Whatsapp fresh install, stuck on "Looking for Backups" Screen

  • Replies:10
Christopher C
  • Forum posts: 1

Apr 7, 2016, 5:05:49 PM via Website

I am a new user to the app. I just downloaded and installed and validated my phone number via SMS. The app then goes to a "Looking for Backups" screen, where it stays. I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling as well as restarting the phone, but it never wants to get passed that screen. Anyone else have this problem? Samsung S7 with a 16 GB SD Card.

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Deactivated Account
  • Forum posts: 1

Apr 8, 2016, 12:31:01 AM via Website

You need to allow access to contacts, then it will finish.

Joseph May

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Yash Sabarwal
  • Forum posts: 1

Jun 1, 2016, 3:59:17 AM via Website

how you do that. how to give whatsapp access to contacts while restoring pls can you tell

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Scott Purcell
  • Forum posts: 1

Jun 10, 2016, 9:31:41 AM via Website

Same problem with me. I did (and do) not want any app accessing my contacts. I'll picks and choose which people I want to connect with. Now it's infinitely "Looking for backups" with no end in sight and no way to fix.

Seems like a crazy bug not to have fixed.

Raymond Helfrich

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Robert K.
  • Forum posts: 1

Jul 16, 2016, 4:10:40 PM via Website

Same here. I don't think it's a bug. It's a way to force you to give up your contacts.

Well, no WhatsApp for me. Quite an unreliabhle company, I guess...

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Sean O'Neill
  • Forum posts: 1

Sep 4, 2016, 8:31:09 PM via Website

Just go to Settings/Apps/whatsapp and then go to permissions and then give it access to your contacts etc. Then load whatsapp again

Deactivated Account

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Arun Arora
  • Forum posts: 1

Dec 9, 2016, 12:08:12 PM via Website

I had same problem on mi4i. I was having backup on google drive. but during restore It was getting stuck. Later I realized that i have more than one google account set up in my phone (including one which has backup). I removed all other google accounts from my phone except one which has backup data. then i reinstalled whatsapp and it picked up the backup from google drive.

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Rothman
  • Forum posts: 20

Dec 28, 2016, 3:29:37 AM via Website

I had this problem ever on my Samsung Galaxy, then I give it access to my phone contacts and it solved.
However, sometimes it may be caused by your backup files.
So use a reliable Samsung WhatsApp backup tool to backup your WhatsApp messages to computer for safer keeping. Free WhatsMate, a better choice.(cool)

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Raphael D'Emedion
  • Forum posts: 1

Sep 6, 2017, 3:02:25 AM via Website

Before that, you will see a google play services error popup. At that point, don't press OK. Just touch a blank point, skip it. Than everything is going to be allright. Try that,

Alabinescu RaduAndre Engelmann

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Andre Engelmann
  • Forum posts: 1

Nov 5, 2017, 1:19:59 PM via Website

Thanks, it was the perfect solution for me!!!

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walk wave
  • Forum posts: 1

May 14, 2018, 5:20:16 AM via Website

yowhatsapp is best app for android

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