WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps in the world, with over 2 billion active users. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls. WhatsApp also has a built-in backup feature that lets users back up their WhatsApp data like messages, media, contacts etc. either to Google Drive or locally to the device’s storage. This can be very useful in case you lose your phone or switch to a new device and want to restore your WhatsApp data. But what app opens and lets you view those WhatsApp backup files? Let’s find out.
What are WhatsApp backups?
WhatsApp backups are files that contain your WhatsApp data like messages, photos, videos, voice messages, call logs, contacts etc. When you enable WhatsApp backups, it will automatically backup your WhatsApp data at set intervals either to your Google Drive if enabled, or locally to your device’s storage. This allows you to restore your WhatsApp data if you lose your phone or get a new device.
Types of WhatsApp backups
There are two types of WhatsApp backups:
Google Drive backups
If you have enabled Google Drive backups in WhatsApp settings, your backup files are saved to your Google Drive account. The advantage of this is that your chats and media are also saved online and not just on your phone.
Local backups
If Google Drive backup is not enabled, WhatsApp will automatically backup your data locally to your phone’s internal storage. This stores your WhatsApp data on your device itself.
What’s in a WhatsApp backup?
A WhatsApp backup contains the following data:
- Messages – All your WhatsApp conversations, both individual and group chats.
- Media – Photos, videos and other media files you have exchanged on WhatsApp.
- Voice messages – Any voice messages you have sent or received.
- Contacts – Your WhatsApp contacts list.
- Call logs – Records of incoming and outgoing WhatsApp calls.
- Settings – Your WhatsApp settings like notification preferences.
Backing all this up allows you to seamlessly restore when needed.
What files are in a WhatsApp backup?
The WhatsApp backup consists of the following files:
- msgstore.db.crypt12 – This is the main database file that contains your messages, call logs, contacts etc.
- Media folders – Contains all your photos, videos, voice messages, GIFs, wallpaper files etc. exchanged on WhatsApp.
- WhatsApp Settings database – Has your WhatsApp settings.
These files are compressed and encrypted by WhatsApp for security before being backed up.
Where are WhatsApp backups stored?
WhatsApp backups are stored in different locations depending on the backup settings:
Google Drive backups
If Google Drive backup is enabled in WhatsApp, your backup files are stored in your Google Drive account. They will be in a folder called WhatsApp under Drive > Backups.
Local backups
For local backups, the files are saved in the phone’s internal storage or SD card if external storage is selected.
- On Android phones, it is stored in a folder called msgstore inside WhatsApp > Databases.
- On iPhones, it is saved in iCloud drive in a Databases folder.
Knowing the backup location helps you find it easily to restore when required.
How to view WhatsApp backup files?
Since WhatsApp backups are encrypted, you can’t simply open and view them like normal files. They have a crypt12 file extension after encryption. To view and access your WhatsApp backup files and data, you need to use third-party apps that can decrypt the backup files. Some apps that let you view WhatsApp backups include:
1. WhatsApp Viewer
WhatsApp Viewer is a popular free app available for both Android and iPhone that allows extracting and viewing backups. It extracts and converts your crypt12 encrypted backup files into readable databases and media files. You can then view and export your chats, photos, videos from the backup.
2. Backuptrans
Backuptrans is a desktop software available for both Windows and Mac. It can access local iPhone WhatsApp backups as well as Google Drive backups and convert them into readable formats to view your chats, contacts, media files etc.
3. Dr.Fone – WhatsApp Transfer
Dr.Fone is a versatile phone data transfer and management software that has a dedicated WhatsApp Transfer tool. It can seamlessly view and restore WhatsApp data from local and cloud backups to your device or computer.
Features to look for in apps to view WhatsApp backup
When choosing an app to view your WhatsApp backups, look for these useful features:
- Ability to extract and decrypt WhatsApp backup files from both Android devices and iPhones.
- Option to preview chats and media files from the backup.
- Export contacts, chats, photos, videos from backup.
- Restore WhatsApp backup to same or new device.
- Easy backup management and transfer features.
- Security features like password protection.
- Flexibility to access Google Drive and local backups.
How to view a Google Drive WhatsApp backup
To view your WhatsApp backup stored on Google Drive:
- Install and open any of the apps mentioned above like WhatsApp Viewer on your computer.
- Log in to your Google account associated with the WhatsApp backup.
- The app will automatically detect and load the backup files from Drive.
- Click on View Backup. The app will now extract and decrypt the WhatsApp backup so you can view chats, media files, etc.
- You can browse through chats, export media files or restore the full backup to a device.
How to view local WhatsApp backup on Android
To view a locally stored WhatsApp backup on Android:
- First, connect your Android phone to the computer.
- Open WhatsApp Viewer app on computer and select Recover from Android Device.
- It will load WhatsApp backups found on the connected device.
- Click View Backup to decrypt and extract backup data.
- You can now freely browse through your chats, media files in the backup.
How to view local WhatsApp backup on iPhone
To view local iPhone WhatsApp backups:
- Connect your iPhone to computer and open iTunes.
- Under Backups, select and load your iPhone backup.
- Open WhatsApp Viewer and click Recover from iTunes Backup.
- Select the loaded iPhone backup and scan it.
- The app will now extract the WhatsApp backup allowing you to view and restore it.
Tips for viewing WhatsApp backup
Here are some useful tips when viewing WhatsApp backups using third-party apps:
- Always install apps from trusted and verified sources only.
- Check app reviews and ratings before installing to avoid bugs or safety issues.
- Allow all required permissions when prompted by the app for smooth backup access.
- Use apps that support viewing both local and Google Drive backups for flexibility.
- Prefer paid apps like Dr.Fone for better performance, speed and updates.
- Update to the latest version of app to get all new features for easy backup management.
- If needed, reach out to app customer support in case of any issues with backup viewing.
Conclusion
WhatsApp backup files allow you to keep your valuable chat history and media safe. While these backups are encrypted for security, third-party apps like WhatsApp Viewer, Backuptrans and Dr.Fone provide a convenient way to decrypt and view WhatsApp backups from both Google Drive and your local device storage. Just install the app, connect your phone or access Google Drive, and you can seamlessly view and restore your WhatsApp data from backup files.