WhatsApp Lost in Transfer from Google Pixel to iPhone 16

grang on 30/04/2025 - 09:15
Last edited 30/04/2025 - 10:59 by 1 other user

I am transferring from an android pixel phone to an iphone 16
The capacity of the pixel is 512GB and the iphone is 256 GB
I am using the move to IOS apple application on android.
This applicaiton has failed to transfer and I have a broken whatsapp and my photos are not transfered
The issues are as follows:

  • Whatsapp keeps crashing. It is 70,000 messages and 36 gb. hte IOS app just "cancels"

  • Whatsapp on the pixel is in a state awaiting confirmation of transfer to the new phone. The message reads " Almost Done" and "Please finish registering on the other phone"… If I click continue it just exits on the Pixel. On the iphone, Whatsapp is a new install (I had to decline Whatsapp Transfer on the iphone to make it work. It is a clean install on the iPhone with no data, the Whatsapp authentication message fails - no sms is sent…. so I can't re-register.

  • If I rerun IOS transfer, and reset the iphone, it still finds all the messages on android and tries to transfer 36GB/70k messages and then just abruptly "Cancels" after transferring whatsapp.

  • If I run IOS transfer without whatsapp selected option, it works but then I manually install WhatsApp, and back to the failed authentication.

So my questions are
1) How do I reactivate whatsapp on my pixel
2) I think I can do the whatsapp transfer after I actiavte the iPhone and then cold install whatsapp, load it and then restore a whatsapp backup on google or transfer whatsapp via wifi?

ChatGPT said to clear the storage in the app, but this just opens the app again to the "complete in other device"
It now says either safe mode or android developer command line.

Before I go this far, any other options?

WhatsApp still runs on my Mac app, but of course this is not saving the messages.

Mobile

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 30/04/2025 - 09:20
    -3

    It is the most favorite communication platform of terrorists, criminals, mafias, hackers, bikies etc.

    • 87percent on 30/04/2025 - 09:41

      https://www.afp.gov.au/about-us/history/unique-stories/opera…

      Recently read a book about this, was very interesting

    • valuer on 30/04/2025 - 11:10
      -1

      I wouldn't have thought a Google product would be the best choice. Maybe you are just trying to send the wrong 'signal'. :-)

    • websterp on 30/04/2025 - 12:11
      +2

      I would give that title to Signal instead. All of the above + Trump's Pentagon

      • grang on 30/04/2025 - 13:05

        yeah, I use signal and telegram. Mostly signal, but my eco system refuses and I want to talk to them.

  • MS Paint on 30/04/2025 - 09:30
    +3

    It is 70,000 messages

    😯 - what are you saving these for?

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 30/04/2025 - 09:43
      +3

      O.P. has lots of children who have lost their phones and this is their new number. Can't go deleting those, or their kids won't be able to message asking for money.

      • MS Paint on 30/04/2025 - 09:44
        +1

        Lost phone messages can cost cents. Cheers

    • grang on 30/04/2025 - 13:05

      over a decade and too many groups ;)
      and kids family photos. ha ha

      • AustriaBargain on 30/04/2025 - 13:06
        +2

        You use WhatsApp to store precious family photos?

        • grang on 30/04/2025 - 13:22

          the ones I receive yes - and this folder is backed up separately. The ones I sent are obviously backed up to Google Pics.

          and yes, I do need to rationalize my messages! some large old groups are redundant with lots of screenshots.
          .

  • Fredfloresjr on 30/04/2025 - 09:32
    +4

    High school in love saving SMS from your crush?

  • payless69 on 30/04/2025 - 10:14
    -1

    Should have gone to Gerry for more losses…

  • plmko on 30/04/2025 - 11:49
    +2

    Just take this as a sign to start fresh. 36gb in chat logs is ridiculous.

  • sandman20104159 on 30/04/2025 - 12:08
    +1

    ohhhh im so sorry for you going to iphone.

    • grang on 30/04/2025 - 13:06

      fark, this has been horrendous. The move to IOS app is made for dummies with no data.

      • soan papdi on 30/04/2025 - 20:05
        +3

        Why not return your iPhone and go back to what works for you?

      • sandman20104159 on 06/05/2025 - 18:20

        yeah i found iphones is just a dumb user device that a lot of the time dont even know how to use a phone but can make a call and sms. i hate it when a user at work asks me to help them with their iphones.

  • grang on 30/04/2025 - 13:04
    +1

    Safe mode boot and delete failed
    Eventually got "Call me with code" to enable iPhone… but it only downloaded last two days of data… Pixel still stuck, could not unlock it

    Tried safe mode android boot, but user data stayed. Uninstalled app, deleted cache and user data… reinstalled. still locked.

    then with GPT went into BASH (terminal) and ADP… linked to Mac… and force removed

    Whatsapp now works, but lost two days of data sitting on iPhone… and can't merge with 2 days old backup on pixel

    Still to get the bloody transfer to iPhone, but for now at least I can use WhatsApp on my old phone.

