How to Transfer WhatsApp Chats Between Android Phones Without Google Drive

All your chats, groups, and media that were part of the local backup should now appear on the new phone. Media that were not included in the backup (e.g., large videos you chose to skip) can be transferred separately using a file manager or the same ADB push method.

Step 5 – Verify the migration

• Open a few recent chats and scroll back to older messages to ensure the history is complete.
• Check that media (photos, voice notes) display correctly. Missing items usually indicate they were excluded from the original backup.
• If you see a message saying "Couldn't restore backup", double‑check that the file name and location match exactly /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt12.

Troubleshooting common issues

1. ADB does not recognise the device

• Make sure USB debugging is enabled and the phone is unlocked.
• On Windows, install the appropriate USB driver for your device.
• Try a different USB cable or port; some cables are charge‑only.

2. WhatsApp says "No backup found" after pushing the file

• Confirm the file extension matches exactly .crypt12 (or whatever version your device uses). A mismatched extension will be ignored.
• Check file permissions: the WhatsApp/Databases folder should be readable by the app. You can reset permissions with:

  adb shell chmod 660 /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases/msgstore.db.crypt12

3. Restore fails with "Backup file is corrupted"

• Re‑pull the backup from the old phone to ensure the copy wasn't truncated during transfer.
• If you used a cloud‑sync folder (e.g., OneDrive) to move the file, make sure the sync completed before pushing.

4. Media files are missing after restore

• WhatsApp only includes media that were present at the time of the local backup. If you need older media, copy the entire WhatsApp/Media folder from the old device using ADB:

  adb pull /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media ~/whatsapp-media-backup/

  Then push it to the new phone:

  adb push ~/whatsapp-media-backup/ /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media/

Alternative methods (when ADB is not an option)

• Using a file‑manager app: Some third‑party file explorers (e.g., Solid Explorer) can copy the WhatsApp folder directly between phones over Wi‑Fi or a USB‑OTG drive. The steps are the same – copy Databases/msgstore.db.crypt12 and, optionally, Media to the same location on the new phone.
• Using a micro‑SD card: If both devices support removable storage, copy the WhatsApp folder to the card, then insert it into the new phone and move the files to internal storage.

These alternatives avoid the command line but rely on the same folder structure, so the restore process inside WhatsApp remains identical.

Safety and privacy considerations

• The backup file is encrypted with a key that lives on the device. While the file itself is safe to store temporarily, never share it publicly.
• After a successful migration, you may want to delete the local copy on your computer and any intermediate USB‑OTG drives to minimise exposure.
• If you plan to sell or recycle the old phone, perform a factory reset after confirming the new device has the complete chat history.

Wrap‑up

By using a local backup and ADB, you gain full control over the WhatsApp migration process, sidestepping Google Drive’s quota limits and potential sync glitches. The method works across Android 8‑13, requires no root, and leaves you with a clean, verifiable copy of your conversation history on the new device.