Probably, every smartphone owner who communicated in a popular manager was sooner or later interested in the question of how to recover deleted correspondence on WhatsApp and whether this is possible in principle. It would seem, why delete information if it is important?
Men or women can specifically clear their messenger chats. Some ladies want to revive other people's deleted messages, for example, if their husband erased them from his gadget. For some reason, it is believed that a husband deletes correspondence with Whatsapp only if he writes to his mistress or hides something from his wife.
But sometimes information is deleted accidentally, for example, as a result of running programs to clear cache and memory. The owner of the smartphone may lose the gadget, and along with it, his WhatsApp information. And only then does the user realize that valuable information has been erased: an important photo, phone number or favorite chats have been lost.
But don’t get upset and panic, there are many ways to get back information from Whatsapp. In the methods described, everyone will find a data return algorithm suitable for themselves.
They will be especially relevant for those who, for some reason, have not activated the “Chat backup” option. Thanks to it, lost data can be rolled back in just a couple of taps on the screen.
How to recover WhatsApp data using software for iOS and Andriod users
For those who do not use iCloud cloud storage or other similar cloud services to securely store all their data, there is a slightly more complex method for recovering lost data. This method involves using a utility to recover lost data on iPhone. This is one of the popular Tenorshare UltData programs .
The program can be downloaded from the link https://www.tenorshare.ru/products/iphone-data-recovery.html
For iOS users, recovery algorithm
Step 1. Download the software and install it on your personal computer. Select the “ Recover from iOS device ” function.
Step2. Next, the program will begin searching for the device and after detecting it, it will open a window in which you must select the desired file formats. From this window, you can easily recover previously deleted WhatsApp messages.
When you have finished selecting files to recover, click the “ Scan ” button.
Step3. Once the scan is complete, select the lost or deleted data option for faster and more convenient viewing. Then click “ Restore to PC ” and you need to wait a while.
For Android users, the recovery algorithm is as follows
Step 1. Download and install the Tenorshare UltData program for Android on your PC. Connect your smartphone via USB cable to your computer. There are 2 functions, you need to select “Recover WhatsApp Data”.
Step 2. At the end of the scan, all WhatsApp data will appear. The data may even be a year old if you have not changed the device. Select all the messages that you intend to recover and click the “ Recover ” button. They can be reviewed immediately before restoration.
Preventing the deletion of important messages in 2022
Well, and finally, it’s worth saying that the best way to save data is to prevent its deletion. The latter provides several effective techniques, including not only the usual backup, which, alas, does not always demonstrate correct operation.
Thus, the following measures to prevent irretrievable data loss are suitable for Android devices:
- regular export of data from the messenger in the form of stories in txt format or in files attached to emails sent to the specified email address;
- copying data to Google Drive;
- saving chats on the PC system through the Databases directory.
For Windows Phone devices, the methods listed above will also work. And besides them, there is also the use of cloud storage for Windows One Drive.
As for the iPhone, the choice here is not so great and consists of using the iCloud cloud service. But the latter allows you to restore all files, including media content, which is a very significant advantage.
How to recover deleted WhatsApp messages from backups
Activating this option greatly simplifies the process of returning erased files. The backup copy (BK) is usually saved in the smartphone memory or on a microSD card. There are two ways to “reanimate” information from such a storage facility. Let's look at two typical situations that can happen.
WhatsApp message disappeared recently
When the loss of a valuable SMS has occurred recently, you can try the method of reinstalling the application. The term “recently” depends on the settings that the user has set for creating backup copies of chats.
If “Save messages every week” was selected, then “recently” is no more than 7 days. If a period of 14 days was specified, the user has 2 weeks to return the data, 30 days - a month, etc.
After the specified period has expired, the application will automatically create a new RK, and the old one will be erased. So, to use this method, you should:
1. Remove the WhatsApp application from your phone. To do this, you need to click on its icon on the screen, and while holding the icon, drag it to the trash. Or use uninstallation through the application manager in the device menu (you will need to find the messenger in the list and select “Delete”).
2. Now you will need to install the application again. To do this, you need to go to the store (Play-Market for Android, App-Store for iPhone, etc.) and download the messenger.
3. After installing and launching the program, you should enter your previous phone number.
4. The application will display a notification that a chat backup has been found and will offer to return all data from it.
5. Next, click on “Restore”.
6. After the process is completed, all correspondence, including photos, contact numbers will be returned to the smartphone.
But if the message you were looking for was not found, it means that it was erased just before creating a new copy of the chats. Then it’s worth trying the second method.
