WhatsApp Will Soon Let You Transfer Chats to New Phone Without Drive Backup for Free: Here’s How
WhatsApp chat transfers are handy but the whole process requires you to first back them up on the cloud and then retrieve them on the new device. The messaging app wants to change that system and make it easier for people to transfer chats from an old device to a new one.
New developments suggest WhatsApp will soon use QR codes to help you shift chats and other content to a new device, meaning you can completely bypass the need for storing/saving the chats on a Drive account.
WhatsApp QR Code Chat Transfer: How It Could Work
So, how is WhatsApp going to use QR codes to help you transfer chats between devices? Details shared by WaBetaInfo claim that when you switch to a new phone and download WhatsApp, the messaging app will create a new QR code for the current device which consists of your chat and data history. You would have to point WhatsApp on the new device at this QR code to start the chat transfer.
The feature has been spotted in the development stage with Android beta version 2.24.9.19, which should be available soon to beta testers. This new method will surely help people who don’t want to pay for Google Drive, as the WhatsApp backup storage counts against their cloud space these days.
Potential Challenges and Unanswered Questions
Although the chat transfer via QR code is an exciting development, there are still many questions. It is likely that both devices will need to be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, but it remains unclear if they also need to be plugged in and how long the chat transfer will take with this new method.
Moreover, will WhatsApp detect a new device when you sign up, or can the transfer be done seamlessly? These aspects will likely become clearer when the beta Android version offering this feature rolls out, which should happen in the next few weeks.
Stay tuned for more updates as we get closer to the release of this highly anticipated feature.