Restore Whatsapp Messages on New Phone [with different number]

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It is possible to restore WhatsApp conversations from an old cell phone and device, to a new device and different number. The process is simple, but it is necessary to have the SIM with the old number on hand. See how to restore WhatsApp conversations.

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How to restore WhatsApp conversations

WhatsApp allows you to restore conversations from one cell phone number to another, but for that, it is necessary to connect both numbers through the application. Officially, there is no way to recover conversations from a device and number that the user no longer has access to (theft, theft, loss, etc.) and, for whatever reason, has not been able to recover the previous number to a new SIM with the operator.

To perform the procedure, the following items are required:

  • The current SIM, with a number connected to WhatsApp;
  • A new SIM with another number, to which the migration will take place;
  • Two cell phones, one for each SIM, to be used simultaneously.

Before you start, remember to back up your conversations:

  1. Open WhatsApp, tap on “Settings”, “Conversations”,
  2. Tap “Backup conversations”, “Back up”.
    On the iPhone, the backup is stored on iCloud; on Android, the app saves files locally and to Google Drive.

The procedure works if the user is switching from one iPhone to another or from an Android to another and it does not work if in addition to changing cell phones and numbers, the user is also switching platforms (from iPhone to Android or vice versa). This is because iCloud and Google Drive backups do not talk to each other.

With everything explained, here’s how to do it:

  1. Install the new SIM in the new phone and install WhatsApp on the device;
  2. On the old phone, open WhatsApp, tap “Settings”, “Account”;
  3. Touch “Change number”, “Next”;
  4. In the top field, enter the number of the current WhatsApp number;
  5. In the bottom field, enter the number of the new SIM;
  6. Touch “Next”;
  7. WhatsApp will give you the option to notify your contacts of the number change;
  8. Turn on the “Notify contacts” key, select “All contacts” and confirm;
  9. WhatsApp will send a code to the new phone, type it in the old phone;
  10. On the old phone, make a new backup of the messages (including from Google Drive/iCloud), so that it is linked to the new number;
  11. On the new phone, open WhatsApp and enter the new number at login;
  12. WhatsApp will detect the backup to the new number, tap “Restore” and wait for the process to complete.

Having done all this, WhatsApp conversations will have been migrated from one number to another and the account will be disconnected from the old device and number.

How to recover conversations without old cell phone and SIM

Since Android stores a local backup of conversations, you can access it by connecting your phone to a PC via USB cable. However, this method only works if the user has copied the local backup file before losing access to the old number and device.

It is also important that WhatsApp is installed on the new phone, but that it has not been used yet. Otherwise, uninstall it and install it again.

That said, here’s how to do it:

  1. Connect the old Android phone to the PC;
  2. Access the folder “\WhatsApp\Database” or “\SD Card\WhatsApp\Database”;
  3. Copy the file “msgstore-data from backup.db.crypt12” with the most recent backup date and time to the PC;
  4. Rename the file to “mgstore.db.crypt12”;
  5. Connect the new Android phone to the PC;
  6. Access the folder “\WhatsApp\Database” or “\SD Card\WhatsApp\Database”;
  7. Copy the file “mgstore.db.crypt12” to the folder;
  8. Open WhatsApp and enter the new number;
  9. The app will detect the local backup, tap “Restore”.

And ready.

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