WhatsApp Web allows users to access their WhatsApp account from a desktop browser. All messages sent and received on WhatsApp Web are synced with the user’s phone. So if a message is deleted in WhatsApp Web, it will also be deleted from the user’s phone.
Is it possible to recover deleted WhatsApp messages from WhatsApp Web?
Yes, it is possible to recover deleted WhatsApp messages from WhatsApp Web in some cases. Here are the main ways to try recovering deleted WhatsApp messages from WhatsApp Web:
- Restore from backup – If you had set up backups for WhatsApp Web, you may be able to restore deleted messages from a backup.
- Export chat history – Exporting chat history from WhatsApp on your phone before messages are deleted can allow you to recover them later.
- Use third-party tools – Some third-party tools claim to recover deleted WhatsApp messages by scanning your phone’s storage.
Recovering from WhatsApp Web backup
WhatsApp allows users to backup their WhatsApp Web chats at different intervals. By default, it backs up daily at 2 AM. Here are the steps to restore deleted messages from WhatsApp Web backup:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone and go to Settings.
- Tap on Chats > Chat Backup.
- Tap on “Restore” to view available backups and select the backup you want to restore.
- WhatsApp will overwrite your current chats and settings with the backup you selected.
- Once the restore is complete, open WhatsApp Web to see if your deleted messages are back.
This method will work only if the messages were deleted after the last backup. Any messages deleted before the backup was created will not be restored.
Limitations of WhatsApp Web backup
- Backups do not happen in real-time, so very recent message deletions may not be recoverable.
- The number of backups stored is limited, so older deletions may get overwritten.
- Media files like photos and videos are not stored in backups.
- If messages were deleted on both WhatsApp and WhatsApp Web, backups may not help.
Exporting WhatsApp chat history from phone
You can export your full WhatsApp chat history from your phone to a text file before messages get deleted. This preserved chat history can then be used to recover deleted messages later. Here are the steps:
- Open WhatsApp on your phone and go to Settings.
- Tap on Chats > Chat History > Export Chat.
- Select the chat you want to export and tap Export.
- The chat history will be exported to a text file on your phone’s storage.
- If messages get deleted later, you can open the exported text file to view the deleted messages.
The major limitation of this method is that it only preserves chat history up to the point of export. Any new messages sent/received after the export will still be at risk of permanent deletion.
Using third-party tools to recover deleted WhatsApp messages
Some third-party mobile apps and software claim they can recover deleted WhatsApp messages by scanning your phone’s storage. Here are some popular options:
Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Recovery
Dr.Fone is a data recovery app for iOS and Android devices. It scans your phone’s storage to find WhatsApp message databases that exist even after deletion. You can preview and selectively restore deleted messages with the app.
FoneDog Toolkit- Android Data Recovery
This is a data recovery tool for Android phones that can extract deleted WhatsApp messages by parsing backup files and scanning phone storage. A free trial allows previewing messages.
iMyFone D-Back – WhatsApp Recovery
iMyFone D-Back claims to recover deleted WhatsApp messages and attachments from both iPhone and Android devices. It also allows WhatsApp transfer between different phones.
| Tool | Platform | Free trial |
|---|---|---|
| Dr.Fone | Android, iOS | Available |
| FoneDog Toolkit | Android only | Available |
| iMyFone D-Back | Android, iOS | Available |
Limitations of third-party tools
- Success rate is not 100% guaranteed and depends on how old the deletions are.
- Typically cannot recover media files like photos and videos.
- May not work if messages are also deleted from phone’s WhatsApp storage.
- Requires root access for deeper scanning on Android devices.
Preventing WhatsApp message deletion
To avoid having to deal with recovering deleted WhatsApp messages, here are some tips to prevent message deletion in the first place:
- Enable auto backup in WhatsApp settings to preserve messages in backup.
- Regularly export chat history from WhatsApp on your phone.
- Use WhatsApp on multiple devices linked to one account.
- Enable security options like fingerprint lock to prevent unauthorized deletions.
- Be cautious of deleting entire chat threads unless absolutely needed.
Conclusion
While recovering deleted WhatsApp messages from WhatsApp Web has limitations, it is possible in some cases. Your best options are restoring from WhatsApp’s own backups or exporting chat history from your phone before deletion. Third-party WhatsApp recovery apps may work but have mixed success rates. Following prevention tips like regular backups can avoid loss of important WhatsApp messages.