Hey guys, I’m in a bit of a pickle here. I did a factory reset on my phone and now I’m trying to get my WhatsApp chats back. The Google Drive backup is being a real pain. It gets stuck at 7% when I try to restore. I’ve waited for hours but when it finally moves on, all my chats are gone. Poof!
I’ve tried everything I can think of:
Reinstalling WhatsApp
Giving all permissions before opening
Restarting my phone
Switching between airplane mode, Wi-Fi, and mobile data
Nothing seems to work. I can’t even download the backup from Google Drive. It only lets me delete or turn off backups.
I’ve turned off backups on my phone for now so it doesn’t mess with the online one.
Has anyone dealt with this before? Any tips or tricks to get my chats back? I’m all ears!
I’ve encountered a similar issue before, and it can be incredibly frustrating. One thing that worked for me was clearing the Google Drive app’s cache and data before attempting the restore. Go to Settings > Apps > Google Drive, then clear both cache and data. After that, try the restoration process again.
Another potential solution is to use a different Google account for the backup. Sometimes, switching accounts can bypass whatever’s causing the hang-up at 7%. Just remember to switch back to your original account once the restore is complete.
If all else fails, you might want to consider using a third-party WhatsApp backup extractor tool. These can sometimes access your Google Drive backup when the official app fails. Just be cautious and research thoroughly before using any such tools to ensure they’re reputable and secure.
I’ve been through this nightmare before, and it’s a real headache. One thing that worked for me was checking my Google Drive storage. Sometimes, if you’re close to or over your storage limit, it can cause issues with the backup restoration.
Another trick I stumbled upon was using a different device to initiate the restore. I borrowed a friend’s phone, logged into my Google account, and started the WhatsApp restore process there. For some reason, it worked flawlessly on the different device, and I was able to transfer everything back to my original phone afterward.
If you’re still stuck, you might want to reach out to WhatsApp support directly. They have access to more advanced troubleshooting tools and might be able to help you recover your chats. It’s worth a shot if nothing else is working.
been there, mate. try this: uninstall whatsapp, clear google play services cache, reboot phone. then reinstall whatsapp and try restore again. worked for me last time i was stuck at 7%. if not, maybe check ur internet connection? sometimes slow wifi messes things up. good luck!
Go to Settings > Apps > Google Play Services > Storage > Clear Cache. Sometimes the restore hangs because Play Services can’t properly talk to Drive.
Check Storage Space
Make sure your phone has enough internal storage. WhatsApp needs free space roughly equal to (or bigger than) your backup size to unpack everything.
Switch Networks During Restore
Even though you already tried toggling Wi-Fi and mobile data, sometimes switching mid-restore (e.g., start on Wi-Fi, then switch to 4G/5G when it freezes) can unstick it.
Use Local Backup (if available)
If you still have the WhatsApp/Databases/ folder from before the reset (maybe in a previous phone backup or PC), you can copy it back and WhatsApp will pick it up as a local restore instead of Drive.
Try a Transfer Tool
If nothing works, third-party tools like magfone, imyfone…can help extract backups directly from Google Drive or restore chats from old local copies.