The WhatsApp message was deleted a long time ago
To “resurrect” it you will need to perform a number of actions:
1. You need to access the device memory. You can use the Explorer application. It is installed by default on most modern smartphones, but if it is not there, the owner will be able to download the program independently.
2. Having launched “Explorer”, you need to go to the Whatsapp program folder, namely, to “Databases”. It stores all correspondence ever created by the Republic of Kazakhstan, and at the end of the name of the copy the date of its creation is indicated.
3. You will need to find the desired date.
Now you need to select the found folder, hold it with your finger until a pop-up menu appears on the screen.
In it, select the “Rename” item, change the name, deleting the date and leaving “msgstore.db.crypt12”, not forgetting to save the changes.
It is from this file that messages will be returned and will replace the previous copy.
In this case, the first copy of “msgstore.db.crypt12” needs to be renamed to a name convenient for you and saved.
4. After this, follow steps 1-5 of the first method. At the end, all lost correspondence should be returned to its place.
Important! Before performing the described operations, you should make sure that the existing information is saved, since all chats that were created later than the restored backup will be deleted.
Method 6: Transfer data from old phone to new one
If you want to transfer correspondence, photos and videos to a new phone, then you need:
- Make a backup copy on your old phone - see how to do this in the last chapter of this article.
- On the new one, you will need to connect to the cloud from Google or iCloud, which were connected on the old device. Therefore, we have separate instructions on this subject at this link. In order not to read everything, look at the table of contents for your model - there I tell you how to connect the cloud.
- Just install “Whats App”. The most important thing is to indicate the same number that was on the old phone.
How to recover messages if your SD card is broken
Unfortunately, the memory card often fails. If data from WhatsApp was stored on it, then, if desired, the information can be returned.
To do this you will need:
- connect the gadget to the PC via cable
- open the “Hetman Partition Recovery” software, start scanning the memory card and smartphone
- select the path: /sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases (information containing chat history will be placed there)
- you need to perform a restore in the “Databases” folder using program commands
- Now you need to transfer the required message or file to the SD card folder from WhatsApp
- then reinstall the application
After the process is completed, the files you are looking for will be in the same place.
Sending chats via email
If necessary, the user can email themselves the WhatsApp chat history. This will allow him to save the correspondence in the event that he needs to restore the phone to factory settings, and if he does not know whether the conversation can be restored. To do this you need:
- Open the desired chat.
- Click on the contact name or group topic.
- Click the three dots in the upper right corner, then “More.”
- Select "Export chat".
- We select the place where we want to send.
- Choose to send with or without media files.
- Specify the email address or data of other services to which messages from the chat will be sent.
Then the user will be able to restore the deleted chat using one of the previous methods, namely by connecting the phone to the computer.
How to Recover WhatsApp Chat History if Backups Are Deleted
RKs in WhatsApp can also be accidentally deleted, for example, when clearing the device’s memory or as a result of the loss of a microSD card. But in this case, there is a way out of the situation, and you can return the files. For reincarnation you will need a PC or laptop and a special program.
So, you need to do the following:
- Install Hitman Partition Recovery or any other program on your PC to restore information.
- Connect the device to the computer using a USB cable and selecting the “File Transfer” mode on your smartphone.
- Launch the installed application, find the phone folders in it, then open the “Databases” folder (it is located in the WhatsApp folder). It contains files previously erased by the user. Now you need to select the desired one, click on the “Restore” icon (located at the top, with a lifebuoy).
- Then you will need to repeat steps 1-5 from the first method.
Returning data using a third-party program
If you didn’t have cloud backup set up and something unexpected happened to your phone: for example, you had to reflash it or reset the settings, then you can restore your conversation history using third-party programs that allow you to recover deleted files.
This possibility exists due to the fact that information on the disk is practically never completely deleted. Its name is erased, and the next time new files are written, the conditionally deleted files are simply replaced with new ones. And if you don’t delay or download anything unnecessary to your phone, don’t try to install WhatsApp again, after flashing there is a small chance that the backup file can be pulled out of the phone’s memory using the Hetman Partition Recovery program:
- Before restoring a chat in WhatsApp, you need to install the above utility on your PC.
- Connect your smartphone to your computer.
- In the program interface, specify which folder to scan - select the Databases on your smartphone. And also choose where to save the recovered files (create a separate folder on your computer).
- Start scanning. Wait until the procedure is completed.
- Next, you need to install WhatsApp in the same way as described in the instructions for transferring chats to another phone using a computer.
