Many users report that WhatsApp backup getting stuck on a certain percentage and not completing successfully. There can be various reasons behind it. Some of them could be a slow network connection, insufficient iCloud storage, large videos in WhatsApp chats, a buggy WhatsApp build, and more. In this post, we shall tackle the WhatsApp backup stuck issue on iOS and Android. Let’s check out the solutions.
1. Update WhatsApp
WhatsApp frequently rolls out updates for its app on iOS and Android. WhatsApp backup failure could be due to the recent buggy build installed on your device. Open the App Store or the Google Play Store on the device. Navigate to the update section and download the latest build on the device.
2. Leave WhatsApp Beta Program
If you are a part of the WhatsApp Beta program and having a backup issue with the installed build on the device then it might be wise to leave the beta program and opt for the stable build from the App Store or Google Play Store. On iPhone, open the TestFlight App > WhatsApp > and select Leave beta program from the following menu. On Android, open the Play Store, and navigate to WhatsApp. There, you will see the option to leave the beta program.
3. Use Strong Network Connection
WhatsApp backups are usually in the size of GBs – since you’d be including photos and videos too. That would demand a stable network connection for a successful process. Make sure you are connected to the strong network and your phone shows enough bars for cellular network strength. For those who own a dual-band router, check if your phone supports the 5GHz Wi-Fi band. And if it does, connect the phone to your Wi-Fi network’s 5GHz band.
4. Reset Network Settings (iPhone)
Sometimes, users overwrite network settings by mistake which results in WhatsApp backup on iPhone getting stuck. You can fix it by resetting the network settings on the iPhone. Open the Settings app on iPhone and navigate to General > Reset > Reset Network Settings.
5. Check iCloud Storage (iPhone)
WhatsApp on iPhone uses Apple’s iCloud to store the backup data. As you may know, iCloud only comes with 5GB of free storage for Apple account users. You might be low on iCloud storage to take a backup of the WhatsApp data. Open the iPhone Settings app > Profile > iCloud and take a look at the remaining iCloud storage. If it’s lower than the suggested backup size by WhatsApp, then consider buying the entry-level 50GB iCloud plan from Apple. Alternatively, you can remove previous iCloud backups (check #8) or multimedia from WhatsApp’s backup (check #7). If you don’t want to go with this route, then you can back up the WhatsApp data using iTunes on PC. But the problem is, it will perform the full device backup and not for WhatsApp exclusively. Note: WhatsApp and Google have partnered on providing storage over Google Drive on Android, and your WhatsApp backup data won’t be count against the Google Drive storage.
6. Check If iCloud or Google Drive Servers Are Down
WhatsApp backup getting stuck on iCloud or Google Drive could be due to the server-side problems from Apple and Google. You can visit the Apple System Status page and make sure that the iCloud is running fine from their side. For Google Drive, visit Google Cloud Status and look for Google Cloud storage.
7. Exclude Videos From Backup
If you are a part of several groups on WhatsApp and receive a bunch of videos regularly, then that would increase the backup size by quite a margin. Thankfully, WhatsApp allows you to exclude videos while backing up the data. You can open the WhatsApp on your Android or iPhone, go to Settings > Chat > Backup > and enable exclude videos from WhatsApp backup option.
8. Delete the Existing iCloud Backup (iPhone)
You can delete the existing iCloud backup on the iPhone and try to back up the WhatsApp data from scratch. Open the Settings app on iPhone and go to Profile > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Delete the existing backup on iCloud. Now move back to WhatsApp > Settings > Chat > and start the backup process.
9. Clean WhatsApp Cache (Android)
You can clear the WhatsApp cache from the Android device and then try the backup process. You can long tap on the WhatsApp icon and open the app info. Now go to Storage & Cache and select Clear cache.
10. Update Google Play Services (Android)
Google Play Services plays a vital role on Android for keeping several services running smoothly in the background. You can navigate to the Google Play Store and update Play Services on the phone. Try to take a backup of WhatsApp again and check if that works.
11. Reboot the Device
Rebooting your iPhone or Android often fixes some unknown bugs or niggles. You can restart your iPhone by pressing the volume up/down and power button simultaneously. On Android, keep pressing the power button and select Restart from the sliding menu.
Backup Your WhatsApp Data
You can use the tricks above and solve the WhatsApp backup getting stuck on iPhone or Android devices. WhatsApp is working on cross-platform syncing. We hope the Facebook-owned company quickly brings the function to the market and address the pain-points of the users. Next up: Are you having problems with WhatsApp video call not working on iPhone and Android? Read the post below to fix the video call not working in WhatsApp. The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
