Recovering Your WhatsApp Account: A Guide for iOS and Android Users

By Newscrab Deskteam Dec 20, 2023, 18:14 IST

In today's digital age, WhatsApp plays an indispensable role in our daily lives, facilitating both professional and personal communication. Losing access to your WhatsApp account, whether due to a forgotten password, a lost smartphone, or other unforeseen glitches, can be a distressing experience. However, the recovery process is well within reach, and we'll guide you through the steps for both Android and iOS users.

For Android Users:

  1. Install the WhatsApp application on your device and open it to initiate the recovery process.
  2. Accept WhatsApp's request to check for backups in your Google Drive.
  3. If backups are available, WhatsApp will prompt you to start the backup retrieval process. Allow the process to complete, and your chats and media will be restored.
  4. If you don't see the backup option during setup, navigate to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup to check for available backups. Note that this is feasible only if you regularly update and back up your WhatsApp chats.

For iOS Users:

  1. Install the WhatsApp app and begin the login process.
  2. Allow WhatsApp to verify your phone number and grant access to your contacts, photos, and other data.
  3. WhatsApp will check for backups on your iCloud. If available, it will prompt you to restore your chat history from the backup. Follow the on-screen steps and select the specific iCloud backup you wish to use.
  4. WhatsApp will then restore and retrieve your chats and media from the selected iCloud backup, with the duration depending on the file size.

Using Email:

If you've saved your chat backup via email, follow these steps:

  1. Access your email and locate the file containing your WhatsApp data. Download this file.
  2. Open WhatsApp on your device and navigate to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
  3. Choose the "Restore" option, then select the file downloaded from your email.
  4. Click on "Restore" and patiently wait for the restoration process to complete.

In the event of a lost or stolen smartphone, ensure the recovery process by obtaining a duplicate SIM card with the same mobile number. For Apple users, ensure your Apple ID matches that of your previous device, and for Google users, log in with the same Google ID on the new device.

By following these steps, you can successfully recover your WhatsApp chats and resume seamless communication.