Last reviewed 23 October 2026. This guide is for anyone moving from an Android phone to a new or freshly reset iPhone who wants to keep their WhatsApp chats, voice notes and media. Follow it and you will move your history with Apple's Move to iOS app, the method WhatsApp documents. The steps follow Apple's and WhatsApp's help pages.
Update, 23 October 2026: We rechecked every step against WhatsApp's and Apple's current help pages. Power, network and version requirements are updated, and Apple's page now also describes a no-app transfer on the newest phones, covered below.
Short version: the iPhone must be new or erased, you must use the same phone number, both phones must be plugged in, and you must choose WhatsApp on the Transfer Data screen during setup. WhatsApp says you can only restore your history before you activate WhatsApp on the new phone.
What you need before you start
- Android 5 or later and iOS 15.5 or later, per WhatsApp's Help Center. Install the latest WhatsApp on both phones.
- The same phone number on both phones. Move the SIM or eSIM first if you are changing it.
- A new or reset iPhone. Apple's instructions say that if setup is already finished you must erase the iPhone or move content manually.
- Both phones plugged in, per both Apple and WhatsApp.
- A Wi-Fi connection. WhatsApp says both phones need the same Wi-Fi network, or the Android phone must join the iPhone's hotspot. Apple describes the Android phone joining a temporary network the iPhone creates. Follow whichever prompt appears on screen. Apple notes a USB-C cable can make the transfer faster.
- Move to iOS from Google Play on the Android phone.
WhatsApp says nothing is stored in the cloud during this transfer until you make an iCloud backup afterwards, and that your Android phone keeps its data unless you delete WhatsApp or wipe the phone.
Steps
- Erase the iPhone if it is already set up. Settings, General, Transfer or Reset iPhone, Erase All Content and Settings. Back up to iCloud first if the phone holds anything you need.
- Start setup and choose From Android. On the Transfer Your Apps and Data screen tap From Android, then Transfer with App. Apple says the iPhone then shows a 10-digit or 6-digit code after you tap Continue on the Move from Android screen.
- Open Move to iOS on the Android phone. Tap Continue, agree to the terms, allow the permissions it asks for, and enter the code from the iPhone. Join the temporary Wi-Fi network when asked.
- Select WhatsApp on the Transfer Data screen and follow the prompts. WhatsApp says you are signed out of WhatsApp on the Android phone once the data is prepared. Then return to Move to iOS.
- Tap Continue and wait. Apple says to leave both phones untouched, near each other and plugged in until the loading bar on the iPhone finishes, and warns that opening other apps or taking a call on the Android phone can stop the transfer. Neither Apple nor WhatsApp gives a time estimate.
- Finish setup, then open WhatsApp on the iPhone. Install WhatsApp from the App Store, log in with the same number and follow the prompt to load your data.
Fix the two usual failure points
The transfer drops when the app leaves the screen. Apple says the Move to iOS app must stay on screen. Raising the Android screen timeout and tapping the iPhone now and then is our practical advice, not an Apple instruction.
The Android phone switches networks. Apple's troubleshooting list says to turn off cellular data on the Android phone, turn off settings such as Sprint Connections Optimizer or Smart Network Switch, and forget each known Wi-Fi network in Settings before retrying.
What moves and what does not
| Item | Moves? | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Individual and group chats, media, settings | Yes | WhatsApp Help Center |
| Call history | No | WhatsApp Help Center |
| Display name | No | WhatsApp Help Center |
| Channels media | No | WhatsApp Help Center |
| Peer-to-peer payment messages | No | WhatsApp Help Center |
| WhatsApp Business app chats | No | WhatsApp Help Center |
| Google Drive backup | Unverified | No official statement found |
Common errors and fixes
- The From Android option never appears. The iPhone is already set up. Erase it and start again.
- The transfer stops or looks stuck. Follow Apple's list: restart both phones, turn off cellular data on Android, forget known Wi-Fi networks, and retry. Apple says an incomplete transfer can mean erasing the iPhone and starting again.
- Chats are missing after setup. Confirm you logged in with the same number.
- You activated WhatsApp on the iPhone first. WhatsApp says you can only restore your history before you have activated WhatsApp on the new device. Otherwise you must wipe the iPhone and start over.
No-app transfer on newer phones
Apple's page says compatible Android 17 phones and iPhones on iOS or iPadOS 26.5 can transfer without the Move to iOS app: choose From Android, then Transfer without App, and scan the QR code. Apple's list of what transfers includes WhatsApp messages and media in general, but Apple does not say the no-app route carries WhatsApp chats. Use Move to iOS for WhatsApp.
FAQ
Does it work over mobile data? Apple says to keep Wi-Fi on for the Android phone and turn cellular data off if the transfer fails.
Will my Android keep working? You are signed out of WhatsApp on it during the process, and only one phone can run the same number. WhatsApp says the data stays on Android unless you delete WhatsApp or wipe the phone.
Can I do it without erasing the iPhone? Only if you have not yet activated WhatsApp on it and are still in setup. For an iPhone that is already set up, Apple says to erase it.
Can I move WhatsApp Business chats? WhatsApp says it is currently not possible to transfer chats from an Android device to an iPhone on the WhatsApp Business app.
How long does it take? It depends on how much media you have. Neither Apple nor WhatsApp gives a figure.
Sources: Apple Support, WhatsApp Help Center, WhatsApp Help Center, migrating data, WhatsApp blog.
