Starting today, Android users can move to iPhone and continue to use WhatsApp without losing their chat history, according to social media provider WhatsApp.
This comes nearly a year after the company made it possible for iPhone customers to move to Android without losing their chat history. Another app called ‘Move to iOS’ can be used to make the switch to iPhone.
Hello, “We’re adding to WhatsApp the ability to safely switch between phones and transfer your chat history, photos, videos, and voice messages between Android and iPhone while retaining end-to-end encryption,” wrote Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg on his Facebook page.
What you’ll Need to Make the Switch
To get started, both your iPhone and Android phone must have a specified minimum OS version installed. In the case of Android, this is Android OS Lollipop, SDK 21 or higher, or Android 5 or higher, and on the iPhone, this is iOS 15.5 or higher.
On your Android phone, you’ll also need to download the “Move to iOS” app. WhatsApp, too, must have a certain version. On iOS, this is version 2.22.10.70 or higher, while on Android, this is version 2.22.7.74 or higher.
Naturally, you’ll need to keep the same phone number on your new device as you did on your old one.
Both devices must be powered up and connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or your Android device can connect to your iPhone’s hotspot).
Steps to take
- On your Android phone, open the Move to iOS app and follow the on-screen instructions.
- Your iPhone will display a code. Please enter the code on your Android phone when prompted.
- Continue by tapping the Continue button and following the on-screen instructions.
- On the Transfer Data page, choose WhatsApp.
- Wait for WhatsApp to prepare the data for export by pressing START on your Android phone. So You’ll be signed out of your Android phone once the data is ready.
- To return to the Move to iOS app, tap NEXT.
- To transfer data from your Android phone to your iPhone, tap CONTINUE.
- Wait for Move to iOS to finish confirming the transfer.
- From the App Store, download the most recent version of WhatsApp.