Quick Answer
Yes, you will get your WhatsApp messages back if you uninstall and reinstall the app, as long as you do not delete your chat history. WhatsApp stores your messages in the cloud, so they are saved even if you uninstall the app from your device. However, you must be sure not to delete your chat history within WhatsApp before uninstalling. As long as you keep your chat history intact, your messages will be retrieved when you reinstall WhatsApp and log back into your account.
Detailed Answer
Here is a more detailed look at how WhatsApp message recovery works when you uninstall and reinstall the app:
WhatsApp backs up your messages
All of your WhatsApp messages are automatically backed up to the cloud on a regular basis. This includes text messages, photos, videos and other media sent through WhatsApp. As long as your chats are backed up, they are stored remotely and are not dependent on the WhatsApp app being installed on your device.
Uninstalling WhatsApp does not delete chat history
When you uninstall WhatsApp from your phone, your chat history and messages are not automatically deleted. The local database and media files associated with WhatsApp will remain saved on your device unless you specifically choose to wipe that data before uninstalling. So your chat history remains intact even when WhatsApp is removed.
Reinstalling retrieves chats from backup
Once you reinstall WhatsApp on your device and log back into your account, the app will sync with the remote backups and restore your chat history and messages. This automated sync process occurs seamlessly in the background. All of your backed up chats and media will be retrieved and appear back in the app.
As long as chat history isn’t manually deleted
The key thing to keep in mind is that you must not manually delete your WhatsApp chat history before uninstalling the app. Here are the ways to avoid losing chat history:
- When uninstalling WhatsApp, do not agree to any prompts asking if you want to delete chat history or media files.
- Before uninstalling, do not go into WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat History and delete history.
- Do not delete the WhatsApp folder from your device’s local storage before uninstalling.
As long as you keep your local WhatsApp chat database intact, your entire message history will be restored when you reinstall the app.
When would messages not be restored?
In some cases, your WhatsApp messages may not get restored properly after reinstalling the app:
- If chat history was manually deleted before uninstalling WhatsApp.
- If your device does not have an active internet connection when reinstalling WhatsApp.
- If your remote WhatsApp backups have expired or been deleted from the cloud.
- If you logged out of your WhatsApp account before uninstalling the app.
- If WhatsApp encounters an error restoring your chats and messages from the backup.
Aside from these exceptional cases, you can expect your chat history and messages to be retrieved when you reinstall WhatsApp, as long as you did not delete your local database before uninstalling.
How to verify messages are restored
Once you have reinstalled WhatsApp and logged into your account, here are some steps to check if your messages have been successfully restored:
- Go into individual chats and verify recent messages are present.
- Scroll up through your message history and confirm older messages appear.
- Check any attached media like photos, videos and documents are accessible.
- Verify group chats have message history intact.
- Confirm your WhatsApp contacts list is fully populated.
If you notice any messages or chats are missing after WhatsApp restores from a backup, force close and restart the app. If issues persist, you may need to uninstall, reinstall and restore once more. Make sure your backups are active before reinstalling.
How to make sure chats backup properly
To ensure your WhatsApp messages remain safely backed up to the cloud, follow these best practices:
- Enable auto backup in WhatsApp Settings > Chats > Chat Backup.
- Connect your phone to WiFi regularly so backups occur to the cloud.
- Verify your chat history has a recent backup date and time in WhatsApp Settings.
- Create Google Drive or iCloud backups periodically as an extra safeguard.
- Avoid deleting chat history or media within WhatsApp.
- When switching phones, transfer your SIM card to keep your number.
With reliable backups enabled, you can always uninstall and reinstall WhatsApp knowing your messages are saved and retrievable.
Conclusion
In summary, uninstalling and reinstalling WhatsApp will not result in lost chat history or messages, as long as you do not manually delete your local database or chat backups. WhatsApp’s cloud backup system allows your entire message history to be safely restored when you reinstall the app and sync with your account. Just be careful not to wipe any data before uninstalling, and your chats and media will return intact upon reinstalling WhatsApp.