WhatsApp will soon enable local chat transfers on Android

According to a new report from WABetaInfo, the upcoming version of WhatsApp will allow people to transfer their WhatsApp data from one Android device to another Android device using a local network (either through Wi-Fi or Wi-Fi Direct). This feature will eliminate the need for Google Drive, which means people will no longer have to back up their data to the cloud service if they want to transfer the chats from one device to another.

The new chat transfer feature through a local network was spotted in WhatsApp Beta versions 2.23.1.26 and 2.23.1.27. The ability is quite straightforward. When you install WhatsApp on a new device, you have to select the option to import chats from another device, which will open the device’s camera to scan a QR code. Now, on your other device, you have to go to WhatsApp settings and select the option to export the data to another device, which will bring up a QR code. Now, scan that QR code with your new device, and voila, both the phone will connect using a local network and exchange data.

This upcoming feature in WhatsApp will not only simplify the process of transferring chats but will also be significantly faster compared to the current process, as transferring data over a local network is usually much faster than downloading it from a cloud service.

The new feature is currently in the development stages, and it could soon be available to beta testers. Once WhatsApp is done testing the new feature, it should be made available to the stable version of the app. But there’s no concrete info on the rollout date. Over the past year, WhatsApp has started allowing users to transfer their chat backup from Android to iOS and vice versa, making it much easier to switch between the two most popular smartphone platforms.