In the universe of instant messaging, WhatsApp It has become the leading app globally, accumulating millions of users and serving as the primary channel for both personal and professional communication. The ease of sending messages, photos, videos, voice notes, and files has made WhatsApp a repository of valuable information, including important messages that, through carelessness or accident, you can end up erasing.
Have you ever lost an essential conversation or a piece of relevant information from a long-deleted chat? Have you changed your phone and, upon setting it up, noticed that old messages are missing from your chats? This article explains, in detail and updated with the latest more effective and safer methods, all the alternatives to recover deleted WhatsApp messages, both on Android and iPhone. It integrates the Official tricks, advanced solutions, best apps, manual methods, and warnings, so you never lose valuable information again.
Why is it so important to recover WhatsApp messages?
WhatsApp It not only stores trivial conversations, but also banking information, addresses, phone numbers, important photos, and even work documents. Simply deleting a chat or a specific message can be truly tragic. Furthermore, the "Delete for everyone" or "Delete for me" function can lead to accidentally deleting irreplaceable content. Therefore, knowing all the possible ways to recover messages is essential for any user.
Key concepts about deleting messages on WhatsApp
Before we dive into recovery methods, it's crucial to understand what exactly happens when you delete a message or chat on WhatsApp:
- Delete for all Delete the message on both your device and the recipient's device only if you act within the allotted timeframe (currently, more than one hour after sending).
- Delete for me Delete the message only on your device. Other participants will still be able to see it unless they also delete it on their phones.
- Archived Chats They only hide conversations, but don't delete them. You can always unarchive them and recover them instantly.
- WhatsApp does not store messages on its servers once they are delivered. Therefore, The only reliable way to recover deleted messages is through backups or using notification content on Android..
Setting up backups on WhatsApp (essential)
The cornerstone to recovering any message is to have the function activated backupWhatsApp offers, on both operating systems, the option to perform periodic backups to the cloud or, in the case of Android, local backups to internal storage. Here's how to configure and optimize them:
On Android: Google Drive and local copy
- Open WhatsApp and go to Menu > Settings > Cat > Backup.
- Choose Save to Google Drive and choose the frequency: daily, weekly, monthly, or only when you tap the “Save” button.
- Set up the Google account where the backup will be stored and choose whether you want to include videos.
- If you want to save data, limit copying to WiFi only.
- Additionally, WhatsApp performs daily local backups in the folder
/WhatsApp/Databasesin the internal storage of the phone.
On iPhone: Back up to iCloud
- Go to WhatsApp > Configuration > Cat > Chat backup.
- press Back up now to save an immediate copy or choose automatic frequency (daily, weekly or monthly).
- Make sure you have enough space in iCloud and on your device. Videos take up a lot of space and are optional.
Recover deleted WhatsApp messages from the most recent backup
Once backups are configured, the classic and most reliable procedure for recovering messages is to restore the latest backup. This method is valid for recent recoveries: messages deleted after making the backup. This is how it's done:
Steps to restore backup on Android or iPhone
- Uninstall WhatsApp of your device.
- Download and install the app again from the official store.
- Open WhatsApp and verify your phone number (the same one you used before).
- When a backup is detected, WhatsApp will ask if you want to restore it. Accept and wait for the process to finish.
- At the end, All messages and files saved in the backup will appear restoredMessages deleted after copying will not be present.
Important: This process also restores photos, videos, audios, and documents stored in the backup. However, any chats created or messages received after from the backup and before restoring it will be lost definitively.
How to recover WhatsApp messages deleted a long time ago (more than 7 days ago) on Android?
When more than a week has passed and the backup no longer includes the deleted messages, the only alternative is to resort to local backups that WhatsApp stores on your phone. This method is more advanced and requires manipulating the app's internal files, but it allows you to recover messages from specific dates within the last 7 backups stored locally.
Instructions for restoring a local copy of WhatsApp (Android)
- Use a file explorer and navigate to the folder
sdcard/WhatsApp/DatabasesoMemoria interna/WhatsApp/Databases. - Identify the files with the scheme msgstore-yyyy-mm-DD.1.db.crypt12 for each day, and msgstore.db.crypt12 for the most recent copy.
- Choose the file of the date you want to recover and rename it to msgstore.db.crypt12 (make a backup copy of the original file first).
