As the user base continues to expand, we are increasingly receiving inquiries from individuals who have experienced accidental message deletions and are seeking ways to recover their lost WhatsApp conversations. Common questions include, “How can I retrieve deleted WhatsApp messages?” and “Is it possible to view deleted messages on WhatsApp?” In this guide, we will explore practical, straightforward solutions for both iOS and Android users to help recover deleted messages and manage their WhatsApp data with ease.
How do I check if I have a backup WhatsApp?
While reviewing messages in your son’s class group, you may have accidentally deleted essential notifications. To recover these messages, it’s vital to check if you have a backup available. WhatsApp typically creates daily backups at 2:00 AM, and if the backup was enabled at the time the messages were deleted, there’s a good chance you can restore them. Below is a guide to check for backups on your Android device and recover deleted messages:
Step 1: Open the File Manager on your Android device and locate the WhatsApp backup. You’ll typically find it in either of these locations:
- Device Storage → WhatsApp → Database (root storage)
- SD Card → WhatsApp → Database (SD card storage)
Step 2: Look for the msgstore.DB.crypt12 file, which is your most recent backup. You may also find older backup files in the format msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12.
Step 3: To recover your deleted messages, you can restore your chat history from one of these backup files, especially the most recent one.
By following these steps, you should be able to retrieve your deleted WhatsApp messages if a backup was created before they were deleted.
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How do you recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android?
Depending on your preferences, you can configure different types of backups for your WhatsApp data. By default, WhatsApp creates a local backup on Android, while iPhones rely on iCloud backups. In this guide, we will explain how to recover deleted WhatsApp messages, starting with how to use a local backup on Android.
1. Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages from Local Backup
This method is specific to Android devices, as iPhones do not support local backups for WhatsApp. If you’ve accidentally deleted important messages, follow these steps to recover them:
Step 1: Open the File Manager app and navigate to the following folder:Android/media/com.whatsapp/WhatsApp/Databases
Step 2: Look for the msgstore.DB.cryptXX file. Rename it to msgstore.dbBACKUP.cryptXX. Ensure that the “XX” remains unchanged as it corresponds to the encryption version.
Step 3: You may also find older backup files in the format msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.cryptXX, where YYYY-MM-DD represents the date the backup was created. You can choose any of these previous files if you believe they contain the messages you want to recover.
Step 4: To ensure that the local backup takes precedence over a Google Drive backup, go to Google Drive, open the menu, and select “Backups.” Delete or, for safety, rename the WhatsApp backup file.
Step 5: Uninstall WhatsApp from your device and then reinstall it to prompt the recovery from the local backup.
Step 6: When prompted to restore your backup, select the msgstore.DB.cryptXX file.
By following these steps, you can successfully recover deleted WhatsApp messages using a local backup on your Android phone. For iOS devices, we will discuss alternative methods shortly.
2. Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages from Google Drive
If you’re using an Android device, you can set up WhatsApp to back up your messages to Google Drive, with options to schedule backups daily, weekly, or monthly. Before attempting to recover your deleted messages, it’s always a good idea to ensure that Google Drive backup is set up properly. Below are the steps to recover messages from your Google Drive backup:
Step 1: Open WhatsApp and tap the three dots in the top-right corner to access the menu.
Step 2: Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Tap on Backup to Google Drive and choose your preferred backup frequency (daily, weekly, or monthly).
Step 3: Select an existing Google account or add a new one. You can also check the backup’s date by looking at the backup details in the Google Drive menu to locate the files by their date and time.
Step 4: Access your Google Drive and locate the WhatsApp backup file associated with the date you want to restore.
Step 5: Uninstall WhatsApp from your device.
Step 6: Reinstall WhatsApp using the same phone number. When prompted, select Restore to recover your old conversations. Make sure to choose the Google Drive option if prompted to select a backup source.
Once you’ve completed these steps, WhatsApp will restore your messages from Google Drive, allowing you to recover any deleted chats.
How do you recover deleted WhatsApp messages on an iPhone?
iOS users do not have the option of local backups for WhatsApp, but they can rely on two robust online backup systems: iCloud and iTunes. Let’s focus on how to retrieve deleted WhatsApp messages using iCloud, which is integrated seamlessly into WhatsApp’s settings.
WhatsApp can automatically back up your chats to iCloud without interrupting the normal functionality of the app. To configure this, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup on WhatsApp.
How to Retrieve Deleted WhatsApp Messages from iCloud Backup:
Step 1: Locate your iCloud backup by logging into iCloud from a web browser or using your device’s iCloud settings.
Step 2: Uninstall WhatsApp from your iPhone.
Step 3: Reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store and set it up using the same phone number that was previously used. When prompted, choose Restore to recover your chats.
Step 4: WhatsApp will restore your chat history to the state it was in when the iCloud backup was created, allowing you to recover deleted messages.
By following these steps, you can successfully restore deleted WhatsApp messages using iCloud backup on your iPhone.
