How to export WhatsApp chat history, files from Android to iPhone

Meta-owned messaging platform WhasApp will now let Android users transfer their chat history, photos, videos and more to an iPhone through Apple’s Move to iOS app.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg made the announcement on Tuesday, expanding the feature which until now, only iPhone users had the option to transfer chats to Android devices.

“​​We're adding to WhatsApp the ability to securely switch between phones and transfer your chat history, photos, videos, and voice messages between Android and iPhone while maintaining end-to-end encryption,” wrote Zuckerbeg on Facebook.

“This is a top requested feature. We launched the ability to switch from iPhone-->Android last year, and now adding Android-->iPhone as well.”

The ability to transfer WhatsApp data from Android to iPhone is rolling out in beta from Tuesday and will reach all users in the coming week.

However, this process only works on new or factory-reset iPhones. The Android device used should also be running on Android 5 or up while the iPhone needs to be iOS 15.5.

Open the Move to iOS app on your Android phone and follow the on-screen prompts.

A code will be displayed on your iPhone, which you will enter on your Android device.

From the ‘Transfer Data’ screen, select “WhatsApp” then tap ‘Start’ on your Android.

Wait for WhatsApp to prepare your data for export. Once the data is prepared, you will be signed out from your Android phone.

Tap ‘Next’ to return to the Move to iOS app, then tap ‘Continue’ to transfer the data to your iPhone.

Once the Move to iOS app shows that the transfer is complete, install the newest version of WhatsApp from the App Store, then log in using the same phone number you used on your old device.

WhatsApp says that your Android phone will still have your data until you delete WhatsApp or completely clean your phone.