- Uninstall WhatsApp, reinstall the app, and once the number is verified, agree to restore from the newly renamed local copy.
- Warning: You will only have access to messages saved up to the date of that backup, losing any subsequent messages.
Recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone: methods and solutions
On iOS devices, recovering deleted messages depends almost exclusively on the iCloud backupsIf you've set up backup, you can restore your entire history from the last backup. The steps are the same as for Android, but focused on iCloud:
- Uninstall WhatsApp and reinstall it from the App Store.
- Verify your phone number and follow the activation process.
- When WhatsApp detects a backup in iCloud, it will offer to restore it. Accept to recover the messages included in that backup.
- If no copy exists, there will be no way to restore deleted chats from the app itself.
Is it possible to recover deleted WhatsApp messages without a backup?
If you don't have backup enabled, your options are drastically reduced. However, there are alternatives with third party tools (both on Android and iPhone) and with access to the Android notification historyBefore opting for these options, be aware of the privacy risks and limit their use to retrieving your own messages.
Apps and programs to recover deleted messages on WhatsApp
- Tenorshare UltData WhatsApp RecoveryAvailable for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS. Allows you to scan your device for deleted messages and files even without a backup. You can extract WhatsApp and WhatsApp Business messages directly or indirectly.
- Dr.Fone WhatsApp Transfer & Recovery: Another cross-platform option, ideal for recovering messages and attachments, also supporting the transfer of chats between mobile devices.
- iSkysoft Android Data Recovery and D-Back iPhone WhatsApp Recovery: They allow you to retrieve messages and export them to your computer in readable formats.
- PhoneRescue, Remo Recover, FonePaw, Disk Drill, iMyFone ChatsBack: Widely used for advanced recovery. Some even allow you to preview messages before restoring.
Security warning: Only download these programs from official sites and avoid pirated versions. Some require root (Android) or jailbreak (iPhone), which carries risks and potentially voids the warranty.
Recover deleted WhatsApp messages through notification history on Android
On Android, the notification history can be a great ally. When you receive a WhatsApp message and haven't yet opened the conversation, the content of the notification is stored in the system log. If that message is later deleted by the sender, You can check it in this history. But there are several limitations to consider:
- You can only retrieve messages that have generated a notification (if you had the app open, it won't be generated).
- The registry only saves the first 100 message characters.
- No multimedia content is included.
- The feature may not be available depending on the mobile brand or Android version.
How to enable and view notification history on Android
- Long press on the desktop and choose Widgets.
- Select the widget Settings and place it on the screen.
- From the list, choose Notification logIf it doesn't appear, you can try with apps like Nova Launcher or Notification History Log.
- Once a deleted message has appeared as a notification, search for it in your history and view the content under the keyword "android.text."
Mobile apps to view deleted messages on WhatsApp (Android)
There are several apps that monitor notification content and allow you to recover deleted messages, even if they contain attachments. Among the most highly rated are:
- WAMR: Save all received and notified messages, organizing them by contact, and recover deleted photos, videos, audios, and other files.
- WhatsRemoved +: Records deleted messages and attachments, even allowing you to extract statuses from other users.
- Notification History Log: Creates a history of all notifications, indicating which messages were deleted.
- Digdeep: Focused on recovering deleted images and files, not only from WhatsApp but from other apps as well.
Remember that some apps display a lot of ads and handle very sensitive information. Read the comments before installing them and grant only the essential permissions..
Recover deleted WhatsApp messages on iPhone: Recommended apps and features
- Tenorshare UltData for iOS: Recover messages, photos, and other data from both iPhone and iTunes or iCloud backups. Supports recent iOS versions.
- D-Back iPhone WhatsApp Recovery: Specialized for Mac and iPhone devices. Allows you to extract and export data from backups.
- iMobiePhoneRescue: Allows preview before restoring chats and selective recovery of messages.
- Aiseesoft Fonelab: Advanced solution to restore messages on iOS and export them to your computer.
- Recover Deleted Message (App Store): Simple and popular app to recover messages and create automatic backups.
What if the message was deleted before installing the recovery apps?
Apps that monitor notifications They can only capture messages received after installation and configuration.If the message was deleted beforehand, you have no way to recover it this way. Therefore, the best practice is to be proactive and install one of these apps if you're worried about losing important messages.
