How To Track WhatsApp Chats On Another Phone: A Full Guide

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Track WhatsApp chats on another phone by using Whatsapp web /desktop to access the target WhatsApp account or restore the target WhatsApp chats on your phone. You can also use a free/paid spy app, like mSpy or uMobix, to track WhatsApp messages on another phone.

Are you concerned about your child’s safety on WhatsApp? Do you want to know who they’re texting there? Well, you’re not alone. Sometime last month, I discovered that my 11-year-old niece had a WhatsApp account on her smartphone and was already sending and receiving tons of messages to/from individuals. 

I was worried about her safety on the platform. So, I had to learn how to track WhatsApp chats from another phone. I’ll discuss the methods I discovered so by the end of this guide, you’ll know how to track your child’s WhatsApp messages from your phone

Track WhatsApp Chats: Best Apps To Use

I have compiled a list of ways to track WhatsApp chats on the target device. Here are some of the best applications I use to implement these ways and track my niece’s chats.

  • AirDroid Cast: A phone mirroring app to replicate what the target device user looks in their phones onto your smartphone’s screen in real-time.
  • mSpy: A spy application that enables monitoring the online activities of a target phone with features like social media, text and call, browsing history, GPS location, etc., monitoring.
  • uMobix: Another spy software like mSpy for spying on a target device’s online activities.

Ways To Monitor WhatsApp Messages On Another WhatsApp Account: Summary

I have prepared a summary of the five ways or methods you can use to track your child’s WhatsApp messages. Check them out below:

  1. Using AirDroid Cast – A phone mirroring app.
  2. Linking the target account to your mobile device.
  3. Backing up and restoring the target WhatsApp data on your device.
  4. Using uMobix – Best WhatsApp spy app for real-time monitoring. 
  5. Using mSpy – Leading phone monitoring solution for tracking WhatsApp messages and viewing all WhatsApp media. 

How To Not Monitor Another WhatsApp Account: Summary

I do not recommend trying apps that are not developed by well-known companies (such as mSpy or uMobix, for example). In the best-case scenarios, it’s a waste of time since they do not work. In the worst-case scenario, these apps may steal your personal data.

I have tested two such apps and you can read about the results below down this post.

Things To Do Before Tracking Your Child’s WhatsApp Chats 

Before I show you ways to track your child’s WhatsApp messages, here are things you must do or put in place:

  • Ensure you have physical access to your child’s device and WhatsApp account.
  • Have a stable internet connection via mobile data or Wi-Fi.
  • Charge the target device, your mobile phone, and your PC to avoid them shutting off during the process.
  • Learn everything about WhatsApp so you better understand the tracking methods I will share. 

Top 5 Methods To Track Your Child’s WhatsApp Messages 

Did you know that WhatsApp is the most popular messaging app, with over two billion users worldwide? This huge number of WhatsApp users strengthened my resolve to take my niece’s safety seriously, as she is at risk of interacting with strangers with malicious intent

So, in my quest to track her WhatsApp messages, I discovered several methods for monitoring WhatsApp messages and activities. I’ll discuss them below, so sit tight and read through them.

By Using AirDroid Cast For Phone Mirroring

A phone mirroring application lets you replicate a smartphone’s screen onto another device. You can even spy on someone’s text messages or call logs using such an app.

While there are many phone mirroring applications out there, I recommend AirDroid Cast for its reliability. AirDroid Cast has a 4-star rating on the Google Play Store and a 4.4-star rating on the Apple Store.

Before getting started, ensure both your and your target phone have a stable internet connection and ample battery. One of the downsides of using AirDroid Cast is that it can consume a lot of data to send data packets in real-time to replicate the screen. When I used this app to monitor my niece’s WhatsApp chats, it consumed over 6 MB of data within a few minutes.

