How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages

Reading time5 minutes
Jaqueline Corradi
Jaqueline Corradi
Content Manager

Do you want to know how to recover deleted WhatsApp messages? If you have deleted a message by mistake or found yourself in a situation where you needed to check an old WhatsApp message from a co-worker or a friend, you know what it's like when you discover you don't have the message anymore.

But, you don't need to panic. Restoring WhatsApp messages is easier than you think. It's possible to do that on Android and iOS devices, and on your computer as well, even if you don't have a backup. You also can have your messages back if you need to reset your smartphone and uninstall WhatsApp, or if you have switched to a new device. 

Check out the article to know more about it.

How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages on Android

WhatsApp gives you the option to make a backup of all the conversations and information shared through the app. But, you need to go to your WhatsApp account setting and enable the backup. Then, WhatsApp will regularly make automatic backups of the data stored in it, including not only the messages but files like videos, and images. 

WhatsApp chat backup page

Open the app, click on "settings", "chats", then "chat backup" to certify if your WhatsApp conversations are backed up. If that's the case, to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on Android, all you have to do is:

1 - Click on the WhatsApp icon, then uninstall the app.

2 - Go to the Play Store, and reinstall WhatsApp.

WhatsApp page on Google Play

3 - Open WhatsApp, and enter the details of your account, such as your name and cell phone number.

4 - WhatsApp will locate the last backup made from your account, and ask if you want to restore the information. Click on "Restore" to recover the deleted messages.

WhatsApp restore backup

5 - Complete the installation, and when you open the app, all the deleted messages will be there. 

How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages on iPhone

The process on how to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone is very similar to the one on Android. Once you have enabled the WhatsApp backup, your messages will be stored in iCloud Drive. 

To certify if you have a WhatsApp backup, open the app on your iPhone, go to settings, click on "Chats", then on "Chat Backup", and you will see when the last backup was made. Follow these steps to restore your messages.

1 - Click on the Whatsapp icon, and uninstall the app.

iPhone screen showing WhatsApp icon, and the options to edit home screen, share app, and remove app.

2 - Go to the App Store, and reinstall WhatsApp.

Whatsapp page on App Store

3 - Once the download is complete, open WhatsApp and insert your account information. It will ask if you want to restore the last backup, select this option and you will have all your messages back. 

How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages Online

1 - Uninstall WhatsApp for desktop.

2 - Reinstall the app.

3 - Enter your account information

4 - Follow the instructions WhatsApp provides to restore the chat history. You will be able to see even the deleted messages.

How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages Without a Backup

Do you need to recover deleted WhatsApp messages, but you don't have a backup? The good news is that it's still possible to recover them, including media files. But, you may need a third-party app. 

How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages Without a Backup on Android 

Besides the cloud backup that saves WhatsApp data on your Google Drive, Android devices also come with the Android Local Backup. It's possible to recover deleted messages through it as well.

1 - Go to "File Manager", and click on "WhatsApp".

2 - Select the "Database" folder.

3 - Look for the file named msgstore.db.crypt12 and alter its name to msgstore_BACKUP.db.crypt12.

4 - Search for the file msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt12 and rename it to msgstore.db.crypt12.

5 - Delete WhatsApp, and reinstall it.

6- As you don't have any backup saved on Google Drive, you have the option to restore messages and media from your phone's internal storage. Click on "restore", and you will be able to see the deleted messages. 

How to Recover Deleted WhatsApp Messages Without a Backup on iPhone

There are several third-party apps developed to help you when it comes to recovering deleted WhatsApp messages without a backup on your iPhone. One of them is the Mini Tool Mobile Recovery for iOS , which you are going to install on your computer, then follow the instructions:

MiniTool Mobile Recovery for iOS home page

1 - Install MiniTool Mobile Recovery for iOS.

2 - Connect the iPhone to the computer.

3 - Open the program, and click on "Scan".

4 - You will see a data type list on the left, select "WhatsApp".

5 - Search and select the deleted messages you wish to restore, and click on "recover". 

Enable Cloud Backup For Your Safety

Now that you have learned how to recover deleted WhatsApp messages, what about avoiding losing important data, not only from WhatsApp but also from other apps? To do that, it's important to enable cloud backup on your smartphone. In cases of losing your smartphone or having it stolen, you can recover all the data you need, such as photos you have taken, contact information, and much more.

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