How to Transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android

Quick chooser: which WhatsApp transfer method should you use?

Method 1. Transfer WhatsApp with the official iPhone-to-Android chat transfer

The official route copies WhatsApp chats during Android setup or through a supported Android Switch / Smart Switch after-setup flow. A cable is required for the WhatsApp transfer, even if you copied other phone data wirelessly or used a QR code to set up Android.

Before you start

• Use the same phone number for WhatsApp on the new Android. If you are changing numbers, change it on the old phone before the move.
• Have a Google Account, an internet connection, and a cable that connects your iPhone to Android. Use an adapter if the connectors differ.
• Update WhatsApp and your phone's migration app. Keep the phones charged and unlock the iPhone when prompted.
• Do not start using WhatsApp on Android before the migration completes. Save any existing Android conversations before starting a replacement or reset.

Already finished Android setup? Match the route to what you did:

• You scanned a QR code to copy other data during setup: on supported phones, open Android Settings > Accounts & backup > Android Switch > Transfer WhatsApp Chats. Follow the prompts and connect the cable. The earlier wireless setup did not copy WhatsApp chats.
• You skipped copying data during setup: Google's instructions describe a 3–7-day window on supported devices. Look for Settings > Accounts and backup > Copy data using Android Switch; Samsung uses Smart Switch > Transfer data for device setup. Availability and menu location depend on the device and Android version.
• The option is absent or WhatsApp has already been opened: the official route may require a factory reset. A reset erases phone data, so back up before choosing it. For a computer-guided alternative without a phone reset, use Method 2.

Core steps on iPhone and Android

1. Start the Android migration. During new-device setup, sign in to a Google Account and choose Copy apps and data > Copy from iPhone or iPad. Include Apps and check that WhatsApp is selected. If using an available after-setup route, open the matching entry above instead.
2. Connect and prepare the chats. Connect the phones with the cable. On iPhone, tap Trust and enter the device passcode when asked. Scan Android's QR code with the iPhone camera, then follow WhatsApp's prompts to tap Start / Start transfer. If scanning fails, open iPhone WhatsApp and use Settings > Chats > Transfer chat history > Transfer to Android to reach the transfer flow.

   

3. Finish copying. Keep the devices connected until the data transfer completes. Finish any remaining Android setup prompts, then disconnect when instructed.
4. Import into WhatsApp on Android. Open WhatsApp only after the transfer, verify the same phone number, and tap Start to import when prompted. Wait for the import to finish and check recent conversations, older chats, photos, and videos before removing WhatsApp data from your iPhone.

Samsung Galaxy: start from Smart Switch

On a supported Galaxy running Android 10 or later, open Settings > Accounts and backup > Bring data from old device, then choose Receive data > iPhone/iPad. Connect the iPhone by cable, tap Trust, and include the iPhone app data / WhatsApp when selecting what to copy. Continue with the QR-code, Start, and Android import steps above. If you are returning after setup, use the Smart Switch entry offered for that setup state rather than assuming every Galaxy can skip a reset.

What moves? Samsung's documented flow includes account information, profile photo, individual and group chats, chat history, media, and settings. It excludes call history, your display name, and peer-to-peer payment messages. Those exclusions matter if call logs are part of your move; Dr.Fone lists call logs among its supported WhatsApp data. 

Method 2. Transfer WhatsApp without a factory reset using Dr.Fone

When Android is already in use and the official migration does not fit, Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer provides a desktop-guided way to move iPhone WhatsApp chats and supported attachments to Android without factory-resetting the phone. You can also keep a local computer backup or export supported backup content for later reference.

Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer

Transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android without depending on an iCloud-to-Android restore

• Move WhatsApp chats and supported media from iPhone to Android, including after Android setup.
• Use a guided Windows PC or Mac workflow with both phones connected by USB.
• Back up WhatsApp to your computer and restore a Dr.Fone backup when needed.
• Preview and export supported backup content for a readable computer archive.

Available on: Windows Mac

Download Now

Download Now

How to transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android with Dr.Fone

For this direction, Dr.Fone transfers the full set of supported data types. Choosing only particular data types is currently an Android-to-iPhone feature, not an iPhone-to-Android option.

Step 1. Open the WhatsApp transfer workflow. Launch Dr.Fone, connect both phones, and open Toolbox > WhatsApp Transfer. In the WhatsApp section, choose Transfer WhatsApp messages.

Step 2. Confirm direction and protect the Android chats. Set iPhone as Source and Android as Destination; use Flip if reversed. Click Transfer. If the destination already has WhatsApp content, the warning says that content will be wiped out. Choose Backup to save it first, or Continue only when you accept that replacement. A saved backup is not an automatic merge of the two histories.

