Over the past few years, WhatsApp has established itself as the go-to social media platform, helping people connect with friends and family. One of the features that likable users have is the ability to send or receive an unlimited number of messages that are not automatically deleted, as happens with some other social media platforms.
However, WhatsApp allows you to delete messages that you don’t want to keep. This option means that there is a possibility to delete something by mistake. You may also lose your messages unintentionally, for example, when you switch to a new device or even while resetting your device.
But does that mean you lose those messages forever? The answer is no. If you accidentally delete messages from your WhatsApp account, there is still a chance to get them back.
How to recover deleted WhatsApp messages
If you are an avid WhatsApp user, there is a good chance that you have had the unfortunate experience of losing some of your messages. It could be a funny text from a friend, contact information shared with you by a colleague, or even an exchange that you can present as evidence in court.
Although WhatsApp does not provide a direct built-in tool to help you recover deleted messages, you can still recover them in several ways. However, recovery methods generally depend on the type of device you are using. For example, what works for Android devices may not work for iPhones.
First, let’s dive in and see how to recover old WhatsApp messages on Android device.
Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages Using Android
Android devices are often praised for their affordability, large display, open source software (which makes them highly customizable), and a great app collection in the Google Play Store. No wonder most Android devices today are fully compatible with WhatsApp.
But just like with other devices, you can lose your WhatsApp data within seconds. Losing your data can happen if you accidentally press the “Delete” button or switch to a new device.
Fortunately, WhatsApp comes with a cloud-based backup solution that can save the day if you lose your messages and want to recover them. But how exactly does it work?
Once you enable backup in the settings section of your WhatsApp account, the app starts storing copies of all your messages in the WhatsApp servers at regular intervals. When the backup process starts, the app checks for duplicate messages on its server. If one is not found, a copy will be created immediately. The app also saves any new photos or videos automatically.
Therefore, the backup should be the first place you look when you delete a message by mistake.
NB: To see if your messages are backed up, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. Next, verify that the email listed is one that you can access.
Here is how to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android device when you have backed up your data:
- delete The WhatsApp from your device.
- Download and install a fresh copy of The WhatsApp from Google Play.
- After installation, open The WhatsApp And enter your details, including your name and number.
- During installation, a prompt will appear on your screen asking if you would like it
Restores Your chats from Google Drive. tap on Restores to start the recovery process.
- After restoring your data, follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation.
All of your old messages and media should now be available in your conversations.
Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages on iPhone
Like Android, WhatsApp for iPhone supports backing up to the cloud at regular intervals. As long as backup is enabled, WhatsApp will store copies of all your messages in iCloud Drive. You can even find out when your last backup was made by opening the Settings section of your account.
Recovering deleted messages from iCloud is simple:
- uninstall The WhatsApp from your device by selecting Delete the app.
- visit App Store and download a new version of The WhatsApp.
- After downloading the app successfully, install it on your device.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to recover all deleted messages.
Now, WhatsApp displays all your deleted messages in your chat.
It is necessary to ensure sufficient space in the local storage before starting the recovery process. As a general rule, the available local storage should be twice the size of the backup. For example, if your backup is 1 GB, there must be at least 2 GB of free storage space on your device.
How to recover deleted WhatsApp messages without backup
Although restoring data from your WhatsApp backup is quick and convenient, you might have forgotten to enable it when setting up your account.
The good news is that you can still recover lost messages and media thanks to your device’s local backup or third-party software.
Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages Without Backup on Android Devices
Apart from cloud-based backup, all Android devices come with Android Local Backup – the default data backup service for many Android devices. The app is usually included in nearly every new Android smartphone with Google Mobile Services (a group of Google apps that help support cross-device functionality).
If you have not enabled cloud backup on your WhatsApp account, you can still restore the data stored in your device’s local backup. Here’s how to do it:
- open file files manager and press The WhatsApp.
- select file Database Folder.
- Search for a file named msgstore.db.crypt12 and change his name to msgstore_BACKUP.db.crypt12 without quotes.
- Next, find the file named msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12 and rename it to msgstore.db.crypt12 without quotes.
- Now, delete The WhatsApp From your device, download a fresh copy from the Google Play Store, and install it.
- Since there are no files backed up in the cloud, you will be prompted to restore chats from your local phone backup. tap on Restores to start the recovery process.
Now, you can view most of the deleted messages in your chats.
The downside of this local backup method is that you can only restore the most recent messages. That’s because the amount of backup space available for each app is limited.
Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages without Backup on iPhone
If you run WhatsApp on iOS and cloud backup is not enabled, you can only restore deleted messages via a third-party tool.
Although there are many options to choose from, MiniTool Mobile Recovery for iOS It stands out because it does not require you to uninstall WhatsApp.
Here’s how to use it:
- Download and install MiniTool Mobile Recovery for iOS on your computer.
- Connect your phone to your computer via a suitable USB cable.
- release MiniTool Mobile Recovery for iOS on your computer.
- Click Survey To start a comprehensive search through all the social media and communication apps installed on your iPhone.
- At this point, select The WhatsApp from the menu displayed on the left side of your screen. All messages should appear, including messages that have been deleted.
- Select the messages you want to recover and press Recovery button in the lower right corner.
In conclusion, WhatsApp is a great way to communicate with your friends and family. Regardless, there can be moments when you accidentally delete messages or lose them while switching devices. If this happens to you, don’t panic. You now have multiple ways to recover deleted messages and view or share them as you like, whether WhatsApp backups are enabled or not. Try the above options!
FAQ about WhatsApp Message Recovery
Does WhatsApp keep your messages?
When you delete a message on WhatsApp, it disappears. However, it is not gone forever. Your messages are stored in the cloud (Google Drive or iCloud). They are also stored on your device. For these reasons, you can recover deleted WhatsApp messages even if you need a third-party service.
I reinstalled the app, but none of my messages came up. What is happening?
When you follow the instructions above to uninstall and reinstall the app, you must be logged into the correct account. Using a different email, phone, or phone number is the most likely reason for your lost messages.
As shown above, open WhatsApp Settings and tap on Chats. Then click on Chat Backup. You can check when your WhatsApp chats were last saved and the email address associated with this backup.
