If you’re a dedicated WhatsApp user, I have some good news for you: Soon, you’ll be able to transfer your chat history between Android and iOS.
News of the much-requested change didn’t come directly from WhatsApp. Instead, the new feature was first announced at Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event, alongside a slew of new products including the Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3.
During the keynote, the company said users will be able to “securely transfer [their] WhatsApp experience including conversations and photos from [their] old iPhone to [their] new Galaxy smartphone.”
As per Engadget, the feature will be available on Android in the “coming weeks,” hitting Samsung phones (running Android 10 or newer) first. It’ll expand to iOS as well, but the timeline for that isn’t as clear. In addition to conversations, you’ll also be able to transfer voice memos and photos.
Samsung quickly demonstrated the process using its new Z Flip 3. Basically, it’ll require connecting your current iOS device to your Android phone via a compatible Lightning-to-USB-C cable or adapter.
From there, you’ll use Samsung’s Smart Switch tool to select and install WhatsApp. It’ll then begin the process of moving your chats and multimedia to your Android device.
Prior to this, WhatsApp only had a solution if you were switching from Android to Android or iPhone to iPhone. If you were switching between mobile platforms, there was no official way to transfer your chat history. Instead, you were limited to using third-party apps. But WhatsApp temporarily or permanently bans accounts if it finds that you’re using an unsupported version of its app.
So to avoid that from happening, just wait until the feature hits your Android or iPhone.