Step 3. Complete and check the transfer. Keep both phones connected, follow any device prompts, and wait until Dr.Fone reports completion. Open WhatsApp on Android and check your conversations and supported media. Keep the source iPhone and any destination backup until those checks are complete.

For the full interface walkthrough, see the Dr.Fone iPhone-to-Android WhatsApp transfer guide.

Method 3. Export chats with Email Conversation

Email Conversation is a free built-in export for individual chats. Use it when you only need a readable archive, not a full WhatsApp restore on Android.

• Open the chat on iPhone, tap the contact/group name, then choose Export Chat / Email Chat (wording can vary by WhatsApp version).
• Choose whether to attach media.
• Send the file to yourself and open it on Android as a document archive.

Limitation: the exported file is not imported back into WhatsApp as normal chat history.

Method 4. Transfer chats with Wazzap Migrator

WazzapMigrator is a backup-based alternative: its computer extractor gets the WhatsApp database and media from an iPhone backup, and its Android app converts that archive. It can be useful when you already have the computer backup, but it involves manual file handling rather than a direct two-phone desktop transfer.

Before starting: use a recent unencrypted iPhone computer backup. The extractor's documented route requires it. You must also be able to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp on the Android phone; the vendor excludes devices where WhatsApp cannot be uninstalled. Save any Android conversations before replacing the app or its local history.

Step 1. Make an unencrypted iPhone backup on your computer. Keep that backup in a private location because it contains personal data.

Step 2. Use WazzapMigrator Extractor to extract ChatStorage.sqlite and the WhatsApp media. Keep the extracted folder structure intact.

Step 3. Copy the extracted database and media to the Android phone as instructed by the app; the database is commonly placed in Download. USB or cloud storage can carry the files, but moving them through Google Drive does not turn them into a native Android cloud backup.

Step 4. In WazzapMigrator on Android, select the archive and run the conversion. Follow its installation prompts, then reinstall/activate WhatsApp and accept the converted local backup when offered. Check the restored chats and media before deleting the original backup.

Method 5. Transfer chats with Backuptrans

Backuptrans offers computer-side iPhone-to-Android WhatsApp migration, including a separate iTunes-backup import path. Its published update list names iOS 16 and Android 12; that list does not establish support for every newer version. Use this method for a supported device combination rather than assuming the older workflow covers all current phones.

Preparation for the vendor's direct-transfer workflow: install iTunes 12 or later and Backuptrans on the computer, enable Android USB debugging, and install and verify WhatsApp on Android. The vendor also instructs you to turn off iPhone iCloud Backup for this workflow; keep a separate source backup and restore your normal backup setting afterward. Unlike the official method, this third-party workflow expects Android WhatsApp to be installed and verified first.

Step 1. Connect the iPhone and Android by USB, open Backuptrans, and follow its Android backup prompt if shown. Wait for both devices and their chats to load.

Step 2. Select the iPhone in the device list, then choose Transfer Messages from iPhone to Android from the toolbar or File menu. For one conversation, select the contact before choosing the matching transfer action.

Step 3. Choose the Android destination, review what will happen to its WhatsApp data, and click Confirm to start. Keep a backup of existing Android chats even though the vendor advertises merging.

Step 4. Wait for the success message, then check the conversations and attachments inside WhatsApp on Android before disconnecting or deleting source copies.

Using a computer backup instead? In Backuptrans, choose File > Import from iTunes Backup, select and load your backup, connect Android, then choose Transfer Messages from local database to Android for the imported database. 

Why iCloud or Google Drive alone cannot finish an iPhone-to-Android WhatsApp move

WhatsApp backups are ecosystem-specific. An iCloud WhatsApp backup is made for iPhone restore, and a Google Drive WhatsApp backup is made for Android restore. That is why “back up on iPhone, restore on Android” is not an official cross-platform path.

• iPhone → iPhone: iCloud chat backup can be restored during WhatsApp setup on another iPhone.
• Android → Android: Google Drive chat backup can be restored on another Android phone.
• iPhone → Android: use official Transfer chat history when eligible, or a dedicated transfer tool if you need an after-setup / no-reset route.

If you are moving in the opposite direction, see how to transfer WhatsApp from Android to iPhone.

Installing Google Drive on iPhone or uploading an iPhone backup file there does not convert it into an Android WhatsApp backup. An archive file, a converted local database, and an in-app cloud backup are different things.

Conclusion

To transfer WhatsApp from iPhone to Android, match the route to your Android setup state. Use the official cable transfer during setup or through an available Android Switch / Smart Switch after-setup entry. If that path does not fit and you want no phone factory reset, Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer offers a computer-guided alternative. Use Export Chat for readable archives, and keep source copies until your Android chats and media are checked.

safe & secure