WhatsApp's in-app search feature makes it easy to find important messages, contacts, documents, and other items. While useful, WhatsApp's search tool doesn't always work flawlessly, especially on iPhones. Sometimes, the app may get stuck on the "Preparing results" screen and fail to display any results. Using WhatsApp's search function doesn't have to be a stressful experience. This post will walk you through all the possible solutions to fix the WhatsApp search tool on your iPhone. So, let's check it out.
1. Close and reopen WhatsApp
Restarting an app is a classic troubleshooting solution that resolves minor app glitches. If a temporary app issue is causing WhatsApp search to fail, restarting the app may resolve the issue.
Swipe up from the bottom of the screen (on iPhones with Face ID) or double-press the Home button (on iPhones with Touch ID) to bring up the app switcher. Locate the WhatsApp card and swipe up to close it.
Reopen WhatsApp on your iPhone and try using the search tool again.
2. Disable and re-enable iCloud SYNC for WhatsApp
If WhatsApp is having trouble retrieving your chats from iCloud, it may crash when using the search tool. You can try updating WhatsApp's iCloud sync permission and see if that resolves the issue. Here's how.
Step 1: Open Settings app On your iPhone, tap Your Name above.
Step 2: Click on iCloud.
Step 3: within “Apps Using iCloud” , tap on Show all.
Step 4: Locate WhatsApp website In the menu and disable switch Next to it. Wait a few seconds, then Restart it.
After that, try using the WhatsApp search tool again and see if it works.
3. Disable BACKGROUND APP REFRESH for WHATSAPP
This may seem strange, but Many Reddit users They reported success in resolving WhatsApp search issues by disabling the permission. Background app refresh for the appYou can also give this method a shot. Here are the steps for the same.
Step 1: Open Settings app Scroll down to tap on WhatsApp.
Step 2: Disable the toggle next to Background app update.
Restart WhatsApp after that and see if you can use the search tool.
4. Turn off “Siri Suggestions” for WhatsApp
On iOS, Apple's virtual assistant—Siri—analyzes information from third-party apps like WhatsApp to provide relevant search suggestions. This feature can interfere with WhatsApp and prevent you from searching for messages. To avoid this, you can disable Siri suggestions for WhatsApp by following the steps below.
Step 1: Open Settings app Scroll down to click on WhatsApp.
Step 2: tap on Siri & Search Disable the toggle switches next to “Learn from this app” و Show app in search.
5. Update WhatsApp
Using an outdated version of WhatsApp can lead to such anomalies. One way to ensure you always have the latest version of WhatsApp is to run App updates Automatically on your iPhone. Alternatively, you can update WhatsApp manually from the App Store.
If you joined the WhatsApp beta program to gain early access to new features, you may encounter these issues. It's best to leave the beta program and move to the stable app version if you want to avoid these issues.
Launch the TestFlight app on your iPhone and navigate to WhatsApp. Then, tap "Stop Testing" to leave the beta program.
6. Reinstall WhatsApp
If all else fails, you can uninstall WhatsApp from your iPhone and reinstall it. Doing so should remove any corrupted WhatsApp app data from your iPhone and get the in-app search feature working again.
Long press the WhatsApp icon on your iPhone's Home screen and select the Remove App option. Then select Delete App to confirm.
After uninstalling it, head to the App Store to download and install WhatsApp on your iPhone. Then, enter your phone number and follow the on-screen instructions.Recover your chats from iCloud.
Since this process forces WhatsApp to restore your chats from iCloud again, WhatsApp search should work normally afterward.
Find what you're looking for
Such WhatsApp search issues shouldn't force you to manually search for your important messages. Applying the fixes mentioned above will help resolve the issue permanently.
If you want to find your important messages more quickly, you can bookmark them with Starred Messages Feature in WhatsApp.