Advanced Manual Restore: Editing the WhatsApp Local Database on Android
Expert users can try one last manual method to restore old messages:
- Connect your phone to your computer and access the folder WhatsApp / Databases.
- Make a backup copy of all files.
- Select the file of the date you are interested in and rename it as msgstore.db.crypt12 (without changing the extension).
- Uninstall WhatsApp and reinstall it.
- Paste the edited file into the same folder before opening the app and proceed to restore the local copy.
Warning: This process involves risks. If you perform incorrect operations, you may lose your entire history or corrupt the file. Recommended for advanced users only.
How to recover deleted messages from archived chats?
Many times we confuse the archived with deletion. Archiving a chat simply means hiding it temporarily, keeping it accessible at any time:
- On iOS, scroll to the bottom of the conversation list and tap Archived. Click “Unarchive” to restore the conversation to the main list.
- On Android, tap on the top where it appears Archived and long press the chat to restore by selecting Unarchive.
Common errors and limitations in recovering WhatsApp messages
There are certain situations in which recovery will not be possible or will be limited:
- Si the deletion occurred before the last backup, and then a backup was made, the message will no longer be available.
- The Notifications save only short texts and no multimedia files or long messages.
- El deleted media can only be recovered if the photo, video, or audio is still stored on your device, the Google Photos cloud, or in other backup files.
- Many methods require having previously authorized the backup, so the best prevention is to schedule daily or weekly backups and never disable automatic backup.
Cross-platform tools for recovering WhatsApp messages: advantages and disadvantages
There are programs compatible with Android and iOS that offer advanced data recovery features:
- Tenorshare UltData: Recover deleted messages without root and allows you to restore audios, images and documents.
- Dr.Fone, Remo Recover, FonePaw, iMyFone ChatsBack: Supports message export, selective recovery, and operation on Windows and Mac.
- Disk Drill: Advanced utility to rescue files from multiple types of devices.
Recovering deleted media on WhatsApp
Losing photos, videos, or audio files is common. Methods for recovering them include:
- Ask your contacts to forward the content if they still have it.
- Check the folder Whatsapp image o WhatsApp video in your gallery or internal storage.
- Check WhatsApp Web if the sync hasn't been performed yet (it only works shortly after deletion).
- Use applications like Digdeep or file recovery programs.
Recent WhatsApp updates and features that affect message recovery
WhatsApp adds new features from time to time, many of which directly or indirectly influence how deleted messages can be recovered. Among the most recent are:
- Undo delete for me: If you delete a message just for yourself, WhatsApp lets you undo that action for a few seconds.
- Dark mode: Visual improvement but also helps to better manage the app for a long time.
- QR to add contacts: Facilitates the incorporation of new contacts without depending on an address book.
- Advanced group management: You can now restrict who can be added to groups, improving privacy and reducing the risk of accidentally deleting conversations.
- Dinner transfer (limited availability, only in some countries for now).
Tips to avoid losing important messages on WhatsApp
- Set up automatic backups daily or weekly and verify its correct operation.
- Avoid opening WhatsApp in sensitive conversations until you're sure you don't need to recover messages that may have been deleted by other users.
- Install notification monitoring apps if you have an Android phone and are worried about not being able to read deleted messages.
- Download recovery apps only from official sources and do not grant excessive permissions.
- Make a manual backup of your WhatsApp/Databases folder before restoring or transferring your phone, especially if you have valuable old messages.
Risks and precautions when using third-party apps and programs
You should always consider the risks associated with the use of third party apps:
- Privacy: Granting access to notifications involves sharing sensitive data with third parties.
- Advertising and Malware: Many free apps display intrusive ads or may even include malware.
- Legality: Some apps, like mSpy, can violate other people's privacy and are prohibited by law in many countries.
- Compatibility: Not all programs work on all versions of Android and iOS, or with all mobile models.
- Possible loss of warranty if you use root or jailbreak.
As you may have noticed, there are multiple ways to recover deleted WhatsApp messages, from official methods to advanced methods and third-party apps. Prevention is key, as is knowing the Limitations and risks of each methodAlways keep your backups up to date and don't hesitate to use recommended apps and programs if you need to recover critical information.
