Still Have Questions?

If your phone is not recognized, try the following solutions based on your device type:
📱 For iPhone Users:
  • Unlock your iPhone and tap “Trust This Computer” if prompted.
  • On Windows, ensure iTunes is installed. Download it from the Apple website if needed.
  • Try a different USB cable or USB port.
🤖 For Android Users:
Enable USB Debugging on your phone:
  • Go to Settings > About Phone
  • Tap Build Number 7 times to unlock Developer Options
  • Go to Developer Options and turn on USB Debugging
  • Go to Developer Options and turn on USB Debuggin On Windows, install the correct USB Drivers for your Android phone (check your phone manufacturer’s website)
  • Use a high-quality USB cable and switch to a different USB port if needed
If your device is still not detected, restart both your computer and phone, then try again.
This can happen due to various reasons:
  • Make sure both devices stay connected and unlocked during the transfer.
  • Disable battery-saving mode or power-saving settings on both devices.
  • Restart AIWATransfer and try again.
  • If using a laptop, ensure it’s plugged in to avoid power interruptions.
WhatsApp may crash for the first time after the transfer due to the data migration process. That's totally normal.
  • Ensure you have the latest version of the software
  • Close any other apps that might be using the USB connection (like iTunes or Android File Transfer).
  • Run AIWATransfer as an administrator (Windows) or grant Full Disk Access (Mac)

To change where AIWATransfer stores your backup files:

  • Open AIWATransfer and go to Settings
  • Look for “Transfer Path” option
  • Click “Folder Button” to select a new folder
  • Choose a location with enough free space (recommended: at least 10GB)
  • Click “Apply” or “Save” to confirm the changes

Visual Guide:

1. Locate the Transfer Path setting:

AIWATransfer backup path settings

2. Click the folder button to change the path:

Change backup folder path
💡 Tip: Choose a location on your fastest drive (SSD preferred) for better transfer performance.

To safely delete old backup files and reclaim disk space:

  • Open AIWATransfer and go to Settings
  • Find the current “Backup Folder Path” location
  • Copy this path and close AIWATransfer completely
  • Navigate to the backup folder using File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac)
  • Select and delete old backup folders you no longer need

Where to find the backup path:

Locate backup folder path in settingsLocate backup folder path in settings
⚠️ Warning: Only delete backup folders after confirming your WhatsApp transfer was successful. These backups cannot be recovered once deleted.

Log files help diagnose transfer issues. Here’s how to locate them:

  • First, find your backup folder path in AIWATransfer Settings
  • Navigate to that backup folder location
  • Look for a file named “app.log”
  • This file contains detailed information about transfer operations and any errors
Default File Paths by Operating System:

Windows:

C:\Users\<USER_NAME>\AppData\Roaming\AIWATransfer\app.log

Mac:

/Users/<USER_NAME>/Library/Application Support/AIWATransfer/app.log
Quickest Way Using AIWATransfer:
  1. Open AIWATransfer
  2. Go to Profile -> Settings
  3. Click on “Locate Log File”
  4. This will automatically open the log file location in File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac)
AIWATransfer locate log file button in settings
📧 Support Tip: When contacting support, attach this log file to help us diagnose your issue faster.

If your iPhone backup fails during the transfer process, try these solutions:

  • Disable iTunes Encryption: Open iTunes/Finder, select your iPhone, and uncheck “Encrypt iPhone backup”
  • Trust the Computer: Unlock your iPhone and tap “Trust This Computer” when prompted
  • Update iTunes: Ensure you have the latest version of iTunes (Windows) or macOS (Mac)
  • Free up Space: Make sure your computer has at least 10GB of free storage space
  • Restart Devices: Restart both your iPhone and computer, then try again
  • Use Original Cable: Use the original Apple Lightning cable for the most reliable connection
🔐 Why disable encryption? Encrypted backups require additional authentication that can interfere with AIWATransfer’s backup process.

If you’re seeing a “no internet connection” error, try these troubleshooting steps:

Basic Internet Troubleshooting:
  • Check Your Connection: Verify that your computer is connected to the internet by opening a web browser
  • Restart Your Router: Unplug your router for 30 seconds, then plug it back in
  • Disable VPN/Proxy: Temporarily disable any VPN or proxy settings that might interfere with the connection
  • Firewall Settings: Make sure your firewall isn’t blocking AIWATransfer. Add it to your firewall’s allowed apps list
  • Antivirus Software: Temporarily disable antivirus software to see if it’s blocking the connection
AIWATransfer-Specific Solution:
  • Download the Latest Version: Go to the Download page and download the latest version of AIWATransfer, even if it shows the same version number as your current installation
  • Reinstall the Software: Uninstall your current version and install the freshly downloaded one
  • Run as Administrator: Right-click on AIWATransfer and select “Run as Administrator” (Windows) or grant necessary permissions (Mac)
💡 Pro Tip: The “same version” download often includes updated certificates and network configurations that can resolve connection issues without changing the version number.

If you got stuck at enabling end-to-end encryption, you need to enable end-to-end encrypted backups in WhatsApp. Follow these steps carefully:

Step-by-Step Instructions:
  1. Open WhatsApp on your phone
  2. Go to Settings -> Chat Backup
  3. Tap on End-to-End Encrypted Backup
  4. Select Turn On
  5. Choose “Use 64 digit encryption key” instead of password
  6. Tap Generate your 64 digit key
  7. While on this screen showing your 64-digit key, click “OK” in AIWATransfer
  8. Then click “SCAN” in AIWATransfer
  9. Click “Continue” in WhatsApp
  10. Click on “I saved my 64 digit key” in WhatsApp
  11. Click on “Create”
⏱️ Note: This will create a new local WhatsApp backup and it may take a while depending on the size of your chat history.

Once the backup process is complete and the dialog disappears, click “OK” in AIWATransfer to continue with the transfer.

⏱️ Note: You don't have to wait for the backup to be uploaded to Google Drive. Just wait for the local backup to finish and then continue with AIWATransfer.
🔄 Already have End-to-End encryption enabled? If you already have end-to-end encryption enabled, you need to disable it first and then enable it again following the steps above.

📹 Video Tutorial:

If your transfer is completely stuck or won’t start at all, deleting the backup folder can sometimes resolve the issue. However, this should only be done as a troubleshooting step.

⚠️
IMPORTANT WARNING:

Only delete the backup folder if your transfer is stuck or won’t start. Do NOT delete it during an active transfer or after a successful transfer until you’ve verified your data.

When to Delete the Backup Folder:
  • Transfer won’t start after multiple attempts
  • You’re getting persistent errors that won’t resolve
  • Previous transfer attempts failed and you want to start fresh
How to Delete the Backup Folder:
  1. Close AIWATransfer completely
  2. Open AIWATransfer Settings to find the backup folder path
  3. Navigate to that location using File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac)
  4. Delete the entire backup folder
  5. Restart AIWATransfer and try the transfer again

Visual Guide to Find Backup Path:

Find backup folder path in settingsLocate backup folder path in settings
💡 Note: Deleting the backup folder will remove any temporary backup files. You’ll need to create a fresh backup when you restart the transfer process.