Transfer, Backup WhatsApp Chats Easily

If your WhatsApp backup is stuck, stop waiting on a frozen progress bar and check the three things that usually stall it: Wi-Fi, free storage on the phone and in the cloud, and whether iCloud or Google Drive is actually finishing the backup. A backup that sits on Preparing, in progress, or 99% is often still trying to package media, not just upload chat text.

This guide covers the official first checks, then separate fixes for a WhatsApp iCloud backup stuck on iPhone and a WhatsApp backup stuck on Android with Google Drive. If the cloud backup still will not complete, you can save a local copy to your computer with Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer instead of depending on iCloud or Google Drive.

For a focused iPhone workflow, follow these steps to fix a WhatsApp backup stuck on iPhone without risking your existing chats.

Quick Checks Before You Retry

Most stuck backups are not a broken chat database. They fail because WhatsApp cannot finish creating the backup file or cannot stay connected long enough to upload it. Do these checks first on either iPhone or Android:

• Stay on a stable Wi-Fi network. If WhatsApp shows Waiting for a network connection, toggle Wi-Fi off and on, then retry.
• Keep WhatsApp in the foreground and keep the screen awake until the backup starts uploading. Locking the phone or switching apps can freeze an in-progress backup.
• Confirm free space on the phone itself, not only in iCloud or Google Drive. WhatsApp has to build the backup locally before the cloud copy can finish.
• Restart the phone once, then open WhatsApp and tap Back Up Now again. WhatsApp's own help for a backup that gets stuck while creating or restoring a backup starts with a restart, a Wi-Fi reset, and signing back into the Google account on Android.
• If you need the official cloud-backup steps later, use WhatsApp's help article Can't back up or restore your chat history.

Part 1. How to Fix a WhatsApp iCloud Backup Stuck on iPhone

WhatsApp on iPhone backs up through iCloud, not through a generic iPhone backup toggle alone. If the chat backup is stuck, treat it as an iCloud + WhatsApp permissions problem first: storage, network, Apple's service status, then a computer backup if iCloud still fails.

1.1. Reset Network Settings

WhatsApp needs a stable connection to upload a chat backup. Before you reset anything, stay on Wi-Fi, keep the phone plugged in, and leave WhatsApp open. If the backup still sits on in progress, reset network settings. This removes saved Wi-Fi passwords, but it does not delete your chats.

Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Reset Network Settings. Rejoin Wi-Fi, open WhatsApp, then go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now.

1.2. Verify Available Storage Space

A stuck iCloud backup often means the iPhone cannot finish preparing the file, or iCloud cannot store it. Check both places:

• On the iPhone: Settings > General > iPhone Storage. Free enough space for WhatsApp to build the backup on the device first.
• In iCloud: Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud. Make sure iCloud has room for the WhatsApp backup itself.
• WhatsApp access: in the same iCloud screen, confirm WhatsApp is allowed to use iCloud. If iCloud Drive or WhatsApp is off, the backup can sit on Preparing and never upload.

If iCloud is already full, delete old unused backups or other large data before you retry. If you need a dedicated walkthrough for a full account, see how to fix iCloud storage is full.

1.3. Check Apple's System Status

If iCloud Backup or iCloud Drive is having an outage, WhatsApp cannot finish even on a perfect phone. Open Apple's System Status page and look for iCloud Backup, iCloud Drive, and related iCloud services. A green indicator means the service is available; any disruption is a reason to wait and retry later instead of deleting data.

1.4. Use Finder or iTunes for a Full Device Backup

If the WhatsApp iCloud backup remains stuck, make a full device backup on a computer. This is not the same as a WhatsApp-only iCloud backup, but it does preserve the iPhone, including app data, while you keep troubleshooting. Apple's iPhone User Guide still documents this as Finder on a Mac and iTunes on a Windows PC.

• On a Mac with macOS 10.15 or later, connect the iPhone, select it in Finder, open General, choose to back up all data to the Mac, then click Back Up Now.
• On Windows, connect the iPhone, open iTunes, click the iPhone button, open Summary, then click Back Up Now.
• On older macOS versions, use iTunes instead of Finder.

If you specifically want a WhatsApp-only file you can preview later, use the computer method in Part 3 rather than relying on a full iPhone backup.

Part 2. Troubleshooting a WhatsApp Backup Stuck on Android

On Android, WhatsApp backs up to Google Drive. A backup that stays on Preparing Google storage or in progress is often an app-cache, account, storage, or battery-restriction issue rather than lost chats. Work through the steps below before you reinstall WhatsApp.

2.1. Force Stop the WhatsApp Application

Force-stopping WhatsApp clears a hung backup process without deleting chats. After you stop it, reopen WhatsApp on Wi-Fi and start the backup again.

1. Step 1Open Settings

   Go to your phone's Settings and open Apps or Application Manager.

2. Step 2Choose Force Stop

   Find WhatsApp, tap Force Stop, and confirm. Then reopen WhatsApp and go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > Back Up.

2.2. Update WhatsApp to the Latest Version

Backup stalls are a common reason WhatsApp ships app updates. Also update Google Play Services if your phone shows an update, because Drive backups depend on it.

1. Step 1Open the Google Play Store

   Launch the Google Play Store on the Android phone.

2. Step 2Check for Updates

   Tap your profile icon and select Manage apps & device. If WhatsApp or Google Play Services is listed under updates, tap Update. Then retry Chat backup.

2.3. Clear WhatsApp's Cache

Clearing cache removes temporary files. It does not remove your chat history. Do not tap Clear Data or Clear Storage; that can delete local chats that were never backed up.

1. Step 1Navigate to App Settings

   Open Settings, go to Apps, and select WhatsApp.