Here are the steps to use AirDroid Cast to track WhatsApp chats:

It will take you about 4 minutes

  1. Install the AirDroid Cast screen mirroring app on both phones after downloading it.

  2. Cast the Screen and Receive Screen Cast are the two options at the bottom of the screen on the landing page.

    Landing page of AirDroid Cast

  3. On your screen, tap the “Receive Screen Cast” option.

    Receive screen cast button at the bottom right side

  4. You’ll receive a QR and numeric code for your gadget.

    QR code to receive screen cast

  5. Either manually enter the code number on the intended phone or press the scanner icon.

    Text field to enter or scan the code

  6. Click “Start Casting” on the target phone after inputting the code or scanning the QR code.

    Start casting button below the code text field

  7. This will begin to mirror the target device’s screen onto your smartphone.

    AirDroid casting the screen

Once the phone mirroring starts, you can view everything that appears on the target device’s screen.

WhatsApp chats screen

This means that whenever the target user uses WhatsApp, you can track all the messages and calls made from or received on the target phone.

Messages in a WhatsApp chat

One thing to note when using AirDroid cast is that your and the target phone must be connected on the same Local Area Network (LAN) to enable screen mirroring when using the free version.

When I tried connecting two devices with their respective mobile data, it failed. So I connected both devices to the same Wi-Fi network to ensure they were on the same LAN. I could then establish the connection once the devices were connected to the same network.

Alternatively, you can subscribe to the paid version to enjoy screen mirroring even if both devices are not connected to the same LAN. The paid versions are available for annual subscriptions at $19.99 and $29.99.

By Linking The Target Account With Your Mobile Phone

This free method is similar to the WhatsApp web method I mentioned above, as it requires using the “Linked devices” feature. The only difference is that it is done between two mobile devices, rather than between a phone and desktop computer. Also, you don’t have to root or jailbreak your device or your child’s. Follow the steps below to begin:

  1. If you have WhatsApp on your phone, uninstall and reinstall it again. 
    Otherwise, download the app on Google Play Store or Apple App Store.
  1. Open it and tap the three-dot icon at the upper right corner.
    Then, select “Link as companion device.”
Link as companion device option in the menu

A QR code will be displayed on the screen.

  1. Leave it like that and open WhatsApp on your child’s phone.
Whatsapp icon in the app drawer
  1. Repeat steps 5, 6, and 7 above.
  2. Point the phone camera toward your phone screen to scan the QR code.
QR code to link the phone as companion device
  1. When the scan is over, your child’s WhatsApp messages will load on your mobile phone.
A Whtasapp chat in the chats tab

By Backing Up & Restoring The Target’s WhatsApp Data On Your Device

This is another free method I discovered for tracking your child’s WhatsApp messages from another phone. Also, you don’t need to root or jailbreak your child’s device or yours. However, you have to ensure the target WhatsApp messages are backed up to Google Drive or iCloud

From my experience, I learned that this method only works if your child doesn’t back up their WhatsApp data at the same time. Otherwise, the backup will be overwritten.

So, you may have to do the backup occasionally to enable you to restore their messages when you want to track their WhatsApp activities. To begin:

  1. Open WhatsApp on your child’s phone.
Whatsapp icon in the app drawer
  1. If it’s an Android device, tap the three vertical dots icon at the top right section of the app’s home screen to select “Settings.”
Three dots menu icon at the Top right corner

If it is an iPhone/iPad, select “Settings” at the bottom-right corner of the app’s home screen.

Whatsapp settings icon on the iPhone
  1. Click on “Chats.”
Chats option in the Whatsapp settings
  1. Tap “Chat Backup.”
Chat backup option in the chats settings

Afterward, the backup process will begin. Allow it to run to 100%. 

  1. Then, grab your own device.
  2. Uninstall and reinstall your WhatsApp app or download a new one from the Google Play Store or App Store. 
  3. Open the app.
Whatsapp icon in the app drawer
  1. Tap “Agree & Continue.”
Agree and continue button on the Whatsapp welcome screen
  1. Enter your child’s WhatsApp phone number.
Enter phone number option on the Whatsapp

Afterward, you will be directed to the page where you will restore backed-up messages

  1. Tap “Restore Backup.”
Whatsapp backup restore from iCloud

WhatsApp will then automatically restore your child’s chat history and media from iCloud/Google Drive on your device, allowing you to monitor their messages remotely. 

Whatsapp restoring media and chats backup

Using mSpy 

mSpy is a mobile phone spy app you can use to monitor WhatsApp messages. It allows you to track messages and media on your child’s WhatsApp account. You can also keep it hidden on their device. 