    Here is how to fix with BASH command line. if you are stuck too

    Thanks — that confirms it: WhatsApp’s transfer lock has embedded itself deeper, likely into protected storage or flagged the transfer as “incomplete but active” at a metadata level. Here’s what’s going on:

    ⸻

    🧠 What’s Actually Happening

    Even though you’ve:
    • Booted into Safe Mode
    • Uninstalled WhatsApp and selected “delete user data”

    …it hasn’t cleared the full local data. Android often retains app-specific data tied to backup, pending system-level actions (like active transfers).

    So what you’re seeing is:
    • WhatsApp reinstalls from Play Store.
    • Android reattaches the previous app state from internal storage or Google Play Data Restore.
    • It boots directly back into “Almost Done” transfer mode.

    ⸻

    ✅ Definitive Fix: Use ADB to Force-Wipe WhatsApp’s App Data

    You now must use ADB to break the loop and get full control again.

    Here’s the step-by-step (simplified):

    ⸻

    🔧 ADB Method: Clear WhatsApp from the system

    Step 1: Install ADB (Android Debug Bridge)
    • On Mac: Use Homebrew:

    brew install android-platform-tools

    •   On Windows: Download and unzip from:

    https://developer.android.com/tools/releases/platform-tools

    ⸻

    Step 2: Enable USB Debugging on Pixel
    • Go to Settings > About phone
    • Tap Build Number 7 times → Developer mode
    • Now go to Settings > System > Developer Options
    • Turn on USB Debugging

    ⸻

    Step 3: Connect phone and run this command

    Open Terminal (Mac) or CMD (Windows):

    adb devices

    If your Pixel appears, you’re connected.
    Now run:

    adb shell pm clear com.whatsapp

    You’ll see:

    Success

    That means all app data is truly wiped, including the transfer metadata that is sticking around even after uninstall/reinstall.

    ⸻

    Step 4: Reinstall WhatsApp fresh
    • Download WhatsApp from the Play Store
    • Open it
    • Log in with your number
    • It will now let you restore from Google Drive backup — clean and normal.

    ⸻

    ✅ After That: WhatsApp Is Yours Again

    Once it’s restored and fully functional:
    • You can create a new “Move Chats to iOS” export
    • Or use PC-based WhatsApp transfer tools to port it to iPhone

    ⸻

  • User0001 on 01/05/2025 - 10:40
    +1

    I have transferred to and from Android and iOS several times.

    If you're comfortable paying a bit of money and comfortable with the potential privacy concerns, I used mobile trans by Wondershare. It costs about 18.99USD, but it worked flawlessly for me.

    • grang on 01/05/2025 - 13:22

      yes, my time does have some hourly value. GPT also recommends this tool

    • grang on 01/05/2025 - 22:12

      its USD 40 now, or AUD 70 … for a month sub… crazy

      • User0001 on 01/05/2025 - 22:50

        I'm not sure where you're looking, but it's $18.99USD.

        https://mobiletrans.wondershare.com/store/mobiletransapp.htm…

        Scroll to the bottom, you only need it for a month. Just make sure you turn off auto renew.

        If you have a computer, I used mobile trans. If you want to do it just on the phone, you can use mutsapper

        • grang on 02/05/2025 - 13:14

          fark. the MAC version is so expensive. Will go to the windows gaming PC to run it then
          thanks mate… hard to stomach the USD 26 or USD 39 for a use once software.

          EDIT: oh just paid for it, but it seems it is the phone app version, not the PC/MAC Version?
          This Chinese software companies documentation suck.

          • grang on 02/05/2025 - 14:05

            @grang: Thx for your help… think something was cleaned up since you used it… doesn't work on the Mac.

            fark, it seems I have to buy the other version — the link I used from you is for mobile app maybe only. There website is so bad.
            Just spent USD 21 after taxes (whether it is real tax from China?) , , but I need to buy the MAC/PC version which is like US 29…. this is so annoying. I just paid for the link you gave me and it seems it doesn't register for MAC/PC usage. and if I follow the link when I log in, it is even more… their pricing links are all over the place.

            and you can only chat to the most annoying AI - so no idea how to fix it…. waiting… so much for paying to save time!.

        • grang on 02/05/2025 - 19:31

          WARNING - I just lost hours to this link software. the APP keeps disconnecting the iPhone. doest transfer… It only runs on the phones, and when I try and do the PC version it asks for another license, even though the app says use this wundershare link… it is a joke. no support no response.

          I suspect the PC/MAC version works better (and the link looks like it is also a PC version)…. but yeah, nothing there. Multiple support tickets, not response.

  • 2esc on 01/05/2025 - 12:21

    70,000 messages and 36 gb?

    Crucial business related?

    Random conversations?

    Why do you save so many messages?

    • grang on 01/05/2025 - 13:23

      Too hard to get rid of the old corporate chats, amongst family and friend chats… I guess it's like the discipline of deleting the blurred photos when you have a lot of storage to start with.

      If there was an easy way to kill old chats I'd do it… I have a lot of contacts over the last 12 years of using WhatsApp. so yeah, hard to manage.

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