We've all experienced moments when we accidentally deleted important WhatsApp messages. But did you know it's possible to restore deleted messages? Yes, that's right!
In the digital world, nothing ever truly disappears. Therefore, with the right tools and the right steps, you can recover those messages you thought you'd lost forever.
Through the following content, we will explore the process of how to restore deleted WhatsApp messages. Join us on this journey and recover those essential conversations that were deleted for some reason.
Table of Contents
Is it really possible to restore deleted WhatsApp messages?
The answer is quite simple: yes. With the advancement of technology, many applications and systems have features to recover lost or deleted data. WhatsApp is no exception.
There are several methods that can be used to restore deleted WhatsApp messages, but it's important to note that not all options are effective and may yield satisfactory results. Therefore, it's crucial to follow the correct steps to ensure the recovery of your messages.
Restore deleted WhatsApp messages on Android
On Android, there are two main options for restoring messages: Google Drive backup or the local procedure. Each process works differently.
Restore deleted WhatsApp messages to Google Drive
To recover deleted messages using Google Drive backup, it's not possible to do it automatically; therefore, it's necessary to follow a few steps.
- First, access “Applications” on your mobile device, then tap “Settings” in the notification bar, and select “Applications” ;
- Next, find and access WhatsApp, tap on “Storage” and then on “Clear data” ;
- Once that's done, confirm the action. Open WhatsApp again, agree to the terms, and enter the phone number used to perform the backup.
- Finally, tap “Restore” to recover your saved messages. If WhatsApp takes a long time to locate a backup, try closing and reopening the app.
Restore deleted WhatsApp messages from local backup.
If the Google Drive option doesn't work, or you believe the local backup contains the necessary information, you can try restoring this backup. WhatsApp saves up to 7 versions of the local backup on your phone, in addition to sending the most recent version to Google Drive. Local backups are saved in /WhatsApp/Databases.
To perform this option, you will need to delete the Google Drive backup, as WhatsApp prioritizes this backup when restoring.
- First, to do this, access the Google Drive storage area on a computer, click on “Storage” and then on “Backups” ;
- Next, click on your phone number backup and select “Delete backup” . After that, access the WhatsApp “Databases” folder through your phone's file manager;
- Once that's done, locate the desired backup and rename the document from “msgstore-YYYY-MM-DD.1.db.crypt15” to “msgstore.db.crypt15” .
- Finally, uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp, enter your phone number, and restore the backup found.
Restore deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone
On iOS devices, the only option to recover deleted WhatsApp messages is through iCloud backup, as WhatsApp for iOS does not support mutable local backups. Before starting the restoration process, it is essential to verify that automatic backup is enabled in your iCloud.
To do this, you can go to WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup. In this area, you can check if your conversations are being saved — if they are not, you will not be able to restore the backup, but you can enable it for future needs.
Additionally, check when the last backup was performed to ensure it contains the messages you want to recover. That said, here are the steps to follow:
- First, reinstall WhatsApp — remove the app from your phone and reinstall it;
- Next, log in to your WhatsApp account — enter your phone number and tap “Next” to go to the next screen;
- Finally, recover deleted messages — choose “Restore” after WhatsApp detects a backup saved in iCloud.
Restore archived WhatsApp messages
It's possible that in some situations you might believe a WhatsApp conversation has been deleted when, in fact, it may have only been archived. If this is the case, you can relax, as the process of restoring archived messages is quite straightforward and uncomplicated. Here's how you can perform this task on the various available platforms:
On Android
For Android devices, you can recover archived WhatsApp chats by following the steps below:
- First, on the home screen, swipe down the list of conversations;
- Select the “Archived” option;
- Press and hold the conversation you want to retrieve;
- Finally, tap the upward-pointing arrow icon.
The WhatsApp interface on Android makes it easy to restore conversations from the app's home screen.
On iOS
If you are an iOS user, you can undo the archiving of hidden conversations in WhatsApp by following these steps:
- First, on the home screen, swipe down the list of conversations;
- Next, when it appears, tap the “Archived” option;
- Press and hold the conversation you want to restore;
- Finally, tap “Unarchive” .
Unarchiving conversations on WhatsApp in iOS is a simple process that can be done with just a few taps.
On the Web
For those who use WhatsApp Web, retrieving archived conversations is an easy task. Here's how:
- First, on the home screen, click the three-dot icon;
- Click on “Archived” ;
- Select the desired conversation and hover your mouse over it;
- Click on the down arrow icon;
- Finally, click on “Unarchive conversation” .
Retrieving archived WhatsApp conversations in your browser is simple, and you can access them directly from your home screen.
On Windows
WhatsApp users on Windows also have the option to unarchive messages with just a few clicks. Here are the steps:
- First, on the home screen, click the box icon in the left sidebar;
- Next, right-click on the conversation you want to restore;
- Finally, click on the “Unarchive” option.
See also:
How to See Hidden Status on WhatsApp
App to Mirror Your Phone Screen on Your TV
Apps for Learning to Drive with Your Cell Phone
Conclusion
As we have seen, it is possible to recover deleted and archived WhatsApp messages quickly and easily. However, it is important to remember that these procedures are only effective if backups are active and contain the desired information.
Therefore, we recommend performing regular backups to avoid major headaches in case an important conversation is accidentally deleted. Additionally, it's worth noting that these options may vary depending on the operating system and application updates, so always check if your device offers all the recovery options mentioned in this guide.