However, you will have to purchase a mSpy plan to use the WhatsApp tracking feature.

I also learned that you need to root the target Android phone or jailbreak the iPhone/iPad with older OS, to use mSpy to track the target WhatsApp messages. You can check the target device’s compatibility status in the table I provided below.

Make sure you read our mSpy review to learn more about this tool. Here’s how to set up mSpy on your child’s phone:

  1. Get an mSpy subscription and create your account.
  2. On your dashboard, click “Add a new device.”
Add new device button on the mSpy homepage
  1. Select the type of device.
Device type selection option
  1. Select manufacturer.
Device manufacturer selection option
  1. Follow the on-screen instructions to disable PlayProtect on your child’s device.
mSpy instructions to disable PlayProtect on the target device
  1. Afterward, download the mSpy installer on your child’s phone.

To do this, type https://getmspy.net/ on any web browser on your child’s device.

Instructions to download mSpy installer
  1. Click the “I’m not a robot” box, and then “Download” to begin downloading.
  2. While it’s downloading, turn on location services
Instructions to turn on location services

Click here or here to see how to turn on location services for Android and iOS devices, respectively. 

  1. When the download is over, tap “Open” to install the app and get it running.
  2. Go back to your mSpy control panel/account, locate “Whatsapp” in the left corner of your dashboard, and start tracking your child’s WhatsApp messages. 
Whatsapp option in the left side bar on the mSpy

Using uMobix

uMobix is one of the best spy apps I discovered for monitoring WhatsApp messages. It allows you to access your child’s sent/received single and group chats, view all media files, and scrutinize their WhatsApp contact list. You can also put the app in stealth mode on their device.

Furthermore, I found out that you don’t have to root the target Android phone or jailbreak the iOS phone to use this spy app. However, it is a paid platform and doesn’t have a free trial, but you can get 10% off your subscription fee if you register via our link below. uMobix’s pricing plan varies for iOS and Android

Want to know more about this spy app? Check our comprehensive uMobix review. Here’s how to set up uMobix for WhatsApp monitoring: 

On Android

  1. Sign up on uMobix.
  2. Login into your account.
Sign in page of uMobix
  1. While you are on your dashboard, if your child is using an Android phone, get the device and disable Google PlayProtect to enable you to download the spy app.
  1. Afterward, return to your uMobix portal on your desktop and click “Next” until you reach the part with the download URL for uMobix’s mobile APK file
uMobix apk file download URL
  1. Copy the URL or write it down somewhere.
  2. Open any web browser on your child’s device and input the link.
  3. Download and install the application.
Download pop up for the uMobix apk file
  1. Then, open the app and click “Agree and Continue” on the home screen.
Agree and continue button on uMobix welcome screen
  1. Tap “Enable Keylogger Tracking” for the keylogger to work.
Enable keylogger tracking button at the bottom of the screen
  1. You may then be redirected to the “Accessibility” tab on your child’s phone settings, where User Accounts is located.

Enable it by tapping on the toggle button. 

User accounts toggle option

Then, you’ll receive a warning. Just click “OK” to proceed.

Ok button to enable user accounts option
  1. Afterward, on the setup page, click “Set up automatically.”
Option to set up uMobix automatically
  1. Allow uMobix to go through all the permissions needed to set up the uMobix app on your child’s device.
Allow button on the pop up
Allow button on the final confirmation pop up
  1. At the last stage of installation, you will be asked to provide a registration code. 
  2. To get the code, go back to your uMobix control panel on your PC and go to step 3.
uMobix setup application screen
  1. You will see the 6-digit registration code in the “Additional Information” section.
uMobix additional information screen

Type the registration code on your child’s device.

  1. You can now start monitoring the target account’s WhatsApp conversations by clicking “WhatsApp” on the left side of your control panel.  
Dashboard of uMobix

On iOS

  1. Pay for your preferred uMobix plan and login into your account. 
  2. At the top-right corner of the webpage, click the iOS device setup wizard box.
uMobix iOS setup screen
  1. You will then be directed to the steps to install uMobix on the target iOS device.
  2. Back up the phone’s data to iCloud.

Check here briefly to see how to enable iCloud backup.  

