iPhone 6(S)/Plus Insufficient storage for WhatsApp backup

[Mac2019]

Trying to backup WhatsApp chats but the app is telling me that it needs 2.51gb of space and it is not available on the phone. Correct, it isn’t, as it is a 16gb phone (being replaced today, thankfully) but there is around 33gb free storage on iCloud. Surely the latter is what is important as that is where the WhatsApp chat history is backed up to?

Help!

 

[ian87w]

Straight from Whatsapp

How to back up to iCloud | WhatsApp Help Center

faq.whatsapp.com

There must be enough free space on both your iCloud and iPhone. You need to have at least 2.05 times the space available in your iCloud account and on your phone than the actual size of your backup.

Looks like Whatsapp requires about 5.15GB free space on your iPhone. Not sure why, but that's Whatsapp's requirement.

 

[Mac2019]

Straight from Whatsapp

How to back up to iCloud | WhatsApp Help Center

faq.whatsapp.com

Looks like Whatsapp requires about 5.15GB free space on your iPhone. Not sure why, but that's Whatsapp's requirement.

Thanks. Very annoying but sure there is a good reason.

What about backing up the phone to iCloud and then deleting all apps and enough photos to free up the required space and then backing up WhatsApp. Then restore iCloud backup to new phone and then restore WhatsApp chats?

 

[ian87w]

Thanks. Very annoying but sure there is a good reason.

What about backing up the phone to iCloud and then deleting all apps and enough photos to free up the required space and then backing up WhatsApp. Then restore iCloud backup to new phone and then restore WhatsApp chats?

I'm confused. Are you trying to set up a new iPhone? If that's the case, I think simply doing the straight phone to phone transfer, or the classic backup to PC/Mac and then restore to new phone, would do just fine.

I'm not sure about iCloud backup, whether it stores another copy of whatsapp data, or just rely on the backup done by whatsapp (which is the one you're unable to do at this point). I don't use an iPhone for my primary driver. Hopefully someone else can enlighten us.

 

[Mac2019]

I'm confused. Are you trying to set up a new iPhone? If that's the case, I think simply doing the straight phone to phone transfer, or the classic backup to PC/Mac and then restore to new phone, would do just fine.

I'm not sure about iCloud backup, whether it stores another copy of whatsapp data, or just rely on the backup done by whatsapp (which is the one you're unable to do at this point). I don't use an iPhone for my primary driver. Hopefully someone else can enlighten us.

Yes, setting up a new iPhone. Ok good point, the phone to phone transfer could work. Let me try that first and report back!

 

[Mac2019]

I'm confused. Are you trying to set up a new iPhone? If that's the case, I think simply doing the straight phone to phone transfer, or the classic backup to PC/Mac and then restore to new phone, would do just fine.

I'm not sure about iCloud backup, whether it stores another copy of whatsapp data, or just rely on the backup done by whatsapp (which is the one you're unable to do at this point). I don't use an iPhone for my primary driver. Hopefully someone else can enlighten us.

Phone to phone transfer did the job in 15 mins - new phone now as the old one was, job done. So much easier than trying backup workarounds! Now my wife has a sensible amount of storage (128gb from 16gb), we shouldn’t experience this again!

Thanks for advice.

 

[Alex.jr]

Phone to phone transfer did the job in 15 mins - new phone now as the old one was, job done. So much easier than trying backup workarounds! Now my wife has a sensible amount of storage (128gb from 16gb), we shouldn’t experience this again!

Thanks for advice.

Do you mean the “new” iOS 12.4 data transfer tool that doesn’t use iCloud backups? Does that transfer all chats even without using chat backup?

I never used this data transfer since it became available on iOS 12.4 and I always wondered if that worked for WhatsApp chats.

I’d appreciate if you could clarify that.

Thanks!

 

[Mac2019]

Do you mean the “new” iOS 12.4 data transfer tool that doesn’t use iCloud backups? Does that transfer all chats even without using chat backup?

I never used this data transfer since it became available on iOS 12.4 and I always wondered if that worked for WhatsApp chats.

I’d appreciate if you could clarify that.

Thanks!

I don’t know what it is or when it became a thing as have never used it, but I assume that is what it is.
Everything on the new phone transferred from the old one, including WhatsApp photos, chats etc. Seems to be a good way to set up a new phone.

 

[Alex.jr]

I don’t know what it is or when it became a thing as have never used it, but I assume that is what it is.
Everything on the new phone transferred from the old one, including WhatsApp photos, chats etc. Seems to be a good way to set up a new phone.

Yes. It’s a new screen that pops up during initial setup with two options.

“Transfer from iPhone” ( that’s the new one )
Or
“Download from iCloud”

I’m guessing you chose the “transfer from iPhone”.

I tried to search online if indeed that option transfers all chats but I couldn’t find a definitive answer.

 

[Mac2019]

Yes. It’s a new screen that pops up during initial setup with two options.

“Transfer from iPhone” ( that’s the new one )
Or
“Download from iCloud”

I’m guessing you chose the “transfer from iPhone”.

I tried to search online if indeed that option transfers all chats but I couldn’t find a definitive answer.

Yes, I selected transfer from iPhone and all was well.

 

[ian87w]

Phone to phone transfer did the job in 15 mins - new phone now as the old one was, job done. So much easier than trying backup workarounds! Now my wife has a sensible amount of storage (128gb from 16gb), we shouldn’t experience this again!

Thanks for advice.

Awesome, and you're welcome

 

[MvdM]

I am currently transferring some iPhones (6s to 11) using iCloud backup. If I do an iPhone iCloud device backup, will it include the Whatsapp data or does that need a separate backup?