I’ve been using my Fairphone 5 for 2 weeks now, I’m quite happy with it but am struggling with one remaining problem… WhatsApp !
I tried various and numerous methods to transfer my WhatsApp data from my previous iPhone to my FairPhone 5 but I just can’t make it work.
There are some WhatsApp topics saying that the phone shoud be set back to factory configuration before trying to transfer the data via USB-C / Lightning cable, which I did, but this never worked, I never got any prompt or message asking me for any transfer or whatsoever… And now I’m back with a phone that I have to reconfigure from scratch… Not fun
Currently I’m walking around with 2 phones since I can’t make this data transfer which is quite annoying. This data transfer is quite important to me for professional reasons and I really need to have the data on my Fairphone…
If anybody ran into the same problem as me and has a solution that would enlighten my weekend !
No experience of iPhone and its specific issues, but from what I have read, it is critical the order in which the account is set up and the old data added. I understand that once this has been done incorrectly a Factory reset can allow to do it right next time. Of course it would depend on having reliable instructions.
the migrate tool “Android Switch” (com.google.android.apps.restore) added in Android 12 for this is proprietary, not part of AOSP - thus no prompt where the user expects it from the docs: at roughly 3. in both FAQs at whatsapp.com or support.google.com.
@Laura123 you can find the tool in AppLounge and install it. While it will deny to run if the setup wizard already ran, I think there is a timer of a few days after the device reset. You’ll need to try. Go then to Settings → Apps → search for “switch” and open the App from there, it will not be on the launcher screen. When you’re in the docs at 3. at best something happens. If not some of the gms/playservices dependencies fail to resolve or it needs a permission a user can’t grant (I see MANAGE_USB)…
There’s another very convoluted way to go about migrating iOS WhatApp to Android. But as the process is kind-of-known there are commercial tools for this.
Hi @tcecyk I tried it but unfortunately the Android Switch app won’t launch because “the phone has already been configured”. I’ve done another factory reset like @aibd suggested, installed Android Switch again, but I get the same message from the app : “Impossible tu use the app Android Switch after having configured this device”. Which I quite don’t get honestly, since I need to configure the phone after a factory reset in order to be able to download the app…
@georgie_abitbol there are solultions using cloud backups but it seems to work properly as long as you stay in the same environment (from iOS to iOS or Google Drive to Google Drive). Even from iOS to Android seems complicated.
there are ways around that initial check by calling into the specific activity (UsbD2dMigrateFlowActivity) that does the migration, but the deeper issue with Android Switch is it needs permissions (manifest) you cannot set as user - that is why it’s shipped with the OS in official Android.
It would need the same kind of stub install that is used for Android Auto to work in custom ROMs.
If you’re into adb shell and your install can do adb root I could write a guide I think.
As said, the schema transition that is needed for WhatsApp iOS ChatStorage.sqlite to Android is well known. One can either do it by hand in sqlite or with any script language. There are also 3rd party tools. I can’t vouch for any of them, but WazzapMigrator looks like it can do it, it’s 10 bucks but still involves hoop jumping.
Thanks for the tip ! I was struggling during 2 days to transfert my whatsapp data…
I tried so many method but finally the WazzapMigrator one worked ! (yep, I paid but it’s nothing compare to the the pain in the ass failing this…)
So for the OP of the topic, just few remark to help :
You don’t need to have a factory clean config, I did it with my current config
when you transfer your Media folder to the Android Download folder, just remember to zip it before (Media.zip)
to download the app wazzapmigrator, I used the Aurora app store (linked with my google account…), I bought the app before on google play web on my laptop
in the wazzapmigrator app, converting the message takes time, like one hour for me, be patient
At the end, all my message where backed up, I add only one problem with one contact (the media files with him been lost) but everything was fine globally
You don’t need to have a factory clean config, I did it with my current config
as in, the tool could merge old messages into existing, newer chats?
I bought the app before on google play web on my laptop
can be difficult for people coming directly from iOS that do not have a Google Account. Another hoop to jump through. There’s no independent licensing on their website.
Glad it worked for you though, the reviews are mixed as it’s not a 1-click solution either. As said, the logic to DIY is on github in multiple repos, forensic tools especially. I think a “sn-00-x” kind of stub for “Android Switch” could be very useful - for the whole of a migration, not only WhatsApp.
Nope, the “new messages” since 2 days were erased but by the way I wasnt expecting to keep them, but it’s not a big deal, the point for me was to recover the old one since 2018
