6 Fixes to WhatsApp Backup not Working on iPhone

You may have enabled in-app iCloud WhatsApp backup but find WhatsApp backup not working on iPhone. To fix this issue, this guide provides you with 6 solutions. Just try these fixes to get rid of it.

Demi by Demi Updated November 20, 2023
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Help! My WhatsApp backup not working on iPhone

I’m not sure if this is an issue with WhatsApp, iCloud, or a combination. The WhatsApp iCloud backup feature keeps getting stuck at a certain point. At that point it will start saying backup paused. What’s going on? Thanks for any help.

- Question from Apple Community

It's a piece of cake to keep WhatsApp data safe on your iPhone.  You can have iCloud automatically back up chats, as well as pictures and videos, etc. in WhatsApp. While some issues may stop you:

❌ WhatsApp says that it's waiting for a Wi-Fi connection, even though the Wi-Fi connection is fine.

WhatsApp Chat Backup stuck at 0/99/100, or a certain point all the time.

❌ You're pretty sure you've backed up WhatsApp before, but WhatsApp says No Backup Found when you go to check it.

WhatsApp icon

Whether you are experiencing one of the above or other problems that cause WhatsApp backup not working, this guide will do you a favor to get rid of the issue.

Why WhatsApp backup not working on iPhone?

There are many causes that can prevent you from successfully backup WhatsApp chats on iPhone, and the followings are the top three reasons:

• iCloud storage is insufficient. iCloud storage is full is the most likely cause of this problem. If this is the case, you will find WhatsApp backup getting stuck and cannot finish.
• Wrong settings or phone number. You need to set up WhatsApp backup properly and use the same phone number in both iCloud and WhatsApp. You can't back up WhatsApp if any of the conditions are not met.
• Unstable network or iCloud server condition. An unstable Wi-Fi connection or iCloud server can also make you unable to backup WhatsApp.

What to do when WhatsApp chat backup not working on iPhone?

Whatever reasons that prevent you from backing up WhatsApp on iPhone, in this section, you will get 6 fixes to the issue - WhatsApp not backing up to iCloud on iPhone.

1# Check if you set up WhatsApp backup properly

Before any troubleshooting, you may need to follow the steps below to check whether you have enabled WhatsApp backup properly.

Step 1. On your iPhone Settings > Tap [your name] > iCloud > Check you have enabled iCloud Drive and WhatsApp.

iCloud Drive

Step 2. Open WhatsApp on your iPhone > go to its Settings > Tap Chats > Chat Backup

From here, check whether you have enabled Auto Backup or tap Back Up Now to check whether you can backup WhatsApp.

iCloud WhatsApp backup

2# Check and reset network settings

To check if your iPhone is connected to stable Wi-Fi, open any website in the Safari app. You can also reset network settings in order to prevent any network issues that prevent WhatsApp from backing up to iCloud on iPhone.

Go to Settings > Tap General >Tap Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset > Choose Reset Network Settings. When it is finished, enter the Wi-Fi passcode to rejoin the Wi-Fi to see if it resolves the issue.

reset network settings

3# Check available iCloud storage space

Your Wi-Fi is stable, then you need to check if your iCloud still has enough space to store WhatsApp backups. From WhatsApp help center, your iCloud and iPhone should have at least 2 times more free space than your WhatsApp backups.

You can go to iPhone Settings > [your name] > iCloud to check your iCloud storage. Just in case, you may need to upgrade iCloud storage, just tap Manage Storage from this page > Upgrade to choose your upgrade plan, like 50 GB, 200 GB, and 2 TB.

iCloud upgrade option

4# Delete unnecessary iCloud backup

If you still have some free space in iCloud but still, WhatsApp backup not working on iPhone, chances are that the space is still not enough. Without pay for extra iCloud space, you can also delete unnecessary iCloud backup to free up space.

To delete unnecessary iCloud backup, go to iPhone Settings app > Tap [your name] > iCloud > Click Manage Storage. From here, you can delete unnecessary and old iCloud backup.

iCloud manage storage

5# Force restart your iPhone

WhatsApp chat backup not working may result from glitches on your iPhone. It may be helpful to force restart your iPhone to refresh it.

To force restart iPhone with Face ID, quickly press and release the Volume Up button > Quickly press and release the Volume Down button. Finally, press and hold the Side button. When the Apple logo appears, release the button.

force restart iPhone

6# Update WhatsApp and iOS to the latest version

The defects and issues that were present in the previous version of the software and operating system can be fixed in the most recent version. It is therefore advisable to update iOS and WhatsApp to the most recent releases.

Update WhatsApp
Go to App Store app on your iPhone > Search and choose WhatsApp > If there is new version available, tap on Update button.

Update iOS
Go to Settings on your iPhone > Tap General Software Update > If any update is available, download and install it.

iOS software update

A better way to backup iPhone WhatsApp 

If none of the solutions above works, it may be the time to look for a better way to backup iPhone WhatsApp chat. Here we recommend FoneTool, a professional iOS data backup tool, to enable you to backup all WhatsApp files from iPhone to PC, in which WhatsApp chats, photos, videos, documents are included.

Why FoneTool stands over iCloud
✔ Offline backup process. Backing up iPhone WhatsApp to PC relies on USB connection between two devices. In other words, it is offline, and the physical connection between iPhone and PC promises fast backup speed at the same time.
✔ Unlimited backup space. Without paying for extra space to save backups, FoneTool makes it simple to backup iPhone files to anywhere you want, like local folders on your computer, external hard drives, NAS, etc.
✔ Keep backup safer. iCloud stores backups in the cloud, increasing the risk of privacy leaks. While saving backup files locally can get around this risk.

Now, download FoneTool to your computer and follow the three simple steps below to backup iPhone WhatsApp files to computer.

Download FreewareWin 11/10/8.1/8/7/XP
Secure Download

Step 1. Launch FoneTool > Connect your iPhone to PC via USB > You may need to tap Trust on your iPhone.

Step 2. On the main interface of FoneTool, click WhatsApp Manager > Choose WhatsApp > Click Get Started under Backup WhatsApp.

Backup WhatsApp

Step 3. You can enable backup encryption to protect your privacy > Choose a destination to save the backup files > Click Start Backup to get the backup task started.

Start Backup

Bonus tip: WhatsApp backup not working on Android

The same with iPhone, Android also provides you with an in-app backup solution to backup WhatsApp chats using Google Drive. If you encounter the issue - WhatsApp backup not working on Android, the following inspirations may help you troubleshoot the issue.

•  Check you have set up WhatsApp properly on your Android. 
• Clear WhatsApp Caches and Data. 
•  Update your WhatsApp and Google Drive. 
• Remove old WhatsApp backups and try again.

Conclusion

Hope the six solutions in this guide can help you get rid of WhatsApp backup not working on iPhone and backup WhatsApp to iCloud on iPhone successfully. If failed, you can try the best iCloud alternative for iPhone to keep iPhone data, like WhatsApp chats. Is this guide helpful? Share it with others.

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