Recovering WhatsApp Messages Through iTunes
iOS users can also rely on iTunes for recovering deleted WhatsApp chats and media. Unlike iCloud, which backs up specific app data, iTunes offers a full device backup, including WhatsApp. Here’s how to configure an iTunes backup for your WhatsApp messages:
How to Set Up iTunes Backup for WhatsApp:
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to a computer using a USB cable.
Step 2: Launch iTunes and select your device from the list.
Step 3: Choose the location where you’d like to store your backup, and ensure that the backup includes WhatsApp data.
How to Retrieve Deleted WhatsApp Messages Using iTunes:
Step 1: Connect your iPhone to the computer and open iTunes.
Step 2: In iTunes, go to the device’s Summary page.
Step 3: Click on the Restore Backup button and select the appropriate backup file. Choose the most recent backup if you want to recover recently deleted messages, or select a backup from a specific date that might contain the deleted chats.
Step 4: Keep your device connected until the restoration process is complete.
By following these steps, you can successfully recover your deleted WhatsApp messages from an iTunes backup.
What If You Don’t Have a Backup?
If you don’t have a backup on iCloud, Google Drive, or locally, recovery options become limited. However, third-party data recovery tools may offer some assistance, though their success rates can vary. It’s always advisable to maintain regular backups to prevent data loss in the future.
How do you recover deleted WhatsApp messages without a backup?
If you don’t have a backup, WhatsApp offers no native support for retrieving deleted messages. In such cases, your best option is to turn to a reliable third-party recovery tool to scan your device and recover deleted WhatsApp messages, whether they’re from WhatsApp, WhatsApp Business, or GB WhatsApp. One highly recommended tool is MobileTrans – Backup & Restore by Wondershare, which is known for its effectiveness, ease of use, and robust security features. Many users have praised it for its high recovery rate and user-friendly interface.
MobileTrans is a comprehensive backup and restoration tool that allows you to back up your phone’s data, including chats, messages, media files, and documents. It also supports backing up your WhatsApp data, making it a great option for recovering deleted messages.
To restore deleted WhatsApp messages without a backup on Android, you’ll need to download and install the MobileTrans app on your computer. Detailed guidelines for using the software can be found on the official MobileTrans website, which guides you through the step-by-step recovery process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I recover deleted WhatsApp messages without a backup?
Android: Yes, you can use third-party recovery tools like MobileTrans – Backup & Restore to scan your device and recover deleted WhatsApp messages if you don’t have a backup.
iPhone: If you don’t have an iCloud or iTunes backup, you may need to rely on third-party apps like Dr.Fone or iMobie PhoneRescue to attempt recovery.
How often does WhatsApp back up my chats?
By default, WhatsApp creates a local backup on Android daily at 2:00 AM, provided the backup feature is enabled. iOS users can schedule automatic iCloud backups on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis through the WhatsApp settings.
Can I recover deleted WhatsApp messages on my iPhone without iCloud or iTunes backup?
Unfortunately, iOS doesn’t support local backups for WhatsApp. If there’s no iCloud or iTunes backup available, you’ll need to use a third-party recovery tool like Dr.Fone or PhoneRescue.
How can I check if I have a backup for my WhatsApp chats?
Android: Open the File Manager and navigate to WhatsApp > Database to check for local backups. Alternatively, you can check the backup status in WhatsApp under Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
iPhone: Go to Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage to see if a WhatsApp backup is available in iCloud. For iTunes, you can check your device’s backup status on your computer.
Can I restore deleted WhatsApp messages from Google Drive or iCloud?
Android: Yes, you can restore deleted messages from a Google Drive backup by reinstalling WhatsApp and selecting the “Restore” option during the setup process.
iPhone: Similarly, you can restore from an iCloud backup by reinstalling WhatsApp and selecting “Restore” when prompted to recover your chats.
Can I retrieve messages from a specific date using a backup?
Android: Yes, you can recover messages from a specific date by selecting an older backup file located in your WhatsApp database folder or by restoring a backup from Google Drive that corresponds to the desired date.
iPhone: If you have multiple iTunes or iCloud backups, you can select the most appropriate one based on the date of deletion.
Will recovering WhatsApp messages overwrite my current chats?
Yes, restoring a backup from Google Drive or iCloud will replace your current chat history with the messages from the backup. Make sure you are comfortable with losing your current chats before proceeding.
What if I don’t have a backup and the third-party recovery tool doesn’t work?
If third-party recovery tools fail, unfortunately, there may be no other way to retrieve your deleted messages. Regular backups are the best way to ensure that your data is always protected.
Conclusion
Recovering deleted WhatsApp messages on both Android and iPhone is possible, though the methods vary depending on the platform and available backups.
Android users have the option to restore deleted messages from local backups or Google Drive. If these options are unavailable, third-party recovery tools like MobileTrans – Backup & Restore provide a reliable solution to scan your device and recover lost messages. Regular backups are essential to ensure your chat history is safely stored and you can quickly restore it when needed.
For iPhone users, WhatsApp relies on iCloud and iTunes backups to recover deleted messages. If a backup is available in iCloud or iTunes, you can restore your chats by reinstalling WhatsApp and selecting the appropriate backup. In the absence of a backup, third-party apps such as Dr.Fone or PhoneRescue offer alternative solutions, although success rates can vary.