  1. Then, insert the iCloud credentials of the iPhone/iPad you want to monitor.
Apple ID and password enter fields
  1. After the credentials have been verified, click “Send verification code.”
Send verification code button

I discovered that the verification code may take up to 20-30 minutes to arrive on your child’s phone, so don’t panic. 

  1. Once you receive the verification code, return to the uMobix portal on your web browser and enter the code in the provided field.
Verification code confirmation screen
  1. Afterward, a loading screen will appear, indicating that the app is downloading on your child’s device. 
uMobix loading screen

From my experience, I discovered that the download process may take up to 10 minutes. So, stay calm and allow it to complete. But if it takes more than 10 minutes, it may be frozen. If so, contact the uMobix support team

  1. After the download, you will be redirected to your uMobix control panel, where you can start tracking your child’s WhatsApp messages.
Dashboard of uMobix

Click here to get 10% off your uMobix subscription. 

How To Not Monitor Another WhatsApp Account

As I already mentioned in the beginning, I do not recommend installing 3d-party apps that claim they can track WhatsApp but they are developed by companies that are not known for spy apps (such as mSpy or uMobix, for example).

In the best-case scenarios, it’s a waste of time since they do not work. In the worst-case scenario, these apps may steal your personal data.

I have tested a couple of such apps only to see that they failed to deliver on their tracking claims. I am not giving links to these apps because I do not want to promote them. However, you can always find them on the Play Store using their names.

Track Messages By Phone Number

Track messages by phone number app on the Play Store

On the Play Store, the app has 100K+ downloads and a 4.2 rating.

Looks pretty good? Let’s see if it works.

The app claims it can track any messages on the phone where it is installed. You need to add the keywords you would like to track in the app:

Option to add Whatsapp keywords in the app

Once you do it, you need to send @track in the WhatsApp conversation you are tracking.

As you can see, it failed to track any of the keywords I added:

App failed to track added keywords

Conclusion: The app does not work at all.

Chat Message Tracker Remotely

Chat message tracker remotely app on the Play Store

On the Play Store, the app has 1M+ downloads and a 3.8 rating. Let’s see if this one works as advertised.

The app claims it can track any messages on the phone it is installed, not only WhatsApp ones. It also allows you to read the messages from a browser, which is an essential feature for a spy app.

For the setup, I needed to create an account and that’s it.

After installing the app, I continued my WhatsApp conversation:

A Whatsapp chat

Now, here’s what the app shows. As you can see, it was able to capture only the first message in the conversation after I installed it:

A Whatsapp chat shown in the tracking app

Conclusion: The app also does not work.

Comparison Table For Reputable WhatsApp Monitoring Apps

I have prepared this comparison table below to help you fully understand the details of the WhatsApp monitoring apps I recommend: 

NameKey FeaturesSupported Devices Free Trial/DemoOur Rating
AirDroid Cast
Mirror Any Phone
1. Easy-to-use
2. Allows tracking WhatsApp messages in real-time
3. Compatible with both Android and iOS devices
4. Has a free version
Android OS 5 and above
iOS 11 and above
Free version8.2/10
mSpy
Quickly Find Friends & Family
1. GPS tracking
2. Enables you to block inappropriate content on your child’s device
3. Review WhatsApp calls and spy on WhatsApp messages
4. Quite pricey
Android OS 4 and above
iOS 7 – 13+ without jailbreak
All iOS versions with jailbreak
Demo8.5/10
uMobix
Advanced Cell Phone Tracker
1. View deleted WhatsApp messages on the target account
2. Efficient GPS tracking
3. Complete remote control of the targeted device
4. Flexible pricing plans 
Android OS 4 and above
All iOS devices 
Demo9.0/10

FAQs

Is WhatsApp spying legal?

WhatsApp spying is legal depending on your intentions for spying and if you have the consent of the account owner. However, you don’t need consent if you’re a caregiver, guardian, or parent spying on the WhatsApp activities of an underage child in your care.

Can WhatsApp chat be monitored?

WhatsApp chat can be monitored. Despite its end-to-end encryption, you can use authentic spy apps to monitor WhatsApp chats. You can also use WhatsApp web/desktop feature to monitor WhatsApp chats directly on your PC.

