How to Backup WhatsApp Using iTunes

Backing up WhatsApp using iTunes is not a common method, as WhatsApp primarily relies on its own backup system, either to iCloud on iOS devices or Google Drive on Android devices. However, you can back up your entire iPhone, including your WhatsApp data, using iTunes. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you do this:

Important Note: WhatsApp on iOS devices primarily uses iCloud for backups. Ensure that you have an active iCloud backup for WhatsApp before proceeding with an iTunes backup.

Backing Up WhatsApp Using iTunes:

1. Connect Your iPhone to Your Computer:
   • Use a USB cable to connect your iPhone (iPhone 5s in your case) to your computer. Ensure that iTunes is installed and up to date on your computer.
2. Open iTunes:
   • Launch the iTunes application on your computer.
3. Trust This Computer (if prompted):
   • If this is the first time you’re connecting your iPhone to the computer, you might see a message on your iPhone asking if you trust this computer. Tap “Trust” to proceed.
4. Select Your Device:
   • In iTunes, locate and click on your iPhone icon, which should appear in the upper-left corner of the iTunes window.
5. Backup Your iPhone:
   • In the left sidebar of iTunes, you’ll find a section called “Backups.” Under “Automatically Back Up,” select “This Computer.”
6. Optional: Encrypt Your Backup (Recommended):
   • It’s a good practice to encrypt your iTunes backup to include sensitive data like WhatsApp messages and other app data. To do this, check the “Encrypt iPhone backup” box and create a password when prompted.
7. Start the Backup:
   • Click the “Back Up Now” button to initiate the backup process. iTunes will start creating a backup of your iPhone, which includes your WhatsApp data.
8. Wait for the Backup to Complete:
   • The backup process may take a few minutes to complete, depending on the amount of data on your iPhone.
9. Verify the Backup:
   • To ensure that your WhatsApp data is included in the iTunes backup, you can check the backup’s size. The backup size should reflect the amount of data used by WhatsApp.

Restoring WhatsApp from iTunes Backup:

If you ever need to restore WhatsApp from your iTunes backup, follow these steps:

1. Connect Your iPhone to Your Computer:
   • Use a USB cable to connect your iPhone to the computer where you made the iTunes backup.
2. Open iTunes:
   • Launch iTunes on your computer.
3. Select Your Device:
   • Click on your iPhone icon in iTunes.
4. Restore Your iPhone:
   • Under the “Backups” section, click “Restore Backup.”
5. Choose the Backup to Restore:
   • Select the iTunes backup that contains your WhatsApp data and click “Restore.”
6. Wait for the Restore Process:
   • iTunes will begin restoring your iPhone from the selected backup. This process may take some time.

Once the restore is complete, your iPhone, including your WhatsApp data, should be back to the state it was when the iTunes backup was created.

Remember that this method creates a full iPhone backup, including WhatsApp data, rather than specifically backing up WhatsApp as you would with iCloud or Google Drive. Make sure to maintain regular backups to avoid data loss.