WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps, with over 2 billion users worldwide. It allows you to send messages, photos, videos, documents and more to your contacts. WhatsApp stores all your data like messages, media files, documents etc. in its internal storage. This internal storage is allocated to WhatsApp when you install it on your device.
Accessing the WhatsApp internal storage allows you to view, backup and manage your WhatsApp data outside of the app. Here are some key reasons why you may want to access the WhatsApp internal storage:
View Media Files
All the photos, videos, GIFs, voice messages and other media you receive on WhatsApp are saved in its internal storage. You can view these files by accessing the WhatsApp folder on your device storage.
Manage Space
WhatsApp can take up a lot of storage space after prolonged usage. Accessing its storage lets you see which media files are taking up space so you can delete them and free up storage.
Backup Data
You can create backups of your WhatsApp data like messages, media files, documents etc. Accessing the WhatsApp folder allows you to copy this data to another location or upload it to a cloud storage service.
Troubleshoot Issues
If you face any issues with missing data or crashes in WhatsApp, you may be able to resolve them by accessing its internal storage directly on your device.
Transfer Data
When switching phones, you can transfer your existing WhatsApp data like chats, media etc. by accessing the app’s storage on your old phone and moving the data to the new phone.
Access on Android
On Android phones, WhatsApp data is saved in the phone’s internal storage or external SD card if one is present. Here are the steps to access WhatsApp storage on Android:
- Open the File Manager app on your Android device.
- Navigate to the WhatsApp folder, it is usually in a folder called WhatsApp Images or Media depending on your Android version.
- The WhatsApp Media folder will contain subfolders like Animated Gifs, Audio, Documents etc. with your WhatsApp media files.
- The Databases folder contains your WhatsApp chat databases and message stores.
- You can view, copy or delete files from this WhatsApp storage as required.
Access on iPhone
On iPhones, WhatsApp data is stored in the On My iPhone location which can be accessed as follows:
- Open the Files app on your iPhone.
- Go to On My iPhone > WhatsApp.
- This will open the WhatsApp folder containing the Media, Audio, Documents, Stickers and other files sent/received on WhatsApp.
- Tap on any folder to view the files inside it.
- To manage the files, tap Select in the top right and select files to delete, move or copy.
Use iMazing App (iPhone and iPad)
iMazing is a desktop app for iOS devices that allows deep access to your iPhone/iPad storage and data. Follow these steps to view WhatsApp files using iMazing:
- Download and install iMazing on your computer.
- Connect your iPhone/iPad to the computer.
- Open iMazing and click on your device.
- Go to Apps > WhatsApp.
- This will show all WhatsApp data categories like Attachments, Avatars, Media etc.
- Browse and manage the WhatsApp files from here.
Use Android Debug Bridge (ADB)
ADB is a developer tool that lets you access an Android device’s storage from a computer. Here are the steps to view WhatsApp storage using ADB:
- Install ADB on your computer and enable USB debugging on your Android phone.
- Connect the phone to PC and open a command prompt/terminal window.
- Type
adb devices
to ensure the phone is detected. - Type
adb shell
to get a terminal in your phone. - Navigate to the WhatsApp folder, e.g.
cd /sdcard/WhatsApp/Media
. - Use
ls
to view folders andcat filename
to view files.
Use Third-Party Apps
Some free third-party apps for Android allow accessing WhatsApp storage directly:
- WXtra – Lets you browse WhatsApp media files and export backups.
- ChatMate – Manage, view, export and delete WhatsApp media files easily.
- WhatsApp Viewer – View, download and export WhatsApp media.
Be cautious of apps that require too many permissions or seem suspicious. Stick to reputed apps like the ones mentioned above.
Accessing WhatsApp Web Storage
WhatsApp Web provides a browser-based version of WhatsApp for computers. It mirrors chats and data from your phone. Here’s how to access its storage:
- Open WhatsApp Web on your computer browser.
- Open the browser dev tools (Ctrl+Shift+J on Chrome/Firefox).
- Go to the Application tab and find Local Storage > https://web.whatsapp.com.
- Expand the Local Storage folder to see your WhatsApp data like chats, media files etc.
Important Points
- Always backup WhatsApp data before deleting files from its storage.
- Do not delete files like
axolotl.db
as it can lead to loss of encryption keys. - Be careful not to delete folders containing media you want to keep.
- Some system files like
crypt_key
should not be deleted or altered.
Conclusion
Accessing your WhatsApp storage allows better management and control over your messaging data. You can view media files, create backups, free up space and troubleshoot issues by directly accessing the app’s internal storage on your phone or computer. Be careful not to delete important system files. Utilize reputed third-party apps if required but avoid ones with excessive permissions. With great power comes great responsibility!