If WhatsApp isn’t backing up your messages to iCloud, below are the troubleshooting steps to fix the problem and get automated WhatsApp backups working on your iPhone or iPad.
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WhatsApp backup not working on iPhone
While WhatsApp can automatically back up its data to local storage on Android phones, it can only back up to iCloud Drive on iPhone and iPad.
This sometimes leads to WhatsApp Backup stuck or not backing up WhatsApp to iPhone at all when there is a bug or persistent issue with Apple’s iCloud service.
Apart from iCloud glitches, WhatsApp backups can also stop working due to network connection issues, incorrect network settings, lack of iCloud storage space and other reasons.
What to do if WhatsApp not backing up on iPhone?
If WhatsApp doesn’t automatically back up its data to iCloud on your iPhone, it increases the chances that your WhatsApp messages, photos, and videos will be unavailable or lost when you switch to a new iPhone. So, it is important that you fix this problem and make sure WhatsApp can backup your messages and photos to iCloud Drive.
1. Check iCloud service status
Before proceeding to other troubleshooting steps, go to Apple system status page and make sure the circle next to iCloud drive is green and not red.
If there is a problem, you have to wait for Apple to fix the problem, after which WhatsApp backups should work on your iPhone.
2. Turn on iCloud Drive
If Apple’s iCloud service is working properly, make sure that iCloud Drive and iCloud Backup are enabled on your device.
Go to settings > Tap yours Apple ID name > iCloud > Move the switch next to iCloud drive to ON Position.
3. Give WhatsApp access to iCloud
WhatsApp cannot back up data to iCloud if it has access to Apple’s iCloud service.
Open Whatsapp > go to settings > Tap yours Apple ID name > iCloud > Scroll down and move the switch next to WhatsApp to the ON position.
After that, WhatsApp should back up its data to iCloud (as long as WhatsApp Auto Backups are enabled on your device).
4. Backup WhatsApp manually
After granting WhatsApp access to iCloud, you should be able to manually backup WhatsApp to your iCloud Drive account.
Open Whatsapp > go to settings > chat > Chat backup and tap Secure now Possibility.
Note: If you have a free iCloud account with 5GB storage, you may want to turn OFF Include videos Option considering that video usually takes up a lot of storage space.
5. Enable automatic WhatsApp backup
Automated WhatsApp backups are not enabled on iPhone by default. Therefore, make sure that automatic WhatsApp backup is enabled on your device.
Open Whatsapp > go to settings > chat > Chat backup > Automatic backup. On the next screen, make sure the OUT Option is not selected.
Choose Daily Weekly or Monthly, depending on when you want WhatsApp to automatically back up your messages and photos to iCloud Drive.
6. Check iCloud storage space
A common reason behind WhatsApp Automated Backups not working on iPhone is lack of storage space in your iCloud account.
Go to settings > Tap yours Apple ID name > iCloud > On the next screen you will see the used and available space in your iCloud account.
If iCloud storage is missing, you have to make efforts to free up space in your iCloud account.
7. Update WhatsApp
Open app store > Search for Whatsapp and tap the Refresh button. located next to WhatsApp Messenger.
If the “Update” button is not available, it means that you are already running the latest version of WhatsApp on iPhone.
8. Install the iOS update
Go to settings > General > software update.
On the software update screen, tap Download and install (if a software update is available).
9. Reset network settings
This can be helpful if the problem is due to a change or corruption in the network settings. Make sure you write down your WiFi network password before proceeding with this step.
Go to settings > General > Reset to default > Select on the next screen Reset network settings Possibility.
Tap on the confirmation pop-up Reset network settings confirm.
After the reset process is complete, rejoin yours WiFi network and check if WhatsApp backups are now working on your device.
