WhatsApp has become one of the most popular messaging apps across the world. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, documents and more to individuals or groups. However, there can be times when you receive a video on WhatsApp from someone, but they delete it before you get a chance to view or save it.
If this has happened to you, don’t worry! There are a few methods you can try to recover and view that deleted WhatsApp video on your Android device.
Why do senders delete sent videos on WhatsApp?
There can be a few reasons why someone may delete a WhatsApp video they’ve sent you:
- They sent it by mistake and want to quickly undo it
- The video contains sensitive or private information they don’t want you to see
- They changed their mind about sharing the video after sending it
- The video file was too large or high quality, so they want to re-send a compressed version
- They only wanted you to view it for a short time, not keep it permanently
Regardless of the reason, the sender deleting a video can be annoying if you really wanted to view or save it. The good news is, in many cases, you can still recover and view that video with a few tricks.
Method 1: Check WhatsApp Notification Log
If you use an Android phone, the easiest way to recover a deleted WhatsApp video is to look in your notification log or history. Here are the steps:
- Open Settings on your Android phone.
- Go to Apps & Notifications > Notifications.
- Tap Notification History.
- Look for WhatsApp in the list of apps. Tap it.
- You will now see a list of recent notifications from WhatsApp. This includes both read and deleted messages/videos.
- Look for the deleted video notification and expand it.
- You should see a thumbnail preview of the deleted video. Tap on it to view the full video.
This nifty Android trick lets you quickly find and recover deleted WhatsApp videos, as long as you act before the notification log is cleared. The video will be available in your notifications for up to 3 days in most cases.
Method 2: Use a File Recovery App
If the WhatsApp video notification has been cleared from your log, the next option is to use a file recovery app to try to retrieve it. Here are some good options:
1. DiskDigger
DiskDigger is a free Android app that lets you dig deep to recover lost and deleted files from your phone’s memory. Here is how it works:
- Download and install DiskDigger from Play Store.
- Launch the app and grant it root access if prompted.
- Select the WhatsApp folder location where you want to search for deleted videos.
- Tap Scan to start scanning the selected folder.
- DiskDigger will display results of videos and files that have been deleted from that location. Look for your video.
- Tap the video to preview and recover it to your phone’s storage.
DiskDigger has different scan modes to deeply search all kinds of media, documents, archives, etc. So it can be a useful way to get back lost WhatsApp videos in many cases.
2. Dumpster – File Recovery
Dumpster is another good file recovery app on Android. Here is how to use it:
- Install and open Dumpster from the Play Store.
- Allow it permission to access photos, media and files on your device.
- Tap Recycle Bin to select WhatsApp folder to scan.
- Wait for it to scan and display the recoverable deleted files.
- Browse the list of deleted videos and tap the one you want to restore.
- Preview the video and confirm recovery to phone storage.
Dumpster lets you choose from various data types like pictures, audio, documents, archives etc. So you can specifically target WhatsApp videos from its scan results.
Method 3: Use WhatsApp Data Recovery Software
For best results in recovering deleted WhatsApp videos, you can also use specialized WhatsApp recovery apps. These tools are designed specifically to extract and restore WhatsApp data like messages, videos, photos, attachments etc. Here are the top 2 options:
1. iMyFone D-Back
iMyFone D-Back is one of the most popular WhatsApp recovery solutions for iOS and Android. Here is how it recovers deleted WhatsApp videos on Android:
- Download and install iMyFone D-Back on your Windows PC.
- Connect your Android phone to the PC via USB.
- On D-Back interface, select Recover WhatsApp Data > WhatsApp Videos.
- Preview scan results and select the deleted videos you want to recover.
- Click Recover to restore videos from Android to your PC.
The great thing about D-Back is that it performs deep scanning to extract deleted WhatsApp data even from broken Android phones. You can preview the videos before recovery as well.
2. FoneDog Toolkit- Android Data Recovery
FoneDog Toolkit is another highly rated WhatsApp recovery tool for Android. Here’s how to use it:
- Get FoneDog Toolkit on your Windows PC.
- Run the program, connect your Android device and select Recover.
- Select WhatsApp Data and scan your phone.
- Preview and select the deleted WhatsApp videos you want to recover.
- Click on Recover to restore videos to your PC.
FoneDog Toolkit extracts deleted WhatsApp data even from crashed, damaged or factory reset Android phones. So it can help recover videos in complex cases as well.
Tips to Avoid Losing WhatsApp Videos
To avoid the hassle of trying to recover deleted WhatsApp videos in the future, follow these handy tips:
- Always preview or save important videos instead of relying on sender.
- Check notification log quickly if someone tells you they deleted a video sent to you.
- Back up your WhatsApp data regularly to Google Drive or local storage.
- Update to latest WhatsApp version which has improved video streaming.
- Turn on auto-download for media in WhatsApp Settings > Data Usage.
Conclusion
While it can be frustrating when someone deletes a WhatsApp video they sent you, there are several effective methods you can use to recover and view that video again on Android. First, check your phone’s notification log for the video thumbnail and preview. If that fails, use a file recovery app like DiskDigger or Dumpster to scan and restore deleted data. For best results, utilize specialized WhatsApp recovery software like iMyFone D-Back or FoneDog Toolkit. With the right tool and technique, you can successfully regain access to deleted WhatsApp videos in just a few clicks.