Unfortunately, once you delete a message or media on WhatsApp, there is no built-in way to retrieve or undo the deletion. However, depending on how long ago the message was deleted and what type of phone you’re using, there may still be some ways to try to recover deleted WhatsApp messages.
Can You Undo a Delete on WhatsApp?
WhatsApp does not have an “undo” feature after deleting a message. Once you delete a message, media, or chat, it’s gone from your WhatsApp application. This applies to deletions done by you or by the sender.
WhatsApp states “There is currently no way to retrieve deleted messages” on their FAQ page. The app does not have a trash folder or archive of deleted items that you can access.
Recovering Recently Deleted WhatsApp Messages
If you deleted a message very recently, like within a few seconds or minutes, you may be able to quickly restart your phone and see if the message reappears when WhatsApp reloads. This would indicate the delete action hadn’t fully synced yet across WhatsApp’s servers.
You can try force closing the WhatsApp app and restarting your phone to see if this brings back the deleted messages right after deletion occurs. But beyond a few minutes, any deleted WhatsApp data will be gone from your phone’s storage.
Retrieving Deleted WhatsApp Messages on Android
For Android users, it may be possible to recover deleted WhatsApp messages from your phone’s local storage or SD card for a limited time. WhatsApp media and messages are stored in the phone’s internal storage after they are received. With the right software, you can attempt to access deleted data that hasn’t been overwritten.
An Android data recovery app like FoneDog Toolkit can scan your phone and extract residue of deleted WhatsApp messages and media as long as it hasn’t been overwritten by new data. The free trial of FoneDog can show you what deleted WhatsApp data is still recoverable.
However, this type of WhatsApp recovery depends heavily on how much time has passed since the message was deleted and what other activities may have caused data to be overwritten. The sooner you use data recovery tools after deletion, the better chance of retrieving deleted messages and media.
Recovering Deleted WhatsApp Messages from Google Drive
Another option for Android users is to restore deleted WhatsApp messages from a Google Drive backup. WhatsApp gives you the option to regularly back up your chat history to Google Drive.
As long as the message you want to retrieve was not deleted before your most recent Google Drive backup, you can restore that backup and access the deleted messages again. Here are the steps:
- Uninstall WhatsApp and clear its cache/data.
- Reinstall WhatsApp and verify your number.
- On the Restore from Backup prompt, select Google Drive and pick the backup date you want to restore.
This will overwrite your current WhatsApp data and restore everything to the state of the Google Drive backup date you choose. So any messages deleted after that backup was made will reappear.
Recovering Deleted WhatsApp Messages on iPhone
For iPhones, the process is a bit different than on Android. iPhones do not directly store WhatsApp data files that can be accessed for recovery. However, you may still have options to retrieve deleted WhatsApp messages on an iPhone:
- iCloud Backup – If you have iCloud backups enabled for WhatsApp, you can restore from a backup date before the message was deleted and recover it.
- iTunes or Finder Backup – Connect your iPhone to a computer and restore from an iTunes or Finder backup made before the deletion.
- Third-party Tools – Some third-party iOS data recovery software claims to recover deleted WhatsApp messages by extracting data from a backup or directly scanning the device.
As with Android, your chances of recovering deleted WhatsApp data on an iPhone depend on when the most recent backup was made compared to when the deletion happened. The sooner you act after deletion, the better.
Ask the Sender to Resend the Message
If you aren’t able to recover deleted WhatsApp messages on your own device, your only other option is to ask the sender to resend them to you. Of course, this assumes the sender still has access to the deleted message in their chat history.
Explain to the sender which message you need and ask if they can forward or resend it to you. With media messages, they would need to send the photo, video, or file to you again.
If the deletion happened on the sender’s side, such as they deleted a message for everyone in the chat, then the sender would not be able to resend it, since it would be deleted from their app as well.
Avoid Accidental Deletions in the Future
Since deleting WhatsApp messages is permanent and irrecoverable through the app itself, your best protection is being extremely careful about deletions in the future. Here are some tips to avoid accidental deletions:
- Be slow and deliberate when deleting messages. Don’t rapidly tap or swipe to delete.
- Double or triple check you want to permanently delete something before confirming deletion.
- Enable chat backups so you have a way to retrieve deleted messages if needed.
- Turn on extra security features like fingerprint lock which requires biometric authentication before deleting.
- Be extra cautious when deleting old chats or clearing up storage space.
Conclusion
While WhatsApp does not have a build-in feature to retrieve deleted messages, for Android users, third-party tools can sometimes recover deleted data if acted on quickly. For iPhones, restoring from an older iCloud or iTunes backup is typically the only DIY option. When all else fails, asking the sender to resend a deleted message is your last resort. Be very careful when deleting WhatsApp messages since permanent deletions cannot be undone within the app itself.