iPhone WhatsApp backup problem (not enough local storage)

[Branaghan]

I have an old iPhone 11, which despite having 128 GB and using a 200 GB (?) iCloud paid storage, doesn't have enough free space to allow the chats to be saved as online backup (I assume for iCloud, too).

The new device is going to be the iPhone 17. The goal is to make #17 to be the main device, since I'm going to sell #11.

I noticed this thread probably addresses my problem:

Whatsapp backup problem - Apple Community

discussions.apple.com

I'll try to explain what I did before, and worked for me, so I'll present my problems/questions later:

+++++++++++++++
STEPS REQUIRED TO PRESERVE ALL THE DATA FROM ONE DEVICE TO ANOTHER
+++++++++++++++

1) A full backup of the old device, to iCloud.
2) A full backup of the old device, to iTunes (PC). It needs to be encrypted.

3) Go to WhatsApp in the old phone, then "chats", and save them as a backup (not encrypted, I disabled that).

Two options:
a) Save it including videos
b) Save it ignoring WhatsApp videos stored inside the app

When I tried a), it asked me to free 34 GB of local space (of the 128). I can't do that.
b) Repeated the requirement, this time I guess 14 GB.

It doesn't make sense, because all of that can use iCloud's online storage.

So what can I do to preserve:

--- All the WhatsApp videos stored inside the app
--- Save them on iCloud and my PC
--- Restore them in the new iPhone (17)

If I can't free up local space in the old phone? The last online backup WhatsApp did for the chats is from 2023. The full device iCloud backup is from hours ago.

P.S. iCloud says (for full device backup) WhatsApp is wasting 51 GB. It must have included everything.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

When I tried a), it asked me to free 34 GB of local space (of the 128). I can't do that.

Why not?

Delete other apps from the phone. Facebook, YouTube, Weather Channel, whatever. Get rid of things until you free up enough storage.

Once the backup is DONE, you can re-install the apps prior to migration if you want. Or, just migrate & then re-install them on the new phone.