Know What Your Child Is Up To On WhatsApp

Learning about these methods was important to me because I wanted my underaged relatives to have a wholesome experience on WhatsApp. So, I hope you enjoyed reading this tutorial and have found clarity on how to track WhatsApp messages on another phone

If you don’t mind paying more to enjoy extensive WhatsApp monitoring features, mSpy is a good choice. However, if you’re on a budget and just want to track your child’s WhatsApp activities at most, uMobix offers flexible pricing plans and could be a good fit.

Moreover, apart from the two paid WhatsApp spy apps I discussed above, you can check out other free parental control apps. You may find a free WhatsApp spy app. If you have any questions, drop them in the comment section. Also, share this article so others can learn how to track WhatsApp messages on another phone.

About The Authors

  • Raji Oluwaniyi

    With over 7 years in the tech industry, Oluwaniyi has transitioned from being a mere tech enthusiast to becoming a seasoned technical writer. He began writing in 2019, and has worked with esteemed tech blogs, including MakeUseOf, PrivacySavvy, and TestGorilla. Furthermore, his career reflects his desire and ability to help people navigate the tech landscape with technical pieces, including user guides and product documentations. In his free time, you can find him diving into tech newsletters or going for evening rides. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

  • Jenn Peters

    Jenn Peters is an experienced content manager and editor who holds a degree in English and certifications in Social Media Marketing and Copywriting from the College of Media and Publishing. She has been working for TechUntold since 2018. In addition, Jenn works as a content editor for Valnet across 7 company sites, publishing numerous articles weekly. Connect with Jenn on LinkedIn.

Photo of author

Raji Oluwaniyi

With over 7 years in the tech industry, Oluwaniyi has transitioned from being a mere tech enthusiast to becoming a seasoned technical writer. He began writing in 2019, and has worked with esteemed tech blogs, including MakeUseOf, PrivacySavvy, and TestGorilla. Furthermore, his career reflects his desire and ability to help people navigate the tech landscape with technical pieces, including user guides and product documentations. In his free time, you can find him diving into tech newsletters or going for evening rides. Connect with him on LinkedIn.

17 thoughts on “How To Track WhatsApp Chats On Another Phone: A Full Guide”

  1. hi one of guy knows my whats app messaages and listen all calls how to avoid that ?and even i blocked him but he knows everything about me ,can you explain or give any suggestion to block it

    Reply
  2. After installing mspy on the target device, can i see the deleted whatsapp msges and call log which has been deleted a week before installing mspy??

    Reply
    • Hi huzaizi,

      On the target iOS device, go to Settings > Target Device owner name at the top(iOS 10.3) > iCloud > iCloud Backup > Toggle iCloud backup to On.
      On iOS 10.2 or earlier go to Settings > iCloud > Backup and turn it on.
      I hope this helps.

      Reply
  3. hello, I want to know if I can track calls/video calls made with WhatsApp. On looking at your demo, I can only see that this app only track messages in Whatsapp. Now that WhatsApp can make calls and video calls. I really need to confirm that these features can be monitored.

    Reply
    • Hi,
      It is not possible to monitor WhatsApp video calls with any monitoring software in the market currently. The main reason behind it is that tracking video calls will eat up a large amount of data on the target device.
      That said, you can easily get WhatsApp call history using mSpy.

      Reply
  4. WhatsApp Latest Update Now tracks WhatsApp user location, find someone’s location by WhatsApp.
    Track the live location of members apart from just sending locations.

    Reply
  5. When you say non-jailbreak what does it mean? Also, can you spy on web browsers when it goes on private mode?
    Can you see Gmail account access as well, please?

    Reply
    • Hi Lucy,
      Here are the answers to your queries.

      1) Non-jailbreak means is a device which is not jailbroken. Jailbreaking is usually done on an iOS device to modify it and run apps and access files which Apple wouldn’t allow officially. Jailbreaking an iOS device is similar to rooting in Android.

      2) Private mode activity is only monitored by our Keylogger, which means it will still capture the input URL’s, search keywords, messages etc

      3) mSpy monitors Gmail app by default.

      I hope this helps 🙂

      Reply

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