How to backup WhatsApp chats with end-to-end encryption

If you don’t want to take the risk of losing your chats on WhatsApp, you know that the best thing to do is to backup your conversations : end-to-end encrypted backups are now available on both iOS and Android. Read on if you want to know what it is.

In 2016 WhatsApp introduced end-to-end encryption by default in order to protect conversations between users. From October 15, 2021, you can decide whether to protect backups stored on Google Drive or iCloud with end-to-end encryption.

1. Chat backup with end-to-end encryption
   1. Enable end-to-end encrypted backup
   2. Disable end-to-end encrypted backup

Chat backup with end-to-end encryption

WhatsApp from October 15 has made available an additional optional security layer to protect the saving of chats on Google Drive and iCloud with end-to-end encryption. To do this, just choose a password or a 64-bit cryptographic key, you will only know both of them so if you lose them it will NOT be possible to recover them: keep them carefully!

To access the new function it is necessary to have installed the latest version of WhatsApp, if the backup with end-to-end encryption is not available, it is recommended to wait a few days.

Enable end-to-end encrypted backup

Here are the steps to take on the WhatsApp app to activate the secure backup of chats:

1. Open Settings
2. Select Chats> Chat Backup> End-to-End Encrypted Backup
3. Select Continue> follow the prompts to create a password or encryption key
4. Select Finish, wait for WhatsApp to prepare the end-to-end encrypted backup

Disable end-to-end encrypted backup

Here are the steps to take on the WhatsApp app to disable the secure backup of chats:

1. Open Settings
2. Select Chats> Chat Backup> End-to-End Encrypted Backup
3. Select Deactivate
4. Enter your password
5. Confirm that you want to disable end-to-end backup by selecting Disable