why can’t i backup my whatsapp messages using icloud?

Hi there, ashley0804!
Thanks for reaching out to the Apple Support Communities! It sounds like you are having an issue with backing up your WhatsApp messages to iCloud and I’m happy to help! Check out this article for WhatsApp FAQ - Restoring your chat history with the requirements for being able to backup to iCloud, along with the steps to troubleshoot issues backing up to iCloud:

iCloud Backup

To make a manual backup of your chats at any time, go to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now. You can also enable automatic, scheduled backups by tapping Auto Backup and then choosing your backup frequency. This will back up your chats and media to your iCloud account and you can choose to include or exclude videos from the backup. The iCloud backup process can take a while to complete, depending on your Internet connection and backup size.

Requirements

• You must be signed in with your Apple ID that you use to access iCloud.
• You must have iOS 7 or later.
  • For iOS 8 and later: iCloud Drive must be turned on. You can check this by going to iPhone Settings > tap your name > iCloud, then making sure iCloud Drive is turned on.
  • For iOS 7: Documents & Data must be turned on. You can check this by going to iPhone Settings > iCloud > Documents & Data, then making sure Documents & Data is turned on.
• There must be enough free space on both your iCloud and iPhone.

Using iCloud on cellular data

If you're concerned about your cellular data usage, we recommend that you limit your iCloud to only back up on Wi-Fi. To disable iCloud while on cellular data:

• For iOS 8 and later: Go to iPhone Settings > Cellular > turn off iCloud Drive.
• For iOS 7: Go to iPhone Settings > iCloud > Documents & Data > turn off Use Cellular Data.

Recover chat history from iCloud

1. To recover your chat history from an iCloud backup, first verify that an iCloud backup exists in WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
2. If you can see when the last backup was performed, delete and reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store.
3. After verifying your phone number, follow the on-screen prompts to restore your chat history.

Note:

• The same requirements for iCloud backup apply to iCloud restore.
• The phone number used for backing up and restoring must be the same. You can't restore the chat history from another WhatsApp account.

  Even if you share an iCloud account with a family member, you'll still be able to keep your WhatsApp backup separate from theirs due to the requirement of needing the same phone number for both your iCloud backup and WhatsApp account.

iCloud Troubleshooting

If you're having problems backing up to or restoring from iCloud, this is likely not an issue with WhatsApp but with the iCloud account.

If you're unable to create a backup, please try the following:

• Verify you're signed in with your Apple ID that you use to access iCloud.
• Verify iCloud Drive is turned on in iPhone Settings > tap your name > iCloud.

  If you have iOS 7, you'll need to verify Documents & Data is turned on in iPhone Settings > iCloud > Documents & Data.

• If you're trying to back up on an iPhone with iOS 7, verify that no other device using your Apple ID has ever had iCloud Drive turned on.

  If you've turned on iCloud Drive for any device using your Apple ID, you won't be able to upload data on iOS 7. Even if iCloud Drive was previously turned on and then turned off, you won't be able to back up on an iOS 7 device. You would need to update to iOS 8 or later to back up.

• Verify you have enough available space on your iCloud account to create a backup. You can see how much space is available on your iCloud account by going to iPhone Settings > tap your name > iCloud.

  If you have iOS 7, you can check how much space is available by going to iPhone Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup.

• If you're attempting a backup on a cellular data network, make sure you've enabled cellular data usage for iCloud:
  • For iOS 8 and later: Go to iPhone Settings > Cellular > turn on iCloud Drive.
  • For iOS 7: Go to iPhone Settings > iCloud > Documents & Data > turn on Use Cellular Data.
• Perform a manual backup by going to WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Back Up Now.
• Attempt the manual backup on a different network - preferably the network you connect to the most. iCloud is designed to work best when you attempt a backup in the geographical location where you connect most frequently.

If you are still having an issue with completing the backup after completing these steps, it might be best to check out this link to Contact WhatsApp:

Contact WhatsApp

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