- Transfer the restored Databases to the smartphone memory in the WhatsApp and then continue authorization in the messenger.
All dialogues will be restored.
How to restore correspondence on Android if backups were not created
It is almost impossible to return her without them, but there is still one option that you can try. It will require the help of the contact to whom the required messages were sent.
This is due to the features of the messenger; unlike others, in WhatsApp the chats of the interlocutor are saved in the device’s memory. Therefore, you can ask the person to forward them. To do this, he will only have to select the desired message or photo, then press the arrow pointing to the right and select a contact to send from the list.
How to recover messages on iPhone
Those who have Apple gadgets should know: information from the latest updates, IOS 8 or 9, cannot be restored on gadgets with an earlier version.
To return lost information, you will need to go to your iCloud and find a folder there with the name of the messenger. After that, delete Whatsapp from iPhone and then download it again. The data should appear on the device in auto mode.
How to create a backup on WhatsApp
After the correspondence, photos and list of contacts have been returned, we will look at how to create a chat account in order to prevent data loss in the future. To do this you need:
1. Launch WhatsApp and go to settings. Depending on the phone model and operating system, this may be a button with three dots or an icon with a gear.
2. Go to the “Chats” section.
3. Select the “Backup” item and click the “Backup” button.
4. You need to choose a place to store the copy. This could be the device's memory, Google Drive (this will require GoogleDrive installed with authorization).
5. After completing all the settings, the messenger will save the information in the selected location; it is important not to forget to indicate the regularity of such saving. To avoid overusing traffic, you can select the option to create a backup folder only when Wi-fi is connected.
Here you can also select the option to save sent media files. In this case, not only photos will be saved, but also videos, postcards and other drawings sent by interlocutors. If you deactivate this function, only text can be restored in the future.
Important! Messages are saved on the device around two o'clock in the morning every day, so if the user turns off the smartphone at night, he should take this feature into account.
Each new RC will replace the previous one.
Recovery options available in the messenger
WhatsApp, as much as we would like, is not a cross-platform application, despite the similarity of the interface and the list of options. Which, by the way, are also slightly different in different operating systems. And the options available for recovery will also differ.
- from local storage on the phone;
- from Google Drive (for Android);
- from iCloud (for iPhone);
- transfer via computer or Bluetooth;
- using third-party utilities when flashing or resetting settings.
How to recover deleted photos on WhatsApp
Most messenger users do not know that all sent images and photos are stored not only in chats, but also in a separate storage, as well as in chats and backups. Therefore, after eliminating correspondence, it is difficult for users to find graphic files. To return lost images and photos, you will need special programs.
Restore using a backup file
There is a separate Backup branch in WhatsApp folders. It is used to save backups. Files are created by the program in auto mode (provided that the user has selected autosave in the messenger settings).
Therefore, if a correspondence with a photo on your smartphone accidentally disappears, you can quickly restore it from a saved copy in the smartphone’s memory. But this option is only suitable if less than a week has passed since the data was erased.
You will need to do the following:
- delete WhatsApp
- install it again, log in with your old phone number
- accept the offer to restore RK on the device
Once the process is complete, all photos and data will be available again.
How to read messages that someone you've deleted
Sometimes there are situations when the interlocutor sent a text, the user did not read it immediately, and when he opened the chat, he saw that it had already been deleted. Is it possible to read the text in this case? Yes, but to do this you will need to install the Notification History application from the Play Store.
After installing the software, you need to give it extended access to notifications. Now, if you find such a message in WhatsApp, you just have to find it in the application notification log. More details in the article - How to view a deleted message from your interlocutor on WhatsApp.
How to recover deleted audio and video messages
If audio or video has disappeared in the chat, you can return it to its place in WhatsApp, for this you will need:
- go to the “Whatsapp” folder on your smartphone
- select the “Media” folder
- find files (they will be sorted by date of receipt, for convenience you can use preview)
For convenience, you can connect your smartphone to your PC and view the contents of the folder on the monitor.
We looked at options for returning files in the popular messenger; using the methods provided, you can easily return lost data.
Where is WhatsApp chat stored?
The storage location for WhatsApp data will depend on the operating system installed on your smartphone.
For example, on Android, information can be recorded on external or internal memory, as well as on Google virtual drives. The iPhone uses IClaud for the same purposes.
It is preferable to choose a cloud service for storing correspondence and other important information, since it is completely protected from data loss as a result of a technical failure. In addition, with this method of storing information, even if you lose your phone, you can restore all the data you need in a new device.
