A few months ago, I bought a new phone and thought moving my WhatsApp chats would be easy. I opened WhatsApp, restored my backup, and waited for everything to load. My chats came back perfectly—but there was one big problem. Almost all my videos were missing.
At first, I assumed WhatsApp had deleted them. After spending some time digging through settings and trying different methods, I realized the issue wasn’t WhatsApp at all. It was the way I created the backup.
If you’ve ever restored your WhatsApp chats only to find missing videos, you’re definitely not alone. The good news is that it’s completely avoidable if you know what to check before backing up your data.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the exact process I now use whenever I switch phones or reinstall WhatsApp, so my chats, photos, and videos all come back safely.
Why Videos Are Missing After Restoring a WhatsApp Backup
Most people assume WhatsApp automatically includes everything in a backup. That’s not always true.
By default, WhatsApp gives you the option to include or exclude videos when creating a backup. Since videos take up much more storage than photos and chat messages, many users unknowingly leave this option turned off.
The result is simple:
- Your chats are restored.
- Your photos may appear.
- Your videos never come back because they were never backed up.
I learned this the hard way after losing several family videos that only existed inside WhatsApp.
Before You Start
Before creating a backup, make sure you have:
- A stable Wi-Fi connection
- Enough free cloud storage (Google Drive for Android or iCloud for iPhone)
- A charged battery or your phone connected to a charger
- The same phone number that you’ll use on your new device
Large backups can take quite a while if you have years of chats and lots of videos.
How to Back Up WhatsApp Without Losing Videos on Android
If you’re using an Android phone, these steps are straightforward.
Step 1: Open WhatsApp Settings
Open WhatsApp and tap the three-dot menu in the top-right corner.
Go to:
Settings → Chats → Chat Backup
You’ll see information about your last backup and the size of your data.
Step 2: Turn On Video Backup
This is the most important step.
- Scroll down until you find:
- Include Videos
- Enable this option.
- Many people skip this without realizing it.
Keep in mind that your backup size will increase, sometimes by several gigabytes if you’ve received lots of videos over the years.
Step 3: Choose Your Google Account
Make sure you’re backing up to the correct Google account.
I’ve seen people restore their chats using a different Google account and wonder why no backup is found.
Always double-check before starting.
Step 4: Tap Back Up
Press Back Up and wait patiently.
Don’t force-close WhatsApp or restart your phone during the process.
If you have thousands of videos, it may take quite some time.
How to Back Up WhatsApp Without Losing Videos on iPhone
The process is similar on iPhone.
Open:
WhatsApp → Settings → Chats → Chat Backup
Before tapping Back Up Now, make sure Include Videos is enabled.
Since iPhone backups are stored in iCloud, verify that:
- You’re signed into the correct Apple ID.
- iCloud Drive is enabled.
- You have enough available iCloud storage.
If your iCloud storage is full, the backup may fail without you noticing immediately.
Restoring WhatsApp Without Losing Videos
After setting up your new phone:
- Install WhatsApp.
- Verify your phone number.
- Sign in to the same Google or Apple account used for the backup.
- When prompted, tap Restore.
- Wait until the process finishes.
One thing that surprised me the first time was that chats appeared almost immediately, but videos continued downloading in the background for a while.
So don’t panic if every video doesn’t show up instantly.
Local Backup vs Cloud Backup
WhatsApp actually creates two types of backups.
- Cloud Backup
- Stored on Google Drive or iCloud.
Best for:
- Switching phones
- Recovering chats after resetting your device
- Keeping data safe if your phone is lost
Local Backup
Stored inside your phone’s internal storage.
Useful if:
- You’re reinstalling WhatsApp on the same Android phone
- You accidentally deleted WhatsApp
- You don’t want to rely on cloud storage
However, local backups won’t help if your phone is damaged or stolen.
That’s why I always keep a cloud backup enabled.
Common Reasons Videos Don’t Restore
Here are the most common mistakes people make.
- Video Backup Was Disabled
- This is by far the biggest reason.
- If videos weren’t included during backup, they can’t magically appear later.
- Wrong Google or Apple Account
- Using a different account means WhatsApp can’t find your backup.
- Always restore using the same account.
- Not Enough Cloud Storage
- Sometimes the backup fails because cloud storage is full.
- Check your available space before backing up
- Poor Internet Connection
- Large video backups need a stable connection.
- Using unreliable mobile data may interrupt the process.
Wi-Fi is usually the better option.
Closing WhatsApp Too Early
Interrupting a backup before it finishes can leave you with an incomplete backup.
Always wait until it’s fully completed.
Helpful Tips From My Own Experience
After switching phones several times, these habits have saved me a lot of trouble.
- Create a fresh backup the day before changing phones.
- Keep video backup enabled at all times.
- Use Wi-Fi for large backups.
- Leave your phone charging while the backup runs.
- Verify the date and time of your latest backup.
- Occasionally open Chat Backup settings just to confirm everything is working.
These small habits take only a minute but can save years of conversations and memories.
What Happens If Videos Were Never Backed Up?
Unfortunately, WhatsApp cannot restore something that wasn’t included in the original backup.
If the videos still exist on your old phone, you may still be able to recover them by:
- Copying the WhatsApp Media folder manually.
- Creating a new backup with Include Videos enabled.
- Restoring again from that updated backup.
If the old phone has already been erased and no backup contains those videos, recovery usually isn’t possible.
Does Backing Up Videos Affect Storage?
Yes.
Videos are usually the largest part of any WhatsApp backup.
For example:
- Chats may only use a few hundred megabytes.
- Photos add a bit more.
- Videos can easily add several gigabytes.
If your cloud storage is running low, consider deleting unnecessary videos inside WhatsApp before creating the backup instead of disabling video backups completely.
Is It Safe to Back Up WhatsApp Videos?
Yes, as long as you’re using your official Google or Apple account and the official WhatsApp app.
For even more privacy, WhatsApp offers end-to-end encrypted backups. When enabled, your backed-up chats and media are encrypted, adding another layer of protection. Just remember to safely store your encryption password or recovery key—if you lose it, you won’t be able to restore that encrypted backup.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will WhatsApp restore videos automatically?
Yes, but only if they were included in the backup you created.
Why are my chats restored but videos are missing?
Most likely, the Include Videos option was turned off when the backup was created.
Can I restore videos from an old backup?
Yes, provided those videos were part of that backup.
How long does restoring videos take?
It depends on the size of your backup and your internet speed. Chats usually appear first, while videos continue restoring in the background.
Is a local backup enough?
It’s useful for restoring WhatsApp on the same Android device, but a cloud backup is much safer if you’re changing phones or if your device is lost or damaged.
Final Thoughts
Losing WhatsApp videos can be frustrating, especially when they include family memories, important work clips, or moments you never saved anywhere else. The good news is that avoiding the problem is surprisingly simple. Before you back up your chats, take a few seconds to confirm that Include Videos is turned on, make sure you’re using the correct cloud account, and let the backup finish without interruption.
Since I started following this routine, I’ve moved between phones multiple times without losing a single chat or video. Spending an extra minute checking your backup settings today can save you hours of stress later.
If you’d like, I can also optimize this article with SEO title, meta description, URL slug, FAQ schema, and internal linking suggestions to make it ready for publishing on your blog.
