San Francisco, Jul 29 (IANS): Facebook-owned WhatsApp is reportedly working on a new feature for its users to transfer their chat histories from iOS to Android operating system.

According to 9To5Google, Google's 'Data Transfer Tool', the standard tool for copying files from one Android to another or from iOS to Android, is preparing to offer a way to copy your WhatsApp chats from your iPhone.

The report said that one of the bigger shortcomings of WhatsApp is that users can only access their messages on one smartphone at a time.

Even with the recently launched multi-device beta, which allows the WhatsApp web and desktop apps to work while your phone is offline, the one-smartphone limitation is still in place.

This, unfortunately, means there's no easy way to move your chats from one device to another if they're not both Android or both iOS, the report said.

Android has a built-in device-to-device transfer app called "Data Restore Tool," which is used by the Android setup wizard to copy photos, apps and files from one phone to another, including from iOS.

With its recent launch to the Play Store, the Data Restore Tool received an update to version 1.0.382048734, which includes preparation for copying your WhatsApp chats and history from an iPhone to an Android phone.

The option to transfer WhatsApp chats from iOS to Android likely won't appear in the Data Restore Tool until WhatsApp properly launches the new migration settings.

WhatsApp is also releasing the multi-device beta programme for some beta testers of the app.

With the new feature, users can use WhatsApp Web, WhatsApp Desktop and Portal without an Internet connection on the main phone.