2. Step 2Clear Cache

   Tap Storage & cache, then tap Clear Cache only. Reopen WhatsApp and run the backup again.

2.4. Check Google Drive, Videos, and Battery Limits

If the backup is still stuck after a force stop, update, and cache clear, check the Drive side of the job:

• In WhatsApp, open Settings > Chats > Chat backup and confirm the Google account is the one with available Drive storage.
• Turn off Include videos for one retry. Large video libraries are a frequent reason a Google Drive backup never leaves 99% or Preparing.
• In Google Drive, delete an old WhatsApp backup if a previous incomplete backup is blocking a new one. Then create a fresh backup.
• In Android battery settings, set WhatsApp and Google Drive to Unrestricted or turn off battery optimization for those apps. Users frequently report that this is what finally lets a backup leave the Preparing Google Drive screen.

For the normal Drive backup path, not the stuck-backup repair, see the separate tutorial on WhatsApp backup on Google Drive.

WhatsApp Backup Stuck at 99%, 100%, or Preparing

When the bar reaches 99% or sits on Preparing, the chats are often already copied and WhatsApp is still finishing media, encryption, or the cloud handshake. Treat this as a finalize problem, not as proof that the backup is lost.

• Leave WhatsApp open on Wi-Fi for another stretch, especially if this is the first backup or you included videos.
• Restart the phone, force-stop WhatsApp on Android, then tap Back Up Now once more.
• Exclude videos, then retry. Add videos back only after a text-and-photo backup completes.
• Delete the previous iCloud or Google Drive WhatsApp backup and create a new one. Keep the phone's local chats untouched while you do this.
• If the phone is low on local storage, move or delete large photos and videos outside WhatsApp first. The backup can stall at 99% when the device cannot write the final file.

If you are restoring, not backing up, and media restore is the thing that hangs, that is a different job. Use the restore-media guide instead of this backup-stuck workflow: fix WhatsApp stuck while restoring media.

Part 3. Backup WhatsApp to Your Computer with Dr.Fone

Cloud backups fail when storage, Wi-Fi, or iCloud/Google Drive permissions get in the way. Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer backs up WhatsApp or WhatsApp Business to a Windows or Mac computer, so you can preview the copy and restore it later without waiting on a stuck iCloud or Google Drive job. It supports iOS 5.0 or later and Android 5.0 or later; exact requirements can vary by device, WhatsApp version, and transfer direction.

Wondershare Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer

Transfer, Backup WhatsApp Chats

• Transfer WhatsApp across Android & iOS.
• Backup & restore WhatsApp to PC securely.
• Preview & export chats selectively.
• Works with all iPhone & Android models.

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Back up WhatsApp from iPhone

Follow the current iOS backup workflow in Dr.Fone. The Mac app may still show an older interface; the function is the same. For the full official walkthrough, see how to backup and restore WhatsApp on iOS.

1. Step 1Open WhatsApp Transfer

   Install Dr.Fone on your computer, launch it, and go to Toolbox > WhatsApp Transfer.

   

2. Step 2Start the iPhone backup

   Choose Backup WhatsApp messages, then connect the iPhone with a USB cable and unlock it if Dr.Fone asks for trust or access.

   

3. Step 3Wait for the backup to finish

   Keep the iPhone connected while Dr.Fone shows the backup progress. When it completes, click View It if you want to inspect the saved chats on the computer.

   

Back up WhatsApp from Android

Android backup in Dr.Fone is not the same three-click iPhone path. The current guide requires an end-to-end encrypted WhatsApp backup and a 64-digit key before the computer copy can finish. See how to backup and restore WhatsApp on Android for the official screens.

1. Step 1Open WhatsApp Transfer

   Launch Dr.Fone and open Toolbox > WhatsApp Transfer, then choose Backup WhatsApp messages.

   

2. Step 2Turn on end-to-end encrypted backup

   When Dr.Fone prompts you, open WhatsApp on the phone and go to Settings > Chats > Chat backup > End-to-end encrypted backup. Choose Use 64-digit Encrypted Key Instead.

   

3. Step 3Scan the 64-digit key and create the backup

   On the phone, tap Turn On > Generate Your 64-Digit Key. In Dr.Fone, click Scan so the computer can read that key. Then tap I Saved My 64-Digit Key and Create on the phone, and continue in Dr.Fone until the backup is saved. Store the 64-digit key in a safe place; you need it to use that encrypted backup later.

   

Restore a Dr.Fone WhatsApp backup

Restoring puts a computer backup back onto a phone. It is useful after a stuck cloud backup, but it is not a harmless preview. The current iOS and Android guides warn that restoration can delete the WhatsApp data already on the device, so Dr.Fone asks you to back up the current phone first. On iPhone, you may also need to turn off Find My when the prompt appears.

1. Step 1Choose Restore to Device

   In WhatsApp Transfer, select Restore to Device, connect the target phone, and pick the backup file. Click View if you want to preview it first.

   

2. Step 2Restore and confirm the warnings

   Click Restore to Device, then Restore. If Dr.Fone offers a backup of the data currently on the phone, create that copy before you press Continue. Selecting specific data types for a partial restore is currently available in A2I transfer mode; other restore modes restore the full data types in the backup. On iPhone, turn off Find My if the on-screen prompt asks you to.

   

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Conclusion

A WhatsApp backup stuck on iPhone or Android is usually a connection, storage, or cloud-permission problem, not a reason to wipe the app. Check Wi-Fi and free space, use the iCloud path on iPhone or the Google Drive path on Android, and treat 99% or Preparing as a finalize step. If the cloud backup still will not complete, keep the chats on the phone and save a local copy with Dr.Fone - WhatsApp Transfer. For a broader set of computer methods, see how to backup WhatsApp to PC.