WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, documents and make voice and video calls easily. However, sometimes users may accidentally or intentionally delete important chats that they wish to recover later on.
Can you recover deleted WhatsApp chats?
The short answer is – yes, it is possible to recover deleted WhatsApp chats in many cases. However, the process depends on when the chats were deleted and what type of device you are using.
Recovering recently deleted WhatsApp chats
If you have accidentally deleted a chat or media on WhatsApp in the past few days, you may still be able to recover it from your device’s local storage. Here’s how:
- On Android phones – Install a file manager app and navigate to the WhatsApp/Database folder. Look for a file named msgstore.db.crypt12 and make a copy of it on your computer or other external storage. You can then use a SQLite database reader to view the contents of this database file and search for your deleted chats.
- On iPhone – If you have iCloud backup enabled for WhatsApp, you can restore chats from a recent backup. Go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup > Restore. This will overwrite your current version of WhatsApp with the backup.
This method allows you to recover deleted WhatsApp chats from approximately the last 7 days on Android and approximately the last 30 days on iPhone.
Recovering older deleted WhatsApp chats
If more time has passed since the chats were deleted, you will likely need to restore WhatsApp from an older backup:
- On Android – If you had previously backed up your WhatsApp to Google Drive, you can uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp to restore chats and media from that backup.
- On iPhone – You can restore from an older iCloud backup from Settings > [Your Name] > iCloud > Manage Storage > Backups > WhatsApp.
This lets you recover deleted WhatsApp chats for as long as you have backups available.
Using data recovery software
For very old deletions where no backup is available, you may need specialized data recovery software. These tools scan your phone’s storage and memory for any remnants of deleted data. Some options are:
- Android – Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver, iMyFone D-Back.
- iPhone – Dr.Fone, EaseUS MobiSaver, iMyFone D-Back.
However, there is no guarantee that the full chat history can be recovered with these tools.
Important tips for recovering deleted WhatsApp chats
Here are some key tips to follow for the best chance of recovering deleted WhatsApp messages:
- Stop using the device immediately – Continued use of your phone can overwrite deleted data and make it unrecoverable.
- Enable regular backups – Frequent backups to Google Drive or iCloud protect your chats from accidental deletion.
- Don’t root/jailbreak your phone – Rooted or jailbroken devices may behave differently and prevent successful recovery.
- Act quickly if chats are deleted – The sooner you attempt recovery, the better chance you have of getting your chats back.
Can you recover deleted WhatsApp chats after account deletion?
WhatsApp delete the account and all associated data after 30 days of account deletion. So recovering chats after deleting your account is difficult.
Your only options are:
- Restore from an iCloud or Google Drive backup taken before account deletion.
- Use data recovery software to find remnants of the database files.
But there is no guaranteed way to recover chats after your account is fully deleted by WhatsApp.
When is deleted WhatsApp data unrecoverable?
In some cases, it may be impossible to recover deleted WhatsApp data:
- If more than 30 days have passed since the chats were deleted.
- If the phone storage was overwritten by new data.
- If no backup exists from before the deletion.
- If the phone was factory reset after the deletion.
So for the best chance of recovery, you need a recent backup and to act quickly before the deleted files get overwritten by new data.
Conclusion
To summarize, here are the key points about recovering deleted WhatsApp chats:
| Scenario | Recoverability | Method |
|---|---|---|
| Deleted recently | High | From local storage or recent backup |
| Deleted weeks ago | Moderate | From older backup |
| Deleted months ago | Low | Data recovery software |
| After account deletion | Very Low | Backup before deletion |
The key is acting quickly before the deleted data is overwritten. Having regular backups is crucial to protect your chats from accidental or intentional deletion. While full recovery is not always possible, following the right steps gives you the best chance of getting back your deleted WhatsApp data.