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Why is WhatsApp folder not showing in file manager?

WhatsApp is one of the most popular messaging apps used by billions of people around the world. It allows users to send messages, photos, videos and make voice and video calls. WhatsApp stores all your chat history, media files and other data in a dedicated folder on your device’s internal storage.

Normally, the WhatsApp folder is visible in your Android phone’s file manager app, so you can easily access its contents. However, sometimes users complain that they are unable to view or find the WhatsApp folder in their file manager.

There could be several reasons why the WhatsApp folder may not show up in your Android file manager. Here are some of the common causes and solutions to fix this problem.

WhatsApp Folder is Hidden

One of the most common reasons why you can’t see the WhatsApp folder in your file manager is that the folder is hidden. WhatsApp automatically hides its data folder in the phone’s internal storage for privacy reasons.

So even if you go to the location where WhatsApp is installed, you won’t find the folder there. To unhide the WhatsApp folder:

  • Open your Android’s file manager app
  • Go to Internal Storage > Android > media > com.whatsapp
  • Long press on this ‘com.whatsapp’ folder and select ‘Show hidden files’ from the options

Once you enable showing hidden files, the WhatsApp folder containing all your chats, media etc will become visible.

Incorrect File Manager App

Another reason could be that you are using the wrong file manager app which does not have access or permission to view all files and folders.

For instance, the default Files app on some Samsung phones cannot access the WhatsApp data folder. So even after enabling hidden files, you may not see the WhatsApp folder there.

Try using a more advanced third party file manager like ES File Explorer, Solid Explorer, MiXplorer etc. These apps require root access to be able to view all hidden folders including WhatsApp.

No Storage Permission for File Manager

In order for any file manager app to be able to access folders on your device’s storage, it needs to have the ‘Storage’ permission enabled.

Go to your phone’s Settings > Apps > File Manager App > Permissions and make sure that ‘Storage’ permission is turned on. If it is disabled, enable it and then check if you can see the WhatsApp folder.

WhatsApp Storage Location Changed

WhatsApp usually stores its data in the internal storage on Android phones. But sometimes the storage location may have changed, causing the folder to disappear from its original location.

For example, if you had moved the WhatsApp folder to an SD card previously, you won’t find it in the internal storage anymore. Or if you had changed the WhatsApp chat backup location, its folder will be created in the new specified directory.

To find the current WhatsApp data folder location:

  • Open WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat backup
  • Here you will see the current backup folder path where WhatsApp stores its data
  • Navigate to that location in your file manager to access the WhatsApp folder

App Data Corrupted

In rare cases, a corrupt WhatsApp app data folder could also be the reason behind this issue. If the app data has been corrupted or deleted wrongly, the folder may not show up properly.

You can try reinstalling WhatsApp from the Play Store in this case. On reinstalling, WhatsApp will recreate the folder with all your chats and media.

Just make sure you have a backup enabled before reinstalling to not lose any data.

WhatsApp Database Corrupted

Along with the app data folder, WhatsApp also maintains an encrypted database where it stores your messages, contacts info and other details. If this database file gets corrupted or damaged, it can result in the WhatsApp folder disappearing.

To fix a corrupted database, you will need to delete the WhatsApp databases and let WhatsApp recreate them automatically:

  1. Close WhatsApp completely
  2. Go to Internal Storage > Android > data > com.whatsapp > databases
  3. Delete all files with names like msgstore.db.crypt12, wa.db etc
  4. Open WhatsApp again. It will recreate the database files

This should rebuild your WhatsApp databases and make the WhatsApp folder visible again in file manager.

Out of Phone Storage

Having low storage space on your Android phone can also cause WhatsApp folder related problems. If your phone’s internal storage is completely full, WhatsApp will not be able to update its folder and contents properly.

Check your phone’s storage status in Settings and free up space by deleting unused files and apps. Also move large files and media to external SD card if possible.

After freeing up storage space, restart your phone. This will allow WhatsApp enough storage space to rebuild its folder so that it shows up.

WhatsApp Needs Updating

Having an outdated version of WhatsApp can sometimes lead to bugs and issues with the app’s data folder. For optimal performance and file management, always keep WhatsApp updated to the latest version.

Go to Play Store > My Apps and check for WhatsApp update. Install the latest update and then check if its folder is visible in your phone’s file manager.

Reinstall WhatsApp

If none of the above solutions work, the last resort is to uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp on your device. Here are the steps:

  1. Backup your WhatsApp data
  2. Delete WhatsApp
  3. Restart your phone
  4. Reinstall WhatsApp from Play Store
  5. Restore chat history from backup

Doing this will completely refresh WhatsApp and recreate its data folder. In most cases, this should resolve the issue of missing folder.

Conclusion

To summarize, here are some troubleshooting tips if you can’t find the WhatsApp folder in file manager:

  • Enable showing hidden files
  • Use a root file manager
  • Check WhatsApp storage permission
  • Find correct backup folder location
  • Check for corrupt databases
  • Free up storage space if phone memory is full
  • Update WhatsApp to latest version
  • Reinstall WhatsApp as last resort

Following these suggestions should help you access the missing WhatsApp folder. Make sure to backup chats before making major changes. Let us know if you have any other troubleshooting tips for this issue.

Cause Solution
WhatsApp folder hidden Enable showing hidden files in file manager
Wrong file manager app Use advanced file manager with root access
No storage permission Grant storage permission to file manager
Changed backup location Find current backup folder path
Corrupt databases Delete and recreate WhatsApp databases
Out of storage space Delete unused files and free up space
Outdated WhatsApp Update WhatsApp to latest version

WhatsApp Folder Location

By default, WhatsApp stores its data in the following location on Android phones:

Internal Storage > Android > media > com.whatsapp

However, if you have changed the chat backup location, the WhatsApp folder will be in the custom directory set under WhatsApp > Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.

Show Hidden Files in File Managers

To show hidden files in ES File Explorer:

  1. Open ES File Explorer
  2. Go to App Settings > General Settings
  3. Enable ‘Show Hidden Files’ option

To show hidden files in MiXplorer:

  1. Open MiXplorer
  2. Tap on 3-dot menu > Settings
  3. Go to ‘General’ tab
  4. Enable ‘Show hidden files’ toggle

For other file managers, look for a similar setting to view hidden files and folders.

Free up Storage Space

To free up space on Android:

  • Uninstall unused apps
  • Clear app cache and data
  • Move photos/videos to cloud storage
  • Transfer files and media to external SD card
  • Delete old SMS, call history
  • Remove downloaded files you no longer need

Also enable Storage manager under Device care in Settings. It will help you identify and delete junk files easily.

Back Up WhatsApp Chats

Before uninstalling or reinstalling WhatsApp, make sure to backup your chats and data:

  • On WhatsApp, go to Settings > Chats > Chat Backup
  • Tap Back up to Google Drive or Back up to local storage
  • Tap Back up to create a recent backup

This will save your WhatsApp data on Google Drive or locally on device storage.

You can then use this backup to restore chats when reinstalling WhatsApp or on a new device.