WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, used by over 2 billion people. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos, documents and more to other WhatsApp users.
Behind the scenes, WhatsApp stores all of your messages, media, and account data in databases on your device. The WhatsApp folder contains several databases that the app uses to manage your chats, media, contacts and more. Understanding what these databases contain can give insight into how WhatsApp works and stores your data locally on your device.
WhatsApp Database Types
There are several different databases contained within the WhatsApp folder:
Chat Database
The main database in WhatsApp is msgstore.db. This SQLite database contains a record of all your chats on WhatsApp. It stores all messages, call logs, locations, photos, videos, documents, audio files and other media exchanged in chats.
Each chat is stored in an encrypted format along with metadata like timestamps, sender/receiver info, media hashes and more. msgstore.db is the primary repository of your chat history in WhatsApp.
Contacts Database
WhatsApp has a database called wa.db that stores your contacts list. It contains the phone numbers and names of all contacts and groups on your WhatsApp account. WhatsApp matches the numbers in your device’s main contacts list to wa.db to display contact names in chats.
Media Database
The WhatsApp media database is stored in crypt12. It contains the encrypted media files received or sent on WhatsApp – photos, videos, voice messages, documents etc. Crypt12 stores these files along with their hashes and encryption keys to validate their authenticity.
Settings Database
WhatsApp settings like your profile name, about info, notification preferences etc. are stored in axolotl.db. This database manages your account configuration and preferences. It helps restore your settings when moving WhatsApp to a new device.
Other Databases
Some other databases in the WhatsApp folder include:
– chatsettings.db – manages chat wallpapers, mutes, pinned messages etc.
– biz.db – stores business account information
– stickers.db – stores installed sticker packs
– Identity.db – manages private keys for chats
WhatsApp Database Storage
WhatsApp databases are stored in the internal storage of your device, specifically in:
/sdcard/WhatsApp/Databases (Android)
/User/Library/Databases/ChatStorage (iOS)
Backups of these databases are also included when you create a Google Drive or iCloud backup of WhatsApp data.
Are WhatsApp Databases Encrypted?
Yes, WhatsApp encrypts all databases stored on your device. This is done to protect the privacy of your chats, media and information.
WhatsApp uses end-to-end encryption for messages. This means only you and the person you’re communicating with can read your chats. Even WhatsApp cannot decrypt your messages.
Media like photos and videos are encrypted using a unique key shared when sending and receiving. Filenames are also encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
Can You View WhatsApp Databases?
While the WhatsApp databases are encrypted, the files can be accessed and viewed on rooted Android devices or jailbroken iOS devices.
There are apps like SQLite Browser that can open SQLite databases like msgstore.db and display the table structure and entries. However, the chat content itself cannot be decrypted and read due to encryption. Media files in crypt12 also cannot be accessed without encryption keys.
WhatsApp actively works to patch vulnerabilities that could allow databases to be decrypted. It’s also against their terms to attempt decrypting WhatsApp data.
Should You Delete WhatsApp Databases?
WhatsApp databases contain your valuable chat history and account data. Deleting them could result in permanent loss of your conversations, media, and info.
The app needs these databases to function properly. If they are corrupted or deleted, WhatsApp may face issues like crashing, missing chats, contacts gone missing etc.
You should not manually delete these databases unless facing a specific issue and advised to do so by WhatsApp support.
How to Backup WhatsApp Databases
To preserve your chats and data, it’s recommended to regularly backup your WhatsApp databases:
– Android – Enable built-in Google Drive backup in WhatsApp settings. This will safely backup your databases and restore when needed.
– iPhone – Enable iCloud backup in iOS settings. WhatsApp data will be included in the daily over-the-air backup.
– PC – Use the built-in WhatsApp backup feature to locally save your databases on your computer.
– Manual – Copy the WhatsApp/Database folder from your phone storage to your computer periodically.
Conclusion
The WhatsApp folder on your phone contains crucial databases that store your messages, media, contacts, account data and more. These SQLite and encrypted databases power the core functionality of WhatsApp on your device. While the databases cannot be decrypted due to encryption, backing them up provides an additional layer of safety for your chats and info. Overall, the WhatsApp databases allow the app to reliably store your on-device data and seamlessly sync it across linked devices.