration pathway provided by the companies themselves. It serves as a free wireless handover of your WhatsApp ecosystem, perfect for those configuring a new or freshly reset iPhone. This method uses built-in protocols to securely transfer the WhatsApp data from an Android device to an iPhone, preserving the integrity of chats, media, and more.
Preparations for using Move to iOS
- Ensure your Android device is running Android 5.0 or higher, and your iPhone is on iOS 15.5 or later.
- Both devices must be plugged into a power source and connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Download the latest version of the Move to iOS app from the Google Play Store onto your Android phone.
- Ensure both the Android phone and iPhone use the same phone number.
- Your iPhone must be in the initial setup phase; otherwise, you need to go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Erase All Content and Settings to reset your iPhone to its factory settings first.
How to move WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone via Move to iOS
Step 1. Obtain the connection code on iPhone
1. Open your new or reset iPhone and follow the on-screen instructions to set it up from scratch.
2. When you reach the "Transfer Your Apps & Data" screen, select From Android.
3. On the "Move from Android" screen, tap Continue to generate a specific one-time code.
Step 2. Transfer WhatsApp data from Android
1. On your Android phone, open the installed Move to iOS app, agree to its terms and services, and tap Continue on the "Find Your Code" screen.
Tip: Ensure your iPhone and Android phone are close to each other and sharing the same Wi-Fi network; alternatively, connect the iPhone to the Android using a compatible data cable.
2. Enter the numeric code from the iPhone on your Android phone to establish a secure connection between the two devices.
3. Once connected, your Android phone will display a list of data that can be transferred to the iPhone. Make sure to select the WhatsApp option.
4. Tap Start to compile and encrypt your data package. During this process, your WhatsApp account will be logged out on the Android phone.
5. Tap Next > Continue to begin transferring the Android data, including your WhatsApp data, to the iPhone. Both devices will display a "Transferring data..." prompt.
Step 3. Restore WhatsApp data on iPhone
1. Wait until both devices display "Transfer Complete," tap Continue on your iPhone and complete the remaining setup.
2. Download the latest version of WhatsApp from the App Store and log in with your original phone number.
3. On the "Move Chats from Android" screen, tap Start to migrate your WhatsApp data from the Android to your iPhone.
Note:
- Avoid manually selecting the WhatsApp folder in Files during transfer, as it's unsupported and could corrupt the process.
- Post-transfer, your Android retains originals WhatsApp data unless wiped, and data won't hit iCloud until you trigger a backup
Pros: Secure, free, officially authorized, and relatively simple.
Limitations: Only works during iPhone setup; resetting an already-used iPhone causes data loss. Requires stable Wi-Fi and doesn't merge old data with new chats. May fail to transfer complete chat history.
How to transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone using PC
While the Move to iOS is convenient, many users prefer cable-based WhatsApp data transfer for its stability and completeness. A PC-based Appgeeker WhatsApp Transfer tool is designed for cross-platform WhatsApp data migration between iPhone and Android, with the key advantage of transferring your WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone without factory reset.
Besides, this software provides stable transfer performance, handling large WhatsApp data volumes, including numerous media files and chats. By using a PC as a bridge, it minimizes transfer interruptions, ensuring the preservation of your full WhatsApp data.
With clear step-by-step guidance and broad device compatibility, you can quickly and seamlessly transfer WhatsApp data, including messages, videos, audios, photos, and documents, from Android to iOS device using WhatsApp transfer.
Step 1. Run WhatsApp Transfer on your computer
Launch the program on your desktop, navigate to the WhatsApp tab, and click Start.
Under the Transfer tab on the far left, click Start to initiate WhatsApp data transfer from Android to iPhone.
Step 2. Connect your devices to the PC
Plug your iPhone into the computer with the original USB cable and select Trust this computer.
Attach your Android phone to the computer through a data cable, and tap Allow USB debugging when prompted. Proceed with the steps to install the MobileSync app on your phone. Then, in the pop-up window, tap Go to authorize > Next to allow the software to access your Android data, including WhatsApp data.
Step 3. Choose your source and target devices
From the Source dropdown menu on the left, select your connected Android device. On the right, in the Target section, select your iPhone.
Step 4. Transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone
Click the Transfer button, then click Continue. If needed, you can first choose Backup to save any existing WhatsApp data on your iPhone.
On your iPhone, go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Find My and turn off Find My iPhone.
Follow the guide to open WhatsApp on your Android phone, head to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup, and tap Back Up to check if End-to-End Encrypted Backup is turned on. If enabled, turn it off, wait a moment, then re-enable it, and click Next.
In WhatsApp, tap End-to-End Encrypted Backup, then select Use 64-digit encryption key instead. Click Next on the PC to go on.
Tap Turn On > Generate your 64-digit key, then click Scan in the software to scan the generated key.
On your Android phone, create an end-to-end encrypted backup by tapping Saved My 64-digit Key > Create > Backup.
Click Next in the software to start backing up WhatsApp data from your Android phone.
On your iPhone, log in to any WhatsApp account (it can be different from the one used on the Android phone), then click Logged in. Continue.
The WhatsApp data from your Android phone will begin transferring to the iPhone, which won't take long. Once completed, your iPhone will restart, and you can view the transferred WhatsApp data in the app.
Pros: No need to erase the iPhone to transfer WhatsApp data; efficiently handles large files; offers stable and fast transfer; ensures 100% retention of chats, attachments, and stickers.
Limitations: Requires a computer and third-party software, which may involve a cost; needs back-and-forth operations between different devices.
How to move WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone via email
If you only need to save specific important conversations rather than all WhatsApp data, the built-in WhatsApp email export feature may suffice. This isn't a primary transfer method but rather a way to create a reference text file for later viewing.
It requires manually sending some of your WhatsApp data from your Android to your iPhone, making it ideal for archiving key chats or snippets under 100MB, avoiding the transfer of the entire bulky WhatsApp dataset.
1. Open WhatsApp on the Android phone and locate the WhatsApp chat you want to transfer.
2. Tap the three-dot menu, select More, then tap Export Chat.
3. Choose whether to include media files in the transfer (attaching videos and images can make the file very large).
4. Select Gmail to send the exported WhatsApp conversation to your own email address.
5. On your iPhone, access the email and download the .txt file attachment to get the WhatsApp messages transferred from your Android.
Pros: Easy to use, fast, suitable for saving specific chats with sentimental or business value.
Limitations: Chats can't be integrated into WhatsApp on iPhone. Media files are often hard to transfer. Saving multiple chats is time-consuming.
Read more: How to view iPhone messages on computer
Can I use Google Drive & iCloud to transfer my WhatsApp data?
The core obstacle is the fundamental incompatibility in how Android and iOS handle data. WhatsApp on Android uses Google Drive for cloud backups, while WhatsApp on iPhone uses iCloud, and these platforms don't communicate with each other. Therefore, you cannot directly transfer WhatsApp data from Android phone to iPhone via cloud-to-cloud transfer.
If you have a Google Drive backup containing WhatsApp data, you can use Appgeeker WhatsApp Transfer tool to extract the Google Drive backup and restore it to your iPhone.
Conclusion
If you're setting up a brand-new iPhone, Apple's Move to iOS app offers a safe and official way. But if you want a fuller, more flexible migration without wiping your iPhone, Appgeeker WhatsApp Transfer is the most dependable choice. For users needing only a small portion of their chat history, email export is good, though it comes with limitations.
By understanding the core challenges and selecting the right strategy, you can ensure your WhatsApp data—media files, chats, and documents—is safely and completely transferred from your Android device to your iPhone.
FAQs about transferring WhatsApp data
How to transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone without factory reset?
Unlike Move to iOS, Appgeeker WhatsApp Transfer lets you migrate complete WhatsApp data from an Android phone to an iPhone without needing to erase data. Or, you can use the email export feature to send individual WhatsApp chats, which also preserves all data on your iPhone.
Can I get WhatsApp data by linking a device?
Not entirely. WhatsApp's Linked Devices feature is designed to let you use your WhatsApp account on multiple devices (e.g., desktop or tablet) to access and sync your chat history without needing a constant connection to your primary phone. However, it does not facilitate transferring WhatsApp data between Android and iPhone.
While the Linked Devices feature is useful for temporary access, transferring your complete WhatsApp data (including media and call logs) to an iPhone requires a transfer method like Move to iOS or a PC-based data cable solution.
Why won't my WhatsApp data transfer from Android to iPhone?
Even when following the correct steps, moving WhatsApp data between Android and iPhone isn't always seamless. Below are some common issues, along with practical solutions:
1. Transfer stuck at 0% or freezes midway
Cause: Poor Wi-Fi connection (for Move to iOS), unstable cable connection (for PC transfer), or background apps interrupting the process.
Solutions:
- Restart both devices before trying again.
- Use a high-quality USB cable and connect directly to the PC (avoid USB hubs).
- Switch to a stable, strong Wi-Fi network.
- Ensure both your iPhone and Android phone are running the up-to-date WhatsApp to avoid compatibility issues.
2. WhatsApp data missing or incomplete after transfer
Cause: Some methods only transfer specific WhatsApp data, the chat history may be corrupted, or there's insufficient storage space.
Solutions:
- Double-check transfer settings to ensure "include media" is selected.
- Verify the chosen method's limitations, as Move to iOS cannot transfer call logs, display names, or media received via WhatsApp channels. Email exports often cannot handle large WhatsApp files.
- Ensure your iPhone has enough storage space for large WhatsApp data before starting the transfer.
3. Unable to verify phone number on iPhone
Cause: WhatsApp requires the same phone number to match the transferred data package, and switching SIM cards during the process can cause verification errors.
Solutions:
- Keep the same SIM card in your Android phone until the transfer is complete.
- Use the exact same phone number on the iPhone during login.
- If you've changed numbers, use WhatsApp's "Change Number" feature on the Android device